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Funding

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared an update to ODPANN-22-083. The purpose of this communication is to provide updated information about ARPA grant fund reimbursement. Updates are in red. The final deadline for a reimbursement request submission is May 31, 2025. The survey closes on May 31, 2025, and no additional requests for reimbursement will be reviewed after this date. All expenses need to be incurred on or before March 31, 2025. Please view the communication for information and instructions.

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The Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has developed a funding opportunity under an approved home and community-based services (HCBS) spending plan that includes the two following HCBS provider types:

  • Adult Daily Living; and
  • Specialized Medical Equipment and Supplies.

OLTL will provide the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to these enrolled providers to strengthen HCBS. Consistent with the original announcement, the purpose of the funding opportunity is for the implementation of quality improvement projects by HCBS providers to improve the services available to HCBS participants through the Community HealthChoices (CHC) and OBRA 1915(c) waivers. More specifically, this funding opportunity is focused on supplementing activities in a manner that improves and strengthens the quality of HCBS services. The use of the ARPA funding, however, is limited to those activities that supplement HCBS services rather than supplant the existing services.

DHS will provide funding of up to forty thousand dollars ($40,000) per approved request submission to qualified providers. DHS will approve funding on a one-time basis to each qualified provider and will review and approve submissions in the order in which they are received until the total funding allocated has been exhausted. Funding will only be provided for the following improvement projects:

  • Supplemental activities to address the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). For example, SDOH activities may include:
    • Activities to address affordable and accessible housing. Rent and room and board are not allowable expenditures under this funding opportunity.
    • Activities to improve access to competitive integrated employment for participants. This may include access to benefits counseling, or remote technology to support employment.
    • Activities to improve or enhance transportation for CHC and OBRA participants.
    • Activities to improve food insecurities for participants.
  • Purchase of remote support technology by providers. This can include provider technology initiatives that improve service transparency and quality assurance, such as providing direct care workers with access to tablets and software that support in-home documentation of participant conditions and other related care needs.
  • Payment for the development and implementation of enhanced training for direct care workers, Medical Assistance (MA) providers, or both. This may include enhanced training on infection control practices, which can include the development of videos and online modules to address best practices in infection control. This may also include training for professional development. For example, this funding may be used to promote training or coursework related to the professional advancement or development for direct care workers.
  • Purchase and implementation of new software and technology for electronic health records or quality or risk management functions. This includes funding for providers to contract with a Health Information Organization. Having access to electronic health care records enables HCBS providers to connect with local hospitals and physicians, and ensure real time communication between the HCBS provider and the participant’s medical providers.

Please see the Funding Opportunity document for more information and for the HCBS Quality Incentive Funding Request Form. The document is also available on the Department’s Long-Term Care Providers web page under the heading “Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Quality Improvement Funding Opportunity.”

If you have any questions about this message, please send them to the OLTL HCBS Opportunities Resource account.

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The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) recently sent out information to County Mental Health Administrators to alert each of them to an upcoming funding opportunity. This funding supports OMHSAS’s efforts to equip the ICWCs for alignment with the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) model, which includes providing robust crisis services. Additional information regarding the OMHSAS plan for the expansion of the ICWC model is forthcoming, but clinics should still take advantage of this potential opportunity. The ICWCs are encouraged to contact their county representatives to express interest in participating in the start-up project for walk-in crisis services.

An informational meeting for County Partners will be held on Wednesday, October 23, 2024. Please do not submit any applications to OMHSAS, as the application must come from the County Partner(s) in order to be considered.

If you have any further questions, please reach out to your County Partner. Please see below for the information that was shared.

Upcoming Funding Opportunity: Emergency Behavioral Health Crisis Walk-In Centers (EBHC Walk-In Centers)

OMHSAS is excited to announce a new funding opportunity for County Mental Health Administrators aimed at supporting the establishment of Emergency Behavioral Health Crisis Walk-In Centers (EBHC Walk-In Centers). This opportunity offers up to five grants, with a total funding request of up to $3 million per project. Each grant will consist of a blend of $1 million in state funds and $2 million from the federal Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (CMHSBG).

Funding Breakdown:

  • State Funding: Can be used for infrastructure, purchasing property, construction, and/or service provision.
  • Federal CMHSBG Funding: Limited to services for individuals with Serious Mental Illness (SMI)/Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED), provider training, and rent/utilities.

Key:

  • New Walk-In Centers in Rural Areas: Particularly those formed through multi-county partnerships, beyond joinder counties.
  • Applicants that have not previously received CMHSBG funding for crisis start-up projects will be prioritized.

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

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The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) announced the availability of $9 million in funding to expand or enhance recovery support services for individuals in recovery from opioid use disorder (OUD) and other substance use disorders (SUD).

DDAP will award approximately six grants of up to $1.5 million each. Applicants must have at least two years of experience as of July 1, 2024, in providing recovery support services and be able to demonstrate the capacity to provide those services to individuals in recovery from OUD and other concurrent SUDs.

DDAP is placing a focus on health equity as a part of this grant opportunity. Based on a variety of criteria from the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s 2022 overdose death data, DDAP will select two grantees located in Philadelphia, two grantees located in Allegheny County, and two grantees from the remaining 19 qualifying counties located within Pennsylvania with a crude death rate higher than the state average.

Funding for these grants is provided through the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) State Opioid Response (SOR) IV grant program. The SOR program aims to help reduce unmet treatment needs and opioid-related overdose deaths nationwide through state-by-state allocations.

Read the full press release.

You can send questions electronically regarding the grants and the application process.

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RCPA joined with other ID/A Associations, including The Alliance of Community Service Providers, The Arc of Pennsylvania, PAR, MAX and TPA, in a letter to Governor Shapiro to thank him for recognizing the strain on individuals, families, and service providers across the intellectual disability and autism (ID/A) community and to discuss ongoing changes that are needed in the way service rates are updated. These changes are necessary so that our system can always meet its duty of care.

The full letter is available here, and we encourage our members to share this letter with your legislators in order to gain their understanding and support of our systemic needs.

For any questions, contact Carol Ferenz, IDD Division Director.

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The Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association (RCPA), in conjunction with our provider members and partner stakeholders, have written to PA Senator Casey and PA Senator Fetterman to express our full support for ensuring the mandated inflationary increases are preserved for the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) so that critical OVR employment programs will continue for working and job-seeking Pennsylvanians with disabilities. Vocational rehabilitation funding is essential in Pennsylvania to maintain services that support the advancement of employment. We are fortunate that our state legislature has consistently funded Pennsylvania OVR in a manner that has allowed OVR to collect the full federal match and even draw down more when there is a surplus.

If the mandated inflationary increases are rescinded, Pennsylvania’s OVR funding will be cut by millions of dollars, adversely impacting working and job-seeking Pennsylvanians with disabilities. Specifically, approximately $13M would be eliminated from a limited $200M budget, or 6.5%. The resources provided to PA OVR are too valuable and already limited. This potential action forces Pennsylvania to prioritize allocations at the expense of critical employment and related services. Maintaining funding levels is crucial for advancing employment for individuals with disabilities.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Division Director Carol Ferenz or IDD Policy Analyst Cathy Barrick.

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