RCPA 2026/27 Membership Renewal Period Begins
Application
DOH Primary Care Loan Repayment Program Includes SUD, BH Professionals
The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) has opened a new application period for the Primary Care Practitioner Loan Repayment Program. The program supports health care professionals, including those providing substance use disorder (SUD) and behavioral health (BH) services, who serve in underserved communities across Pennsylvania through loan repayment assistance to eligible providers in exchange for a two-year service commitment at an approved site. Its primary purpose is to increase access to care in underserved areas by supporting and retaining the workforce.
The program is open to a range of licensed providers, including:
- Psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners/physician assistants;
- Licensed behavioral health professionals (LCSWs, LPCs, LMFTs, psychologists); and
- Primary care providers (physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, certified nurse midwives).
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Be licensed to practice in Pennsylvania;
- Work at an approved site serving at least 30 percent low-income patients or located in a Health Professional Shortage Area; and
- Commit to two years of full-time or half-time service.
Eligible practice sites may include community-based settings such as community behavioral health clinics; outpatient SUD and BH treatment providers; and federally qualified health centers and similar settings. Benefits include:
- Loan repayment assistance to reduce education-related debt;
- An opportunity to provide care in high-need communities; and
- Up to $80,000 (full-time) or $40,000 (half-time) for physicians, dentists, and psychologists, OR up to $48,000 (full-time) or $24,000 (half-time) for other eligible providers.
The application process closes Friday, May 4, and applications must be submitted online. More information is available online. Email DOH with questions.
Review, Comment Period Now Open for the Federal IDEA Part C Grant Application for the Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program
Message from the Office of Child Development & Early Learning (OCDEL):
Review & Comment Period Now Open for the Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C Grant Application for the Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program
- Available for review beginning on March 30, 2026
- Comment Period Open on April 1 – May 8, 2026
Each year the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) provides access and opportunity for interested parties, including families, EI providers, and other professionals, to review and make comments on the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C application for the Infant Toddler Early Intervention program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026.
Anyone who would like to review the proposed grant application can find the document at: Early Intervention Services or Early Intervention on the right side menu of the web pages. Hard copies can also be requested by emailing or by calling 717-346-9320.
To ensure all families, professionals and other Early Intervention stakeholders throughout our system have access to the application and are provided with opportunity to comment, we are providing you with a few reminders to ensure wide distribution of the information, specifically for those who may not have computer access to provide input.
Strategies to ensure access to the draft application include:
- Sharing the email and its content with your Local Interagency Coordinating Councils to assist with its distribution. Please encourage them to share with those who may not always have web access to review or provide comment.
- Encourage service coordinators to share the information from the email with families using the preferred method of communication identified by families. Highlighting how families can receive a print copy of the application and how they can submit comment would be beneficial to ensure appropriate reach to all stakeholders.
Opportunities to provide public comment from April 1 – May 8, 2026 include:
- Visit Part C Grant Public Comment. This link will allow for online comment opportunity.
- Submitting written comments regarding the proposed grant application can be directed to Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Bureau of Early Intervention Services and Family Supports, ATTN: Public Comments for Part C Grant Application, 607 South Drive, 4th Floor Rotunda, Harrisburg, PA 17120 or via email.
If you need an accommodation or assistance to review the proposed grant application or to submit comments, please contact via email or by calling 717-346-9320.
Comments will be accepted through May 8, 2026. All comments will be reviewed and considered by the Department before submitting the final grant application.
ODP Seeks Applicants for Provider Innovation Series
The Provider Innovation Series is an exclusive opportunity for our provider community to showcase and be recognized for their innovations, new and ongoing, in support of the everyday lives of those we serve. The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) believes in the power of peer learning and support, and they look forward to showcasing your innovative practices that drive quality.
ODP will select providers to present based on the provider’s innovative practices and encourages providers to use ISAC Recommendations and Strategies to identify areas of innovation. Presenters will also be celebrated for their innovation and leadership in the field with a showcase on MyODP News, a certificate of appreciation, and a digital badge, which can be added to email signatures and displayed on their website and social media.
Don’t miss this opportunity to demonstrate your impact! We encourage all Provider organizations, large and small, to consider what innovations they may like to share, and look forward to both learning more about — and sharing with others — your innovative work! Proposals are being accepted through January 5, 2026. To submit an application, please complete the survey.
The December 1 informational webinar can be found here.
For questions or comments, please contact Tim Sohosky.
DHS Releases New Work Requirements Resource for SNAP Recipients & Applicants
Under new federal rules, to keep or become eligible for SNAP benefits, some recipients will have to meet work requirements that include working, volunteering, or participating in an education or training program for at least 20 hours a week (or 80 hours each month) AND report that they are meeting these work requirements.
To help SNAP recipients and applicants find out if they need to meet this requirement, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (PA DHS) has launched a new online screening tool.
By answering a simple set of yes or no questions, SNAP applicants and recipients can find out if they need to meet the work requirements, if they are already meeting the work requirements, or if they are eligible for an exemption.
The screening tool is not a final determination of whether someone is meeting the work requirements or is eligible for an exemption, but it can help recipients and applicants have a more informed conversation with their caseworker.
The new work requirements will apply to Pennsylvanians who:
- Are between 18-64 years old;
- Do not have a dependent child under 14 years old; and
- Are considered physically and mentally able to work.
In addition, being a veteran or a current or former foster youth age 18–24 will no longer be an exemption.
Some people may still be exempt from work and reporting requirements if they meet a different exemption. You can learn more about these work reporting requirements, who they affect, and more about exemptions at DHS’s website.
State Budget Investments Help Fight Food Insecurity
Pennsylvania’s charitable food network and our agricultural community are vital to keeping our neighbors and communities fed. Governor Shapiro’s 2025/26 budget delivers major investments to combat hunger, strengthen the charitable food network, and support Pennsylvania farmers. The budget includes a historic $11 million increase for food security, including:
- $3 million for the State Food Purchase Program and $1 million for the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System (PASS);
- $2 million for a new state Food Bucks program to supplement SNAP; and
- $5 million in new funding to Pennsylvania food banks.
Help Us Spread the Word
PA DHS has developed a communications toolkit to help Pennsylvanians understand the changes happening to SNAP.
We ask RCPA members, advocates, and stakeholders to view and share the toolkit, which includes sample text, social media posts, and more.
DHS Shares Invitation to Apply for the Capacity Building Institute, Year 9
Invitation to Apply for the Capacity Building Institute, Year 9
Many people feel at a loss as to how to best provide support to individuals with a dual diagnosis (individuals with an Intellectual Disability and Autism with cooccurring mental health issues and challenging behaviors) to lead healthy, happy, and meaningful lives. Current best practices and supportive models that have shown to be most helpful are sometimes beyond the reach of people who work directly with individuals with a dual diagnosis.
The Capacity Building Institute (CBI), presented by the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) and the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), addresses these issues from an individual and systemic level through training, integration of knowledge into practice, and opportunities to build a statewide cohort to work together to effect change and build capacity. The participants will share individual best practice experiences leading to recommendations to ODP and OMHSAS to facilitate a more effective delivery of services across systems.
The Capacity Building Institute (CBI) provides an in-depth learning opportunity to professionals across the entire service partnership, including direct support staff and supervisors, supports coordinators/case managers and supervisors, agency trainers, managed care organizations, behavior specialists, psychiatrists, professional counselors and therapists, and dual diagnosis treatment teams. CBI participants represent a wide range of agencies, including Direct Support Providers, Supports Coordination, State Hospitals, State Centers, Adolescent Residential Treatment Facilities, Autism Supports, Education, Resources and Training Centers, Administrative Entities, and the Health Care Quality Units.
The Capacity Building Institute will meet for nine, two-day sessions, beginning October 2025 and ending in May 2026. Three sessions will be live/in-person, and six will be live/virtual on Zoom. Tuition is $300. Hotel reservations are your responsibility at the live sessions. To apply for the CBI, please fill out the Capacity Building Institute Year 9 Interest Survey. Applications are due by September 16, 2025.
Please view the flyer for additional information on purpose, meeting dates and times, and training topics.
Public Comment Sought on SUPTRS Block Grant Application
The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) is providing the opportunity for public comment on the Pennsylvania Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services (SUPTRS) Block Grant application.
This application will occur in three parts:
- Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Assessment and Plan;
- SUPTRS Report (available in November); and
- Annual Synar Report (available in December).
The application documents can be accessed through SAMHSA’s Web Block Grant Application System (WebBGAS) using the login “citizenpa” and password “citizen.”
Comments must be submitted via email by Tuesday, September 30.
FFY 2026/27 Community Mental Health Block Grant Application Open for Public Comment
The FFY 2026/27 Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (CMHSBG) Draft Pennsylvania Application is now available for public comment. The CMHSBG is federal block grant funding that assists states in providing community-based services to adults with Serious Mental Illness and children with Severe Emotional Disturbance. This application provides a review of the current strengths and needs in the Pennsylvania mental health system and plans priority areas for improvement. The priorities were developed in consultation with representatives from the Pennsylvania Mental Health Planning Council. The CMHSBG Application public comment period will remain open until August 25, 2025.
Please access the application using the Webbgas Citizen’s login using the below credentials.
- Login: citizenpa
- Password: citizen
Submit any comments on this application to the CMHSBG Resource inbox.
RCPA is open to submitting members’ comments and feedback via our organization’s response to the public feedback process. If you would like to have RCPA submit comments on behalf of your agency, please contact RCPA Policy Associate Emma Sharp with any questions.
Rural Health Transformation Program Overview
H.R. 1 created a $50 billion fund called the Rural Health Transformation program in an attempt to offset the losses that rural health providers will experience associated with the other devastating cuts to health care in the legislation.
Each state must complete a one-time application for the five-year program to be reviewed by CMS. Many aspects of the application are still undecided, including the submission period, due date, state entity that must submit the application, and the form of the application. The RHTP application must include a plan to describe how the state would use the funds to:
- Improve access to hospitals and other providers for rural residents;
- Improve health care outcomes of rural residents;
- Prioritize the use of new and emerging technologies that emphasize prevention and chronic disease management;
- Initiate, foster, and strengthen local and regional strategic partnerships between rural hospitals and other providers to promote quality improvement, increase financial stability, maximize economies of scale, and share best practices;
- Recruit and retain clinicians,
- Prioritize data and technology driven solutions that help rural providers furnish health care services as close to the patient’s home as possible;
- Outline strategies to manage long-term financial solvency and operating models of rural hospitals; and
- Identify specific causes that are driving standalone rural hospitals to close, convert, or reduce service lines.
The funds will be distributed between 2026 and 2030, allotting $10 billion each year. $25 billion of this fund will be allocated equally among all states with an approved application by CMS. Assuming that all fifty states are approved, each state will receive a minimum of $100 million per year for five years. The other $25 billion will be distributed to states with an approved application in an amount determined by CMS based upon the state’s rural population, proportion of healthcare facilities in rural areas, and the situation of hospitals that serve a high proportion of low-income patients.
The bill lists several allowable uses of the PHTP funds:
- Promoting evidence-based, measurable interventions to improve prevention and chronic disease management;
- Providing payments to health care providers for the provision of health care items or services as specified by CMS;
- Promoting consumer-facing, technology-driven solutions for the prevention and management of chronic diseases;
- Providing training and technical assistance for the development and adoption of technology-enables solutions that improve care delivery in rural hospitals, including remote monitoring, robotics, artificial intelligence, and other advanced technologies;
- Recruiting and retaining clinical workforce talent to rural areas, with commitments to serve rural communities for a minimum of five years;
- Providing technical assistance, software, and hardware for significant information technology advances designed to improve efficiency, enhance cybersecurity capability development, and improve patient health outcomes;
- Assisting rural communities to right-size their healthcare delivery systems by identifying needed preventative, ambulatory, pre-hospital, emergency, acute inpatient care, outpatient care, and post-acute care service lines;
- Supporting access to opioid use disorder treatment services, other substance use disorder treatment services, and mental health services;
- Developing projects that support innovative models of care that include value-based care arrangements and alternative payment models as appropriate; and
- Additional uses designed to promote sustainable access to high quality rural health care services, as determined by the Administrator.
RCPA will continue to share information on the program and applications as it becomes available. Contact Emma Sharp with any questions.
