Philadelphia Inquirer: Child Tax Credit Expansion Would Help an Entire Generation of Children, RCPA Member CHOP CEO Says
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OLTL Releases RFA to Procure Community HealthChoices
The Department of Human Services is seeking to procure the services of Managed Care Organizations (MCO) to operate the Community HealthChoices (CHC) Program in the five CHC zones which cover all 67 counties of the Commonwealth.
This procurement launches the process to select MCO, starting January 1, 2025. Key dates are:
- Feb. 8 — Pre-Application Conference Webinar
- Feb. 8 — Deadline to submit questions via email
- Feb. 15 — Answers to potential applicant questions posted to the Department of General Services website are due
- Mar. 15 — Application must be received electronically by the Issuing Office
Visit PA eMarketplace for more information and to apply. Questions may be directed to Fady Sahhar.
DHS Releases RFP for CMS 1915(b)(4) Waiver Services Performance Analysis Vendor
This Request for Proposals (RFP) requires performance analysis activities to administer the requirements of the CMS 1915(b)(4) waiver for licensed residential habilitation, unlicensed residential habilitation, supported living, and life-sharing services, as well as for supports coordination services currently offered in all ODP 1915(c) waiver programs.
Tasks to support administering the requirements of the 1915(b)(4) waiver include but are not limited to: data collection, analysis and reporting, Provider Contract Management, managing a public facing website, and providing and maintaining an information support system.
All offerors are required to create a user profile within the DHS JAGGAER portal. Please visit here to access the portal.
Proposals are due Tuesday, March 5, 2024, by 12:00 pm. Visit PA eMarketplace for more information and to apply.
OCYF Continues Trauma Awareness and Healing Training Courses
The Office of Children, Youth, and Families (OCYF) is continuing to offer free Trauma Intensive Courses to support individuals and teams in their professional development. These courses provide essential training in trauma awareness and healing. Options include Train-the-Trainer Sessions and sessions on processing pain as well as facilitating healing. Participants can deepen their understanding and skills in trauma-informed care, with limited seats available. To register for these courses, visit the course registration page. Additionally, various trauma-related workshops are open for registration, covering different aspects of trauma. For more information, visit the Lakeside Global Institute — Trauma Workshops 2024 page.
OMHSAS Provides Telehealth and Medicaid Update
RCPA attended the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) telehealth webinar on Monday, January 29, alongside many provider members, regarding the Federal payment conditions related to the delivery of telehealth services and the requirement that the physicians or clinicians must present in the office, or that the client must be in the office during the telehealth session, to meet the guideline. It was explained that despite the standards outlined in the current OMHSAS Telebehavioral Health Bulletin, under the Federal “4 walls” statute, this is a required Federal Medicaid payment condition. These requirements cannot be waived.
The purpose of today’s call was twofold: explaining the “4 walls” requirements, and for providers to give vital feedback to OMHSAS on the impacts, challenges, and barriers to accessing services that this may create for consumers and families. This Medicaid standard remains in effect, and RCPA recommends provider members review their operating practices to ensure compliance.
During this time, RCPA will continue its efforts and work with OMHSAS, the HealthChoices partners, and stakeholders to ensure access to services via telehealth. You can review today’s OMHSAS telehealth webinar slide deck. We are also looking to obtain a recording of the webinar to share with our members.
If you have questions, please contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp. The next RCPA Telehealth Operations Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 27; however, we will be reviewing if we need to meet sooner based on current information.
Please share this information with your stakeholder networks.
RCPA 2023 Year in Review Just Released!
RCPA is delighted to share our 2023 Year in Review! We’re confident that this review will provide you with valuable insights, and inspire you as we highlight some of our significant achievements. This past year, we have embarked on groundbreaking initiatives and celebrated remarkable successes, all thanks to our collective efforts. As we step into 2024, we remain optimistic about reaching new heights together, and hope this review fuels your enthusiasm for what we can all accomplish in the coming year.
The Washington Post: New Alzheimer’s Drugs Bring Hope. But Not Equally for All Patients
OMHSAS Issues Announcement on Nursing Compact
Last Chance to Register and Learn About Pharmacy Spending and Benefits With the RCPA Captive Health Plan on Jan. 31
HR Request for Information Regarding Job Descriptions and Policies
There is a request from an RCPA member who is looking to revise some policies and job descriptions for their organization. Please contact Fred Serino, Director of Human Resources at Vista Autism Services, if you are willing to share the following policies/job descriptions from your organization:
- Inclement weather policy;
- Evaluation form and process; and/or
- Job description for Director of QA/QI.
In addition to this request, you can also view and share information, as well as post questions, on the RCPA website under the HR Forum. Please access the online forum under the Human Resources drop-down menu at the top of the RCPA website (note that you must be logged in with your RCPA member website account). If you do not have access, please request access here. Contact Sharon Militello if you have questions concerning the HR forum.
We thank you for your assistance with this request.
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