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DHS

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) will be holding quarterly public meetings for anyone interested in discussing the topic of peer support services (PSS) working in the mental health realm. These meetings will provide a regularly scheduled opportunity for OMHSAS representatives to give PSS updates and information as well as answer questions and obtain essential insight and feedback from stakeholders.

The first quarterly meeting will be held on October 8, 2024, at 9:00 am – 10:00 am. The TEAMS meeting link is available here. Going forward, these meetings will be held on the second Tuesday in the months of January, April, July, and October 2025. Attendees will receive general updates and discussion topics OMHSAS will send ahead of time. Meeting links will also be provided in advance of each meeting.

Recommendations for agenda topics or questions can be submitted via email and must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the meeting date. The email account will be monitored, and the sender will receive a reply if more information is needed. Responses will not be provided if additional information is not needed.

If you or your colleagues would like to be added to an OMHSAS Listserv to receive the quarterly invitations, please go to the Listserv DHS website, then select the “join or leave the list” link.

Meeting Dates:

  • Tuesday, October 8, 2024, 9:00 am
    • Topic: Introductions, Welcome, & OMHSAS Updates
  • Tuesday, January 14, 2025, 9:00 am
    • Agenda Topics Due December 30, 2024
  • Tuesday, April 8, 2025, 9:00 am
    • Agenda Topics Due March 25, 2025
  • Tuesday, July 8, 2025, 9:00 am
    • Agenda Topics Due June 24, 2025
  • Tuesday, October 14, 2025, 9:00 am
    • Agenda Topics Due September 30, 2025

OMHSAS is open to ideas and suggestions on maximizing the effectiveness of these meetings.

These quarterly meetings are not a replacement for the Mental Health Planning Council quarterly meetings. Those meetings will continue in addition to these newly established meetings.

OMHSAS appreciates your review and hope you will join them for these PSS discussions. Questions pertaining to these meetings should be submitted via email.

The 2024 RCPA Conference Embracing Challenges, Empowering Success will be certain to educate and inspire all attendees when it comes to thinking about the challenges in health and human services. Online registration closes next Friday, Sept. 13, meaning time is running out on reserving your seat and seeing our impressive lineup of speakers. View our keynote and plenary speaker schedule below, which promises a wide variety of topics and lively discussions.

Tuesday, Sept. 24:

  • Listen to a Pennsylvania State of the State from DHS Secretary Val Arkoosh, which will touch on key topics such as performance-based contracting and telehealth.

  • Learn about data modernization and implementing AI/ML-enabled Cloud technology with Carlos Rivero of AWS.

Wednesday, Sept. 25:

  • Hear from Lee Yaiva of Scottsdale (AZ) Recovery Center as he openly speaks on addiction treatment and navigating recovery as a Native American.

  • Raise your awareness of human trafficking and its impacts with Amy Thurston and Melissa Knechel of Hope Inspire Love.

Thursday, Sept. 26:

  • Fan favorite Michael Cohen returns to declare how employers can set themselves apart by going above and beyond the status quo.

  • National updates will be provided from RCPA’s Association Partners the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and ANCOR, featuring Reyna Taylor and Donna Martin, respectively.

Friday, Sept. 27:

  • Craig Dietz, who was born without limbs, will round out our conference on a high, humorous, and heartening note with tips on finding your inner potential and challenging yourself.

Register Here for the 2024 RCPA Conference 

Contact Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator, or RCPA with any questions. We look forward to seeing you at the Hershey Lodge!

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has announced the release of the 2022-23 Employment First report. ODP believes that all people with an intellectual disability and/or autism must be encouraged to pursue their vision for an everyday life, which may include working in competitive integrated employment. Competitive integrated employment offers a person an opportunity to achieve economic independence, build self-confidence, enhance self-determination, and meet new people while building new skills. The Everyday Lives: Values in Action publication, developed by the ODP Information Sharing and Advisory Committee (ISAC) which includes self-advocates, reads, “Employment is a centerpiece of adulthood and must be available for every person. The benefits of employment for people with disabilities are significant and are the same as for people without disabilities.” This report serves as an update to all stakeholders on the progress that has been made to support individuals served by ODP on finding and maintaining competitive integrated employment.

Access the 2022-23 Employment First report here. This document can also be found by visiting the MyODP Employment Home page.

Shot of a smiling little boy sitting in a white chair and holding his teddy bear while talking to a child psychologist

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) has announced the Second Annual Pediatric Capacity Building Institute (PCBI). PCBI is a unique, interactive, educational experience that will occur over a nine-month period (March 2025 – November 2025). DHS will bring speakers to engage participants in a wide range of topics designed to better support children and families with complex needs across the Commonwealth. Topics include infant mental health, leading through change, multi-systemic planning, impact of trauma on children and families, vicarious trauma among professionals, and expressive therapies.

PCBI will incorporate the voices and experience of the children and families using these supports and services at every juncture. PCBI is open to professionals across systems with an interest in learning more about supporting children with complex needs and system change.

A formal invitation with additional details and an interest survey will be distributed on September 11, 2024, and an informational webinar will be held on September 12, 2024. Each person must complete the PCBI Year 2 Interest Survey by October 9 to express interest and confirm their ability to attend all sessions.

There are a limited number of spaces available for participants. Persons submitting an interest survey will be notified through email by November 1, 2024, as to their admission status.

Please register for the Pediatric Capacity Building Institute Informational webinar on September 12, 2024, at 10:00 am EDT. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

RCPA will send additional information on the survey as it becomes available.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) released the following Medical Assistance (MA) Bulletin on Friday, August 23, 2024:

In addition, an updated version of the ODP Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) Technical Guide can be found below. This updated guide includes essential information on the latest compliance requirements and procedures:

Agencies are encouraged to review these documents thoroughly to ensure compliance and that provider policy and procedures are aligned with the updated requirements.

Thank you for your continued commitment to providing high-quality services for individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism (ID/A) and their families in Pennsylvania.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) today announced applicants selected through a Request for Applications (RFA) process to administer Pennsylvania’s Community HealthChoices (CHC) program, the Medicaid managed care program that covers adults who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid or who qualify to receive Medicaid long-term services and supports due to a need for the level of care provided in a nursing facility.

Selected applicants will now move to a readiness review period before the agreements are fully executed.

The five selected plans will be available statewide. They include the three current incumbents and two plans new to Community HealthChoices:

  • Aetna Better Health of Pennsylvania
  • Health Partners Plans
  • PA Health and Wellness
  • UPMC For You
  • Vista Health Plan (AmeriHealth Caritas/Keystone First)

RCPA will be reaching out to the selected applicants to be at the upcoming PD&A meeting in September. If you have any questions, please contact Fady Sahhar or Melissa Dehoff.

The Technology Accelerator Project is looking for providers to partner in developing a new Change Readiness Tool. Shea Tanis will be coordinating several provider readiness focus groups, which will lead to the development of a Change Readiness Tool to support the successful adoption of remote support/monitoring and assistive technology solutions for providers statewide.

The project is looking for providers across Pennsylvania to join them for a 90-minute virtual session to discuss promising practices, human and fiscal resources, existing policies, implementation barriers, and agency needs to adapt and employ remote supports/monitoring and assistive technologies.

View the flyer for additional information and how to get involved with this project. Contact Carol Ferenz with any questions.

Charting the LifeCourse was created to help individuals and families of all abilities and ages to develop a vision for a good life, think about what they need to know and do, identify how to find or develop supports, and discover what it takes to live the lives they want to live. These standalone training sessions are for all professional stakeholders. Each session will cover the same content.

Participants in this training will:

  • Learn about the National Charting the LifeCourse Community of Practice;
  • Apply LifeCourse principles and the LifeCourse framework; and
  • Practice using LifeCourse tools.

Register Here for trainings.

Dates:

  • September 27, 2024, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
    Registration on MyODP opens at 8:00 am on 8/16/2024.
  • December 11, 2024, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
    Registration on MyODP opens at 8:00 am on 10/30/2024.
  • February 28, 2025, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
    Registration on MyODP opens at 8:00 am on 1/17/2025.
  • April 10, 2025, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
    Registration on MyODP opens at 8:00 am on 4/8/2025.