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annual conference

Photo by Kane Reinholdtsen on Unsplash

The 2023 RCPA Conference, which will be celebrating our 10-year anniversary as a leader in shaping policy and enhancing lives, will be held October 10 – 13 at the Hershey Lodge for a statewide audience. The Conference Committee is seeking workshop proposals in every area for possible inclusion, particularly those that assist providers in developing and maintaining high-quality, stable, and effective treatments, services, and agencies in an industry where change is constant. The committee looks for presentations that:

  • Highlight new policy, research, and treatment initiatives, such as telehealth innovations, suicide prevention, and employing people with disabilities;
  • Provide specific skills and information related to individual and organizational leadership development and enhancement;
  • Discuss advanced ethics practices;
  • Address system changes that affect business practices, including integrated care strategies, value-based purchasing, acquisitions/mergers, and alternative payment models;
  • Provide guidance on building a culture of a committed workforce, including recruitment and employee development as well as effective remote workforce strategies;
  • Offer concrete skills and tools to operate more efficient, effective agencies; and
  • Inspire ideas for organizations to be leaders in their field.

The committee welcomes any proposal that addresses these and other topics essential to rehabilitation, mental health, substance use disorder, children’s health, aging, physical disabilities, and intellectual/developmental disabilities & autism. Members are encouraged to consider submitting and to forward this opportunity to those who are exceptionally good speakers and have state-of-the-art information to share.

The Call for Proposals (featuring a complete listing of focus tracks) and accompanying Guidelines for Developing Educational Objectives detail requirements for submissions. The deadline for submissions is Monday, March 13, 2023, at 5:00 pm. Proposals must be submitted electronically on the form provided; confirmation of receipt will be sent. Proposals submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

If the proposal is accepted, individuals must be prepared to present on any day of the conference. Workshops are 90 or 180 minutes in length. At the time of acceptance, presenters will be required to confirm the ability to submit workshop handouts electronically four weeks prior to the conference. Individuals unable to meet this expectation should not submit proposals for consideration.

Individuals are welcome to submit multiple proposals. Notification of inclusion will be made via email by Friday, May 12, 2023. Questions may be directed to Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator.

Photo by Kane Reinholdtsen on Unsplash

The 2023 RCPA Conference, which will be celebrating our 10-year anniversary as a leader in shaping policy and enhancing lives, will be held October 10 – 13 at the Hershey Lodge for a statewide audience. The Conference Committee is seeking workshop proposals in every area for possible inclusion, particularly those that assist providers in developing and maintaining high-quality, stable, and effective treatments, services, and agencies in an industry where change is constant. The committee looks for presentations that:

  • Highlight new policy, research, and treatment initiatives, such as telehealth innovations, suicide prevention, and employing people with disabilities;
  • Provide specific skills and information related to individual and organizational leadership development and enhancement;
  • Discuss advanced ethics practices;
  • Address system changes that affect business practices, including integrated care strategies, value-based purchasing, acquisitions/mergers, and alternative payment models;
  • Provide guidance on building a culture of a committed workforce, including recruitment and employee development as well as effective remote workforce strategies;
  • Offer concrete skills and tools to operate more efficient, effective agencies; and
  • Inspire ideas for organizations to be leaders in their field.

The committee welcomes any proposal that addresses these and other topics essential to rehabilitation, mental health, substance use disorder, children’s health, aging, physical disabilities, and intellectual/developmental disabilities & autism. Members are encouraged to consider submitting and to forward this opportunity to those who are exceptionally good speakers and have state-of-the-art information to share.

The Call for Proposals (featuring a complete listing of focus tracks) and accompanying Guidelines for Developing Educational Objectives detail requirements for submissions. The deadline for submissions is Monday, March 13, 2023, at 5:00 pm. Proposals must be submitted electronically on the form provided; confirmation of receipt will be sent. Proposals submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

If the proposal is accepted, individuals must be prepared to present on any day of the conference. Workshops are 90 or 180 minutes in length. At the time of acceptance, presenters will be required to confirm the ability to submit workshop handouts electronically four weeks prior to the conference. Individuals unable to meet this expectation should not submit proposals for consideration.

Individuals are welcome to submit multiple proposals. Notification of inclusion will be made via email by Friday, May 12, 2023. Questions may be directed to Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator.


It’s official! The National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals’ Annual Conference is back in person in 2023. For the first time since 2019, NADSP will host a two-day in-person conference with keynotes, breakout sessions, and opportunities to celebrate, connect, and learn the leading developments in the workforce.

On September 8, 2023, the Sixth Annual NADSP Conference will commence at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel at Station Square. Additional details, including a request for session proposals, hotel booking information, and sponsorship opportunities, will be shared in the next few weeks.

The seats are quickly filling as we get closer to the 2022 RCPA Conference Together! Be sure to register now to see our exciting workshops in person and earn continuing education credits. The final online registration deadline is Friday, September 30. Take a look at our full brochure to view the schedule and find valuable information on our upcoming workshops, which include:

  • Competing for Quality: Strategies for Becoming a Top Talent Manager
    • Presented by Ed Krow of Ed Krow, LLC
  • Creating the Playbook on the Fly: Lessons Learned From the COVID-19 Pandemic That Will Endure as We Navigate to the “New” Normal
    • Presented by Woody Rosenbach, Trapeta Mayson, Tyrone Howell, and LaMar Brooks of COMHAR
  • Reducing Obstacles to Care: Low-Barrier Access to Buprenorphine and Other Life-Saving Treatments
    • Presented by Mark G. Fuller and Stuart Fisk of Allegheny Health Network
  • Reviewing Data Together: The Impact of the COVID Crises on Children’s Services Outcomes
    • Presented by Dan Warner of Community Data Roundtable
  • Healing-Centered Supervision: Lessons From Peer Support
    • Presented by Emily Ferris and Dana Lombardi of Magellan Behavioral Health of Pennsylvania
  • One Hospital Diversion VBP Project: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
    • Presented by Lisa M. May and Mandy Fauble of UPMC Western Behavioral Health at Safe Harbor
  • Technologies Needed to Be Successful in Healthcare Reform for Mental Health, Substance Use, Developmental Disabilities, and Human Service Organizations
    • Presented by Michael Lardieri of Core Solutions
  • Supporting Children With Medically Complex Conditions — Overview of Medical Support Needs
    • Presented by Gregory Cherpes and Rhonda Gengler of the Office of Developmental Programs

Note that sessions will be recorded to allow registered participants to view content after the event concludes.

In addition to an amazing roster of speakers, our 2022 Conference will have an exciting array of sponsors and exhibitors. We thank those who have committed to our conference thus far! If you are interested in sponsoring or exhibiting, visit here for more details. For sponsors and exhibitors to be included in signage, RCPA will require contracts no later than Thursday, September 15.

We’d like to give a special shoutout to our Connections Hall sponsor Beacon Health Options as well as our Welcome Reception sponsor UPMC Community Care Behavioral Health Organization. Thank you for your support!

Questions about the conference may be directed to Carol Ferenz or Sarah Eyster, Conference Coordinators.

Early bird registration for the 2022 RCPA Conference Together! ends today! Be sure to register now to see our exciting workshops in person and earn continuing education credits. You won’t want to miss taking advantage of this opportunity!

Gathering in person at the Hershey Lodge October 11 – 14, 2022, attendees will see and learn from presenters from health and human services organizations all across Pennsylvania. Our full brochure is available, and some of our upcoming workshops include:

  • Employment Strategies for Those With Prader Willi Syndrome
    • Presented by Lisa Svidron of Mainstay Life Services
  • TCV Community Services and Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health — A Case Study in Effective Affiliation
    • Presented by Carl E. Clark II, Fran Sheedy Bost, and Robert Dunne of Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health
  • Implementing Trauma-Informed Care in Children’s Mental Health Residential Treatment in Pennsylvania
    • Presented by Gordon R. Hodas and Caren L. Rosser-Morris of OMHSAS
  • Preparing for a Value-Based Payment (VBP) Future in Substance Use Treatment in PA: Using the Centers of Excellence (COE) as an Example
    • Presented by David Loveland of Community Care Behavioral Health
  • Managing Unique Challenges for Clients in the Workplace
    • Presented by Thomas Tirney of Arlington Heritage Group
  • Do Private Equity-Funded Start-ups and Services Have an Advantage Over Legacy Nonprofit Provider Organizations?
    • Presented by Stacy DiStefano of Consulting for Human Services
  • Ethical Considerations of Guardianship
    • Presented by Lesley Mehalick of McAndrews, Mehalick, Connolly, Hulse and Ryan, PC

Note that sessions will be recorded to allow registered participants to view content after the event concludes.

In addition to an amazing roster of speakers, our 2022 Conference will have an exciting array of sponsors and exhibitors. We thank those who have committed to our conference thus far! If you are interested in sponsoring or exhibiting, visit here for more details.

We’d like to give a special shoutout to our Connections Hall sponsor Beacon Health Options as well as our Welcome Reception sponsor UPMC Community Care Behavioral Health Organization. Thank you for your support!

Questions about the conference may be directed to Carol Ferenz or Sarah Eyster, Conference Coordinators.

Early bird registration for the 2022 RCPA Conference Together! ends this Friday, September 9! Be sure to register now to see our exciting workshops in person and earn continuing education credits. You won’t want to miss taking advantage of this opportunity!

Gathering in person at the Hershey Lodge October 11 – 14, 2022, attendees will see and learn from presenters from health and human services organizations all across Pennsylvania. Our full brochure is available, and some of our upcoming workshops include:

  • Value-Based Care: Provider-Payer Partnership and Prioritization of Member Experience to Get to Value-Based Contracts
    • Presented by Charlotte Chew of Pyramid Healthcare and and Monica Collins of Magellan Behavioral Health
  • Protecting Those in Our Care: Building a Devereux for the Future
    • Presented by Rhea Fernandes and Leah Yaw of Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health
  • Supporting Challenging Individuals: Bridging the Service Gap in an Outpatient Setting
    • Presented by Ricky Jones and Bonnie Triebig of Berks Counseling Center
  • Trauma-Informed Leadership: Critical in a Post-Pandemic World
    • Presented by Angela Chew of Dickinson Center, Inc.
  • SkillUp PA: A No-Cost Online Learning System for Rehabilitation and Community Providers
    • Presented by Barbara Vierlinck and Stephanie Perry of DOL and Kerry Twomey of Metrix Learning
  • The Five Introductions: Sharing Your Story With Everyone From Family to Lawmakers
    • Presented by Christopher Kush of Soapbox Consulting
  • Developing Recovery Supports for Young Adults With Autism and Serious Mental Illness
    • Presented by Chris Wolf, Patrick Maynard, and Jennifer Riha of I Am Boundless, Inc.

Note that sessions will be recorded to allow registered participants to view content after the event concludes.

In addition to an amazing roster of speakers, our 2022 Conference will have an exciting array of sponsors and exhibitors. We thank those who have committed to our conference thus far! If you are interested in sponsoring or exhibiting, visit here for more details.

We’d like to give a special shoutout to our Connections Hall sponsor Beacon Health Options as well as our Welcome Reception sponsor UPMC Community Care Behavioral Health Organization. Thank you for your support!

Questions about the conference may be directed to Carol Ferenz or Sarah Eyster, Conference Coordinators.

RCPA is excited to have a diverse and well-rounded lineup of speakers at our 2022 Conference Together! Gathering in person at the Hershey Lodge October 11 – 14, 2022, presenters from organizations all across Pennsylvania’s health care systems will gather to discuss up-to-date data, new technologies, and the latest trends. Our full brochure is available, and some of our upcoming workshops include:

  • Introduction to Measurement-Based Care and Addressing Its Most Frequently Asked Questions
    • Presented by Elizabeth Connors of Yale University and Jason Frittaion of Greenspace Health
  • Implementing a County/Agency System to Improve Outcomes for Individuals, Agencies, and Systems of Care by Identifying and Modifying Treatment for Individuals With FASD
    • Presented by Dan Dubovsky, FASD Specialist, Joe Kloss of Luzerne-Wyoming Counties System of Care, and Summer Krochta and Jessica Sachs of Children’s Service Center
  • Providing Trauma-Informed Supports to DSPs During Tragic Events
    • Presented by Robin VanEerden and Michael Benjamin May of Merakey
  • Language Matters
    • Presented by Marian Baldini of KenCrest
  • Risk Management in Telehealth: Guidance to Providers
    • Presented by Cynthia Haines, Esq. of Post & Schell
  • Improving Peer Workforce Recruitment and Retention From Multiple Stakeholder Perspectives
    • Presented by Jamie Edwards and Tracy Carney of Community Care Behavioral Health Organization
  • Before I Put My Hands Behind My Back, Can We Talk About This? — Philadelphia Police Department Co-Responder Program
    • Presented by Megan Johnson and John Muehsam of Elwyn

Be sure to register now to see these workshops in person and earn continuing education credits! Note that sessions will be recorded to allow registered participants to view content after the event concludes.

In addition to an amazing roster of speakers, our 2022 Conference will have an exciting array of sponsors and exhibitors. We thank those who have committed to our conference thus far! If you are interested in sponsoring or exhibiting, visit here for more details.

We’d like to give a special shoutout to our Connections Hall sponsor Beacon Health Options as well as our Welcome Reception sponsor UPMC Community Care Behavioral Health Organization. Thank you for your support!

Questions about the conference may be directed to Carol Ferenz or Sarah Eyster, Conference Coordinators.

The 2022 RCPA Conference Together! is looking to be packed full of exciting and thought-provoking workshopsGathering in person at the Hershey Lodge October 11 – 14, 2022, presenters from across the state will be discussing everything from telehealth to the workforce crisis to COVID-19 and beyond. Our full brochure is available, and some of our upcoming workshops include:

  • Building a Strong School-Based Outpatient Therapy Program: Providing Quality Services and Enhancing Community Partnerships
    • Presented by Amanda Katchur of Community Services Group
  • ATLAS: A Tool for Connecting Your Community to Evidence-Based, High-Quality Addiction Treatment
    • Presented by Angad Buttar of Shatterproof and Kim Coleman of DDAP
  • Expert Panel on Recruiting and Retaining Behavioral Health Staff During Challenging Times
    • Presented by Christine Axford of Berks Counseling Center, Rosa Davis of POWER, Cassie Dundon of Achievement Center of LECOM Health, Amy Herschell of Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, Elissa Nulton of Peer Star, and Kate Pompa of Wesley Family Services
  • Provider and Member Centric VBP Development in IBHS – A Success Story That Benefits All Parties
    • Presented by Debra Luther of Beacon Health Options of PA, Steven Herr of Advanced Metrics, and Kim Bowser-Murtha of Fayette County Behavioral Health Administration
  • Programs That Promote Change for Sexually Problematic Behaviors
    • Presented by Jack Berkenstock Jr. of The Bodhana Group
  • Identifying and Addressing Health Disparities Related to Tobacco Use Among Individuals With Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
    • Presented by William Stauffer of the PA Recovery Organizations – Alliance and Tony Klein of PA Statewide Tobacco Free Recovery Initiative

Be sure to register now to see these workshops in person and earn continuing education credits! Note that sessions will be recorded to allow registered participants to take advantage of sessions after the event.

In addition to an amazing roster of speakers, our 2022 Conference will have an exciting array of sponsors and exhibitors. We thank those who have committed to our conference thus far! If you are interested in sponsoring or exhibiting, visit here for more details.

We’d like to give a special shoutout to our Connections Hall sponsor Beacon Health Options as well as our Welcome Reception sponsor UPMC Community Care Behavioral Health Organization. Thank you for your support!

Questions about the conference may be directed to Carol Ferenz or Sarah Eyster, Conference Coordinators.