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Policy Areas

Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), in partnership with Temple University Harrisburg, is hosting the 2023 Behavioral Health Crisis Planning Symposium from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, Thursday, September 14 at the Sheraton Harrisburg-Hershey. This event focuses on offering recovery-oriented support for individuals with behavioral health issues in community-based settings. The symposium aligns with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care and will showcase successful crisis approaches from other states, offering insights into SAMHSA’s vision for an accessible crisis care continuum. The symposium targets various stakeholders, including county leaders, service providers, advocates, law enforcement, and more. To register, visit this link.

RCPA members are encouraged to participate in the ID/A Workforce Compensation study conducted by and in collaboration with the Center for Healthcare Solutions described below. The Center for Healthcare Solutions performed the survey that we supported last year, as well. This study is being done jointly with several other statewide and regional associations, and we are hoping that providers across Pennsylvania will participate in order to provide adequate data for use in advocacy efforts to improve conditions for our workforce. This also presents an opportunity to have comparative data.

The scope of this survey and the report generated from it will address compensation practices for 46 positions, including Direct Support Professionals (DSP), supports coordinators, frontline supervisors, clinical positions, program specialists, facilities staff, and administrative personnel. It will also provide data on staff vacancies and turnover that continues to impact care and services across Pennsylvania.

Any ID/A employer in Pennsylvania is eligible to participate in the survey and will receive the published report, which will also be provided to the Pennsylvania Office of Developmental Programs. As always, CFHS follows all FTC/DOJ guidelines to de-identify data and maintain confidentiality. If you are a member of multiple associations, you only need to complete the survey once.

Two files are included: the input form and the general instructions for filling out the input form. Completed surveys may be emailed to Steve Forest or uploaded via SFTP (information included in the instructions) by Friday, September 22. The published report is expected to be issued on Friday, October 6.

Additionally, a workshop has been scheduled for Thursday, September 7, at 10:00 am to review the survey and assist participants in its completion. To register for this workshop, please visit here.

At the 2023 RCPA Annual Conference A Decade of Unity, you’ll gain the opportunities for CEs and training while engaging directly with leaders in health and human services! Sessions will provide value to everyone, from nurses and DSPs to leadership and legal teams. View the full brochure here, and claim your early bird rate, your hotel room, and your discount today so you can earn CEs through workshops such as:

  • Walk the Talk: Working in the Behavioral Health Field When You, Yourself, Have a Mental Illness
    • Listen to Dr. Staley’s story of working within the behavioral health field when she herself was using evidence-based strategies to handle her own mental illness.
  • Disrupting the Great Resignation
    • Equip your leadership team with the necessary tools and skills for addressing barriers to employee engagement and retention.
  • Applied Tabletop Role-Playing Games – Change Through Play
    • Learn how you can use the power of role-playing games, such as Dungeons and Dragons, for capacity building, therapy, and educational goals.
  • Using System-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS) to Reduce Acuity and Enhance Skill Acquisition in Individuals With Behavioral Health Challenges, IDD, and Autism
    • Reduce major risk events and workers’ compensation claims, and enhance functional levels and quality of life for youth and adults with behavioral challenges and ID/A through PBIS.
  • Applying Augmented Intelligence to Workforce Challenges and Care Delivery
    • Evaluate the types of augmented intelligence technologies available to clinicians in behavioral health and how they can improve care delivery.
  • Amplifying the Patient Voice: Using the Treatment Atlas Patient Experience Survey to Increase Engagement and Promote Quality Improvement at Your Facility
    • Discover strategies for completing the Patient Experience Survey (PES) to support your facility in better understanding patient populations, benchmark to state averages, and opportunities for quality improvement.
  • Termination Without Litigation
    • Learn how you can protect yourself and your agency through proper disciplinary practices and the importance of documentation.
Register today!

In addition to an impressive roster of speakers, our 2023 Conference will have an exciting array of sponsors and exhibitors. We thank those who have signed on thus far! **NOTE: EXHIBIT BOOTHS ARE SOLD OUT.** If you are interested in sponsoring, visit here for more details or contact Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator, with any questions you may have. Keep up-to-date and register today for #rcpaconf!

Nominate a Direct Support Professional to enter them into a raffle for a $100 Amazon gift card!

Each September, our community comes together to celebrate the Direct Support Professionals (DSP) who make such an important impact in the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The work of a DSP is complex and highly specialized, as they support every aspect of an individual’s daily life on a unique, person-by-person basis. These unsung heroes act as a lifeline for people with disabilities under normal circumstances.

In celebration of this year’s DSP Recognition Week, eVero will select 10 DSPs at random to win $100 Amazon gift cards. Please visit below to access the nomination form and let us know a little bit about your favorite DSP!

Visit Here for the DSP Nominee Form

  • 2 winners will be randomly selected each day from September 11–15, 2023.
  • Winners’ names will be announced each day on eVero’s blog post and social media accounts to further highlight the outstanding work of these individuals.

The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) is celebrating the start of Recovery Month at 12:00 pm on September 6 at Pennsylvania’s State Capitol Rotunda with the “Arts Heal” event. This year’s focus is on the transformative power of art in recovery, with art displays, live performances, demonstrations, recovery speakers, and appearances by special guests.

Recovery Month is a time dedicated to raising awareness and understanding of substance use disorders and recognizing the achievements of individuals in recovery. Observed annually in the United States, it aims to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the emergence of a strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers across the nation who make recovery in all its forms possible. This yearly observance celebrates the millions of people in recovery and reminds us that behavioral health is essential to an overall happy life. Recovery Month is an opportunity to tell the world that prevention works, that treatment is effective, and that people can, and do, recover.

Throughout September, the initiative aims to honor individuals in recovery, spread hope, and raise awareness about the importance of behavioral health. There are meaningful ways to participate in Recovery Month, including:

  • Save the date for the Sept. 6 kickoff event and spread awareness by sharing the flier;
  • Emphasize the possibility of recovery from addiction through proper treatment and support, pointing to available resources on DDAP’s website;
  • Show your support during “Purple Day” in September by wearing purple, sharing a photo on social media, and using hashtags like #RecoveryMonth and #Recovery; and
  • Share your story of recovery as these stories inspire hope and strength.

The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP), the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), Prevention Point Pittsburgh, and the PA Harm Reduction Network will host a webinar from 10:00 am – 11:30 am tomorrow, Wednesday, August 30. The purpose is to introduce the Pennsylvania Overdose Prevention Program (POPP), which aims to address the opioid overdose crisis by increasing access to naloxone as well as resources and tools for drug checking, helping individuals verify the composition of substances they intend to consume. To participate, register online.