RCPA is reminding ODP providers that the 2025 spending deadline for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Grant funds is March 31, 2025. The final deadline for the 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.
Please refer to ODPANN 22-083 Update for additional details.
The Senate Appropriations Committee held the 2025 Department of Human Services (DHS) Budget Hearing at the Capitol in Harrisburg on Wednesday, March 5, 2025. DHS was represented by Secretary Dr. Valerie Arkoosh and Gloria Gilligan, Director of Fiscal Management, Office of the Budget. Other DHS leadership was also present.
The Senate Appropriations Committee was equipped with questions surrounding the proposed $21B DHS budget that focused on intersects with operating critical services for vulnerable Pennsylvanians across the human services landscape. RCPA submitted questions to the House Appropriations Committee’s legislators that voiced the concerns of the membership across all policy areas.
The hearing today covered several of those questions, including:
View the 2025/26 Department of Human Service Blue Book for in-depth budget information. Members can watch the full hearings and read the transcripts below:
Contact your RCPA Policy Director with any questions.
The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) today announced an investment of more than $2 million in grant funding for five Pennsylvania organizations to help improve Pennsylvanians’ access to substance use disorder (SUD) recovery houses that are licensed through DDAP.
Funding for these grants is provided from the more than $1 billion in funding Pennsylvania continues to receive from a large national opioid settlement with three distributors and one manufacturer.
DDAP is awarding five grants of up to $500,000 each to the following community-based organizations:
The organizations are charged with leading initiatives to link individuals with opioid use disorder and any co-occurring SUD or mental health condition to DDAP-licensed recovery houses. They must also ensure these individuals have access to case management and peer support services while residing in a recovery house as well as access to financial assistance for those who are not able to pay the full cost of residing in a recovery house. In addition, all five grantees must have a plan to increase services to underserved populations and have a training plan to ensure staff are well-prepared to serve them.
Currently, there are about 400 DDAP-licensed recovery houses across the commonwealth. The purpose of the licensure program is to help empower sustained recovery for individuals with SUD by ensuring a network of safe drug and alcohol recovery houses. Individuals can find a listing of licensed recovery houses on DDAP’s website.
Message from Representative Dan Miller’s Office:
Supporting and defending Medicaid funding to our Commonwealth has always been a top priority of mine, and this week we’re having a press conference to discuss the potential impact that Federal cuts to Medicaid may have on our most vulnerable populations.
Joining me will be U.S. Reps. Chris Deluzio and Summer Lee, other state lawmakers, and Allegheny County officials to highlight why defending Medicaid is imperative. We will also hear from self-advocates who would be directly impacted by Medicaid changes.
The loss of Federal funding to states would be devasting for the more than 3 million Pennsylvanians who are enrolled in Medicaid. Medicaid also pays for 30% of Medicare. Those that depend on its supports and services, include:
The news conference will be held at 10:15 am Friday, February 28, at the Portico of the City-County Building, 414 Grant St., Pittsburgh.
We’ll also be joined by state Reps. Dan Frankel, Emily Kinkead, Jess Benham, Lindsay Powell, Aerion Abney, La’Tasha D. Mayes and Arvind Venkat; state Sens. Jay Costa, Wayne Fontana, Lindsey Williams and Nick Pisciottano; Mayor Ed Gainey; Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor; Pittsburgh Councilwoman Erika Strassburger; and the offices of County Executive Sara Innamorato and U.S. Sen. John Fetterman.
There is a lot to be discussed, and everyone is welcome to join us this Friday at 10:15 am at the Portico of the City-County Building located at 414 Grant Street in downtown Pittsburgh.
As always, if you have questions about this event or any state-related matter, please contact our office at 412-343-3870 or [email protected].
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