The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) collected public comments on the Agency With Choice (AWC) Request for Information (RFI) from March 11, 2022, through March 25, 2022. After numerous requests from providers and associations (RCPA included), the public comments were posted on the Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Long-Term Care providers web page under the heading “Agency With Choice – Public Input.”
Due to feedback shared with the Department of Human Services (DHS) regarding the importance of providing behavioral health services in nursing facilities and making sure nursing facilities know how to access these services, DHS has developed a webinar entitled “Behavioral Health Services for the Nursing Facility Population.” The webinars, which all contain the same material being presented, is a joint effort with the DHS’ Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL), Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), the Behavioral Health (BH) Managed Care Organizations (MCO), and the Community HealthChoices (CHC) MCOs, and it is being hosted by the Pennsylvania Health Care Association (PHCA). Other collaborative partners include the PA Department of Health and LeadingAge PA.
The webinars are as follows:
Tuesday, April 26, 2022
2:00 pm–3:30 pm
1.5 CEUs for SNF
Please register using this registration link.
Tuesday, May 3, 2022
2:00 pm–3:30 pm
1.5 CEUs for SNF
Please register using this registration link.
The first webinar was conducted on April 12, 2022. The webinars will be interactive and are meant for nursing facilities to have the opportunity to ask questions and begin dialogue on how to improve behavioral health services in their facilities. The webinars will also allow the BH-MCOs, the CHC-MCOs, and the nursing facilities to further collaborate on this issue. The webinars will be recorded.
Webinar Presenters:
Questions should be directed to Marjorie Faish, OLTL.
The next Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) Subcommittee meeting has been scheduled via webinar for May 10, 2022, from 10:00 am–1:00 pm.
To participate in the meeting via webinar, please register by visiting the link below. When registering, please verify that you entered your email address correctly. You will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar if you registered correctly.
Webinar Registration Link: Please note that if you have trouble accessing the webinar registration through the Internet Explorer or Safari web browsers, you should try accessing it through a different web browser, such as Chrome or Edge.
Dial In Number: (562) 247-8422
Access Code: 640768989#
Lawmakers are hearing from us.
Since the governor unveiled his 2022/23 budget proposal in February, more than 3,327 individuals have contacted their local state senators and representatives urging them to address the workforce crisis affecting Pennsylvania’s human services sectors.
Now we want them to see us, too.
Our new video is airing on television in select markets and getting shared widely across social media channels. VISIT HERE to watch the TV spot.
April is a critical month for us. With budget hearings finished, the House and Senate are in session for only a few weeks before they take a break again to campaign for the May 17 primary election.
Make sure they hear from you today.
If you haven’t done so already, please reach out and urge lawmakers to increase funding to support human services professionals so individuals and families in need get the support and care they deserve. Ask your networks to do the same.
And be sure to share our video on your social media pages, too.
It’s so important for us to share the story about how this workforce crisis is affecting individuals and families in need, as well as the providers and professionals who want to serve them.
To share the video, check out our Facebook and Twitter pages where we have the videos posted. Be sure to “like” it and share it with your followers. Don’t forget to tag @directcareworks and use the #DirectCarePA and #PABudget hashtags so we can ensure as many people as possible see it.
Most importantly, TAKE ACTION TODAY. Tell lawmakers to increase funding to address the workforce crisis facing Pennsylvania’s health and human services.
Thank you for your continued support.
RCPA invites you to sponsor, exhibit, and advertise for the in-person 2022 Conference: “Together!” Our event will focus on face-to-face sessions and networking, with a mobile app available for attendees to connect with vendors, sponsors, and exhibitors on-site. Please note that there will be no hybrid or virtual-only options. This event will be in-person only with no plans to change to virtual. We want to focus on being Together!
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that they plan to offer more than $110 million to expand access to home and community-based services (HCBS) through Medicaid’s Money Follows the Person (MFP) program. MFP, authorized since 2005, has provided states with $4.06B to support individuals who choose to transition out of institutions and back into their homes and communities. This new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) provides individual awards of up to $5 million available for more than 20 states and territories not currently participating in MFP. These funds will support initial planning and implementation to get the state/territory programs off the ground, which would ensure more people with Medicaid can receive high-quality, cost-effective, person-centered services in a setting they choose.
For states already participating in MFP, CMS also announced that the agency is increasing the reimbursement rate for MFP “supplemental services.” These services will now be 100 percent federally funded with no state share. Additionally, CMS is expanding the definition of supplemental services to include additional services that can support an individual’s transition from an institution to the community, including short-term housing and food assistance.
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