OMHSAS Releases Peer Support Services Bulletin and Provider Handbook

The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) has released the OMHSAS-24-05 Peer Support Services (PSS) Bulletin and PSS Provider Handbook, updating the requirements for Peer Support Services. OMHSAS significantly reorganized the existing language in the Handbook to better clarify which requirements apply to OMHSAS licensure and which apply to Medical Assistance payment. Along with these formatting changes, OMHSAS-24-05 includes the following updates:

• Staff Qualifications and Requirements for Certified Peer Specialists (CPS)
  • The requirement for a CPS to have a high school diploma or GED has been removed.
  • The requirement for a Serious Mental Illness (SMI) or Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) has been replaced with a requirement to have a mental health diagnosis. Please note, to be eligible to receive PSS services, there is still a requirement for “the presence or history of an SMI or SED.”
  • The clause requiring CPSs “to attain certification through the PCB within six months of hire” has been removed, as the certification examination is now available on-demand, eliminating the need for a grace period for testing to be completed.

• Staff Qualifications and Requirements for CPS Supervisors
  • Adding a new qualification category for individuals with an associate degree.
  • Supervisory meetings held in an audio-only format shall not be considered supervision.
  • Supervisory meetings shall be provided at a minimum of one hour each week.

• Telehealth
  • The prior requirement that only 25% of total services provided per beneficiary per calendar year can be delivered by telephone has been removed.
  • PSS may be provided via telehealth technology, including audio-only service delivery, when it is clinically appropriate to do so.
  • PSS providers must ensure that the preference of individuals receiving services (or their legal guardian) is given a high priority when determining the appropriate service delivery modality.

Please review all other revisions to OMHSAS-24-05 here.

Comments and questions regarding this bulletin should be directed to:
Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Bureau of Policy, Planning and Program Development,
P.O. Box 2675,
Harrisburg, PA 17105
General Office Number: 717-772-7900
Email

If you have any questions, please contact RCPA COO and Mental Health Policy Director Jim Sharp.