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Policy Areas

The Physical Health Managed Care Organizations (PH-MCOs) serving Pennsylvania’s HealthChoices Medicaid program are now inviting psychiatric service providers to submit a response for the Telephonic Psychiatric Service (TiPS) Request for Proposals (RFP). The PH-MCOs will contract for TiPS that will provide real time telephonic consultative services to primary care providers (PCPs), and other prescribers of psychotropic medications, for children under the age of 21. A TiPS provider is responsible for establishing and maintaining a team of behavioral health professionals who will be available to respond to inquiries from PCPs seeking assistance in providing pediatric behavioral health care. Qualified applicants must have a TiPS staff which includes one full-time equivalent child psychiatrist, one full-time equivalent behavioral health therapist, and one full-time equivalent care coordinator. Now available are the RFP, and supplemental information, including pediatric membership by plan/zone, and a 2014 Health Affairs article on a similar program in Massachusetts. A vendor fair for interested respondents is being held on Tuesday, January 26 in Mechanicsburg. See the RFP for additional details. All questions should be directed to MCO Coalition Consultant, Emily Katz.

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The RCPA Brain Injury Committee meeting, scheduled for January 13 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, will have a different focus from the regularly scheduled bi-monthly committee meetings.

Due to the timing of Community HealthChoices and all that has transpired, including the Managed Care Organization (MCO) Meet and Greet session for Brain Injury Providers planned for January 14, and the advancement of the RCP-SO for Community HealthChoices, the meeting will focus on these key important topics that will impact the brain injury providers.

Dr. Richard Edley, RCPA President/CEO, will be in attendance to provide everyone with updates on the one-to-one meetings that have been held with Managed Care Organizations regarding brain injury services, as well as updates regarding the RCO-SO offering. He will also answer any questions you may have on these issues.

Due to the importance of this meeting, members are encouraged to either attend or participate via webcast. If you have not registered yet, please do so as soon as possible.

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The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) sent members of the OMHSAS Planning Council’s Children’s Committee the draft Training and Supervision Requirements for Therapeutic Staff Support (TSS) Workers bulletin, noting that the document is being distributed for public comment. Public comment on this bulletin is being accepted until Monday, January 11, 2016. RCPA has requested an extension of the period for stakeholder review and comment, given the extremely short time allotted by OMHSAS. OMHSAS is asking that comments be submitted via email.

RCPA will submit comments and will inform members if the time period for review and comment is extended by OMHSAS. In addition to sending your comments to OMHSAS, please also forward them to Connell O’Brien, director, RCPA Children’s Division.