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DDAP

The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs is accepting public comment on the Pennsylvania Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG) application submission. This submission will occur in three parts: The Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Assessment and Plan, or Mini-Application, which is currently available in draft and available for review; the SAPT Report, which will be posted in November; and the Annual Synar Report, which will be made available in December.

These documents can be accessed here utilizing “citizenpa” as your login and “citizen” as your password.

To review the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Plan Mini-Application:

  1. From the “Welcome to WebBGAS” page, click on “View an Existing Application.”
  2. On the next page, select “2023 SABG Only Application/Behavioral Health Assessment and Plan.” (The status of this application is shown as “In Progress.”)
  3. On the next page, click “View Application.”
  4. All of the links on the following page — “Pennsylvania – FY 2022-2023 SABG Only Application/Behavioral Health Assessment and Plan Submitted” — comprise the Mini-Application now open to public comment. Some components may read as “In progress” at this point, because they are still incomplete or may not be completed if they are not required.

Please submit all comments electronically by Friday, September 30.

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Overdose is the leading cause of death for people ages 18 to 45 in America. Today, August 31, 2022, is International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD). It is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose. The day honors those who have died from an overdose and offers an opportunity to reflect on the grief of those left behind while bringing attention to issues surrounding substance use disorders (SUDs) and overdose deaths. IOAD allows people to grieve as they choose without fear of stigmatization.

Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Secretary Jennifer Smith offered a video message, including resources to help those with an SUD. Those resources include:

General Resources:

IOAD Resources:

Equity-Related Resources:

Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash

The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) today released Information Bulletin 02-22: Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Records.

Act 33 of 2022 took effect immediately when Gov. Wolf signed it on July 7, 2022. Act 33 makes significant changes to the confidentiality provisions for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment records under Pennsylvania law and DDAP’s enforcement of those provisions. Act 33 amends the definitions, 71 P.S. § 1690.102, and the confidentiality provisions, 71 P.S. § 1690.108, of Act 63 of 1972, the Pennsylvania Drug and Alcohol Abuse Control Act.

Read the Information Bulletin.

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Organizations wanting to include their recovery month events on the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs’ National Recovery Month web page should email the DDAP Press Office.

September is National Recovery Month, which celebrates the gains made by those in recovery from substance use and mental health. Recovery Month works to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the emergence of a strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and community members across the nation who make recovery in all its forms possible.

On Tuesday, August 2, RCPA member Pyramid Healthcare joined the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) to encourage use of the free and confidential Addiction Treatment Locator, Assessment, and Standards (ATLAS) platform in Pennsylvania.

ATLAS evaluates addiction treatment facilities’ use of evidence-based best practices based on the Shatterproof National Principles of Care, includes an assessment to understand the appropriate level of care, and offers an easy-to-use dashboard to allow those in need and their loved ones to search for and compare facilities using criteria such as location, services offered, and insurance accepted so they can find the best treatment for their unique needs. ATLAS is fully available in English and Spanish.

Founded in 1999 with headquarters in Altoona, Pyramid Healthcare is recognized as one of the largest, full-continuum providers of substance use treatment for adults and adolescents with 31 program locations in the commonwealth and 85 across seven eastern states.

“As a participating provider, Pyramid Healthcare proudly joins DDAP in support and promotion of ATLAS as an invaluable resource designed to bridge the gap between treatment access and client engagement within the commonwealth by helping individuals navigate available behavioral health treatment options that best fit their unique recovery needs,” said Jonathan Wolf, CEO of Pyramid Healthcare.

A multimedia package from the event is available online.

On July 7, 2022, Gov. Wolf signed Act 33 of 2022, which amends Act 63 of 1972 as it pertains to confidentiality of substance use disorder patient records. Act 33 incorporates federal confidential protections under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and 42 CFR Part 2. Act 33, which took effect immediately, prohibits the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) from promulgating or enforcing a regulation that restricts any disclosure of records or information that is permitted by Act 33. DDAP is currently reviewing Act 33 to determine next steps as a regulatory agency and will be providing additional information and details on the DDAP website in the near future.