ODP Updates
The Office of Developmental Programs has released the following information available online:
On December 10, 2015, the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LB&FC) released and presented their report, Implementation of the PA Safety in Youth Sports Act, pursuant to HR 2014-1064. This bill called on the House of Representatives to direct the LB&FC to assess compliance with the Safety in Youth Sports Act, determine the best practices for managing concussions and traumatic brain injuries, and make recommendations on provisions of the act that should be strengthened to be more effective.
While changes were not recommended to the current act, there was concern expressed that concussions are still not taken as seriously as they should be. As a result, it was recommended that the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) develop additional guidelines and recommended practices for schools to follow with regard to identifying, assessing, and managing student athletes suspected of having sustained a concussion. The recommendation was made to PDE to consider the guidelines developed by the New York Department of Education (Guidelines for Concussion Management in the School Setting) as a possible model. The report was accepted and approved to be released.
This article from Capitolwire is a good and extensive overview of what is going on with the budget here in Harrisburg. Health and Human service budget line items are still fluid until the House and Senate negotiate a final budget deal. RCPA will provide updates on any budget deal, and RCPA encourages members to continue to contact the governor and state legislators to inform them why it’s necessary for them to pass a state budget sooner rather than later. Questions, contact Jack Phillips.
RCPA President & CEO Richard Edley appeared on Clean and Sober Radio (WWDB-AM), December 4, to discuss issues facing drug and alcohol treatment providers.
ODP Updates
The Office of Developmental Programs has released the following information:
ODP Updates
The Office of Developmental Programs has released the following information available on the ODP Consulting website.
The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) is concerned about the rise in hepatitis C cases in Pennsylvania (PA), particularly among persons who inject drugs (IDU). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing for those who currently inject any type of drug (Opioids, Methamphetamine, Cocaine, etc.) or have injected drugs in the past, including those who injected once or a few times many years ago. PA has experienced a dramatic increase in hepatitis C infections in individuals with injection opioid and/or heroin addiction who are 18 to 35 years of age. DDAP recommends that all licensed drug and alcohol addiction treatment facilities perform a risk assessment for HCV and refer to medical or community based providers for necessary screening/testing as appropriate.
Because many individuals you serve are at high risk for hepatitis C, you play an important role in combating this public health issue. If you have current practices that you believe are effective in combating this disease, we would appreciate you sharing these with us so we can promote them across the field. Please send this information to DDAP Treatment, Prevention & Intervention Bureau Director, Angela Episale, at aepisale@pa.gov.
Through improved identification and treatment of individuals with hepatitis C, we can begin to reduce the spread of this disease. Please remember to obtain consumer consent and maintain confidentiality when sharing test results with the consumers’ primary care physicians or other physical health specialists involved in hepatitis treatment. In some cases, you may be able to utilize a Qualified Service Organization Agreement (QSOA) to permit the exchange of patient identifying information. If you have questions about when this is possible, please contact our Division of Licensing Acting Director, Gary Stauffer, at gstauffer@pa.gov.
For more information regarding hepatitis C testing of IDU clientele, please contact:
Charles Howsare, MD, MPH
Viral Hepatitis Prevention Coordinator
PA Department of Health
717-787-3350
Thank you for your critical assistance in controlling hepatitis C in PA.
Contact Person: Angela Episale, 717-736-7438
ODP Updates
The Office of Developmental Programs has released the following information:
ODP Update
The Office of Developmental Programs has released the following information:
On Thursday, December 10, 2015, from 12:30–1:30 pm, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will conduct a special open door forum to provide a summary of the dry run for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) on all-cause unplanned readmissions for 30-day post discharge from IRFs. To participate in the call, dial: 800-837-1935; conference ID: 93892614. Prior to the call, the presentation slides will be posted to the IRF Quality Reporting Spotlight & Announcements page on the CMS website.
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