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Children's Services

The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) invites public review of the Fiscal Year 2024 Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) grant application on the Mental Health in PA website. The PATH grant, established under the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Amendments Act of 1990, assists individuals with serious mental illness facing or at risk of homelessness. The application, submitted annually to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is open for public comment until 10:00 am Friday, March 22, 2024. For questions or comments, please contact Lauren MacWithey, Pennsylvania PATH Grant Coordinator.

Additional questions can be sent to RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp.

Image by photosforyou from Pixabay

Part 1: Navigating Evidence: Finding and Synthesizing Literature for Evidence-Based Practices
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm EDT; 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm CDT;
12:00 pm – 1:00 MDT; 11:00 am – 12:00 pm PDT
Register Here

Part 2: Making Evidence-Based Practices Work: Strategies and Outcomes
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm EDT; 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm CDT;
12:00 pm – 1:00 MDT; 11:00 am – 12:00 pm PDT
Register Here

Michael Peterson, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist and Clinical Transformation Specialist

Speaker Bio:
Michael works as a Clinical Transformation Specialist, where he focuses his efforts as part of a Clinical Transformation team to promote a culture of evidence-based practice at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare in St. Paul, Minnesota. Michael is also a speech-language pathologist with 12 years of clinical experience working with children and adults with childhood-onset conditions. He applies his clinical experience and advanced training in knowledge translation and implementation science to partner with and guide clinical staff to bridge the gap between evidence and clinical practice.

Objectives: At the end of these sessions, the learner will:

Part 1: Navigating Evidence: Finding and Synthesizing Literature for Evidence-Based Practices

  • Describe how to search for literature using PICOT questions
  • Identify resources to support appraisal of relevant papers
  • State the purpose of synthesis tables in supporting evidence-based practice decisions
  • Describe how to use synthesis tables to make evidence-based practice recommendations

Part 2: Making Evidence-Based Practices Work: Strategies and Outcomes

  • Describe how frameworks guide implementation of EBP
  • State how barriers and facilitators influence implementation of EBP
  • Describe implementation strategies
  • List different kinds of outcomes to monitor implementation of EBP

Audience: This webinar is intended for all interested members of the rehabilitation team.

Level: Intermediate

Certificate of Attendance: Certificates of attendance are available for all attendees. No CEs are provided for this course.

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Children First, The Advocate for the Kids, is hosting a webinar titled “Reimagining Our Mental Health System for Pennsylvania’s Children and Youth,” which is scheduled for 12:00 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. This event will delve into the pressing matter of children’s mental health reform in PA, with a diverse panel comprising of advocates, clinical mental health practitioners, insurance payers, and youth voices. The discussion aims to explore effective strategies and solutions to tackle the ongoing children’s mental health crisis. Register here.

If you have any questions, please contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp.

Join RCPA as we host the 2024 Annual Conference Embracing Challenges, Empowering Success from September 24 – 27 at the Hershey Lodge. The event is a highlight for the Pennsylvania behavioral health, brain injury, children’s, intellectual and developmental disabilities, medical rehabilitation, and physical disabilities and aging provider communities. RCPA staff and the Conference Committee are excited to release this year’s Sponsors, Exhibitors, and Advertiser Brochure, which features new opportunities to get in on the action and network with providers. Booth self-selection will also be available for exhibitors and exhibiting sponsors. In order to be considered for self-selection, a completed contract with payment must be submitted.

Network and Compete in Connections Hall
Connections Hall activities take place during the two busiest days of the conference, and many networking opportunities are available throughout the event. You’ll also be able to compete and have a chance to win “Best of Show!”

Sponsorship Opportunities Available
RCPA is privileged to have the backing of the finest organizations in the field for our conference. Through the use of sponsorship circles, RCPA is able to honor all supporting organizations.

Sign Up Now!
Sponsors, exhibitors, and advertisers who wish to be listed on the website, the mobile app, and in the conference program must submit all materials by August 23. Space and opportunities are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis, and no reservation is considered complete without payment. If questions remain, please contact Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator. The association looks forward to welcoming you at the conference!

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

The Medical Assistance Bulletin 08-24-04, issued by the Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Medical Assistance Programs (OMAP), provides updates to the PROMISe (Provider Reimbursement and Operations Management Information System) Provider Handbook 837, Professional/CMS-1500 Claim Form, specifically focusing on Appendix E – FQHC/RHC (Federally Qualified Health Center/Rural Health Center) Handbook. Released on March 1, 2024, the bulletin outlines revisions to Federal and State requirements for FQHCs and RHCs in Pennsylvania participating in the Medical Assistance (MA) Program.

Notable changes include the addition of pharmacists and licensed dietician-nutritionists as eligible practitioners for billable encounters starting March 1, 2024. The revision addresses group therapy encounters and introduces guidelines for telehealth, telemedicine, and teledentistry in FQHC and RHC services. A new section on alternative payment methodologies is included, along with updates to the MA Cost Reporting and Wraparound Reporting sections. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ clarification designates “hospital” as an allowable place of service for FQHC and RHC services. Providers are encouraged to review the revised handbook for detailed information on these changes.

If you have any questions, please contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp.

Message from The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS):

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is continuing to monitor and assess the impact that the cyberattack on UnitedHealth Group’s subsidiary Change Healthcare has had on all provider and supplier types. Today, CMS is announcing that, in addition to considering applications for accelerated payments for Medicare Part A providers, we will also be considering applications for advance payments for Part B suppliers.

Over the last few days, we have continued to meet with health plans, providers and suppliers to hear about their most pressing concerns. As announced previously, we have directed our Medicare Administrative Contractors (MAC) to expedite actions needed for providers and suppliers to change the clearinghouse they use and to accept paper claims if providers need to use that method. We will continue to respond to provider and supplier inquiries regarding MAC processes.

CMS also recognizes that many Medicaid providers are deeply affected by the impact of the cyberattack. We are continuing to work closely with States and are urging Medicaid managed care plans to make prospective payments to impacted providers, as well.

All MACs will provide public information on how to submit a request for a Medicare accelerated or advance payment on their websites as early as today, Saturday, March 9.

CMS looks forward to continuing to support the provider community during this difficult situation. All affected providers should reach out to health plans and other payers for assistance with the disruption. CMS has encouraged Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations to offer advance funding to providers affected by this cyberattack. The rules governing CMS’s payments to MA organizations and Part D sponsors remain unchanged. Please note that nothing in this statement speaks to the arrangements between MA organizations or Part D sponsors and their contracted providers or facilities.


If you have any questions, please contact Fady Sahhar.