RCPA is excited to host a membership benefits webinar on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at 10:00 am, as an opportunity for members to orient themselves with all that RCPA membership includes. This is not just for new and future members. For current members, there may be benefits associated with our membership that you may not be aware of, including targeted meetings and groups that occur throughout the year.
Registration is required; please register here to attend the webinar. Items we will review include the below and much more:
Visit the RCPA member benefits web page for more information, or contact Tieanna Lloyd for benefit details.
Message from Rep. Dan Williams’s Office:
HARRISBURG, June 24 – Bipartisan legislation introduced by state Rep. Dan Williams, D-Chester, that would help Pennsylvanians take advantage of new federal Medicaid rules that give patients and clinicians more telehealth options for behavioral health services passed the PA House today with overwhelming support.
“The longstanding and outdated ‘four walls’ requirement has limited Medicaid reimbursement to services within the physical walls of a clinic,” said Williams. “This only creates barriers to care, particularly in rural areas and regions experiencing mental health workforce shortages.”
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services gave states the option to waive the requirement on Jan. 1. In response, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services has submitted a State Plan Amendment to adopt this flexibility, which is currently awaiting federal approval.
House Bill 1590 would repeal state regulations that conflict with the new federal flexibility. Importantly, the bill would not change existing rules requiring in-person treatment hours for outpatient behavioral health clinics.
“Under this bill, Pennsylvania can fully implement the change, expanding access to behavioral health services and reducing care gaps for our vulnerable populations across the Commonwealth,” Williams said.
The bill now moves to the state Senate for consideration.
It is important to note that, at this time, OMHSAS is awaiting approval from CMS. To address the Federal Medicaid payment conditions in the Pennsylvania statute, there was a need for this legislation to permit services be covered under Medicaid, and HB 1590 would achieve this. It is also important to reiterate that this bill will not change outpatient behavioral health clinic rules requiring in-person treatment hours. The passage of this bill will address these conditions for outpatient clinics as well as the delivery of SUD services.
Both the CMS SPA approval and the legislation would be retroactive to January 1, 2025.
Until then, the completion of both the SPA and the legislation on 4 walls flexibilities will remain in place. RCPA is grateful to have partnered with OMHSAS, House legislators, and other stakeholder associations on the development of this bill. We will continue our efforts in getting the legislation to the Governor’s desk.
If you have any questions, please contact RCPA COO and Director of Mental Health Services Jim Sharp.
Cooling centers are designated locations with air conditioning where people can go to escape the heat during extreme temperatures. They are typically open during the hottest parts of the day and offer a cool environment, water, and sometimes other support services.
Types of locations that typically serve as cooling centers during a heatwave include:
Please call PA 211 or visit the Search Pennsylvania 211 website for more current and up-to-date information.
Additional resources about cooling centers:
Please note:
This is not an all-inclusive list. There are more cooling centers than those listed on the PA211 map link.
Through a contract with the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance (PFSA), the Department of Human Services’ Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF) is supporting a specialized training on the reporting requirements for incidents involving children served in Child Residential and Day Treatment Facilities. This training is designed for child residential facility staff, their related purchasing entities, law enforcement agencies, OCYF Regional Office Reps, MCO staff, and staff of other entities that interact with Child Residential and Day Treatment Facilities.
Title of Training: Reporting Requirements for Children Served in Residential Care Facilities
Training Hours: Three (3) Hours
Format: Live Virtual
Register for an Upcoming Training:
Training Summary:
This training is for providers and other child serving entities and clarifies what allegations must be reported to ChildLine as suspected child abuse and/or HCSIS as a reportable incident, and further clarifies when an alternative plan of supervision must be put into place. This training also teaches minimal facts interviewing skills to better determine when to make a report, and then explains how those reports of suspected child abuse are categorized and handled at ChildLine. Lastly, internal follow up recommendations and communication are discussed. Other entities that interact with these 3800 facilities are also welcome to attend – OCYF Regional Office Reps, Law Enforcement, MCOs, etc.
This training mirrors the information outlined in the OCYF Bulletin # 3800-21-01 issued January 19, 2021, and is meant as additional training (not a replacement for the mandated reporter training).
Please contact Emma Sharp with any questions.
The House Energy & Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on June 24, 2025, regarding the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget. The hearing will begin at 10:00 am, and Secretary of HHS Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is expected to serve as witness and provide testimony on the President’s proposed budget.
The hearing is open to the public and will be livestreamed online using the link above.
OMHSAS is announcing the publication of OMHSAS-25-03 Administration of Psychotropic Medication to Individuals Over Objection in State Mental Hospitals, updating the procedures for determining when to administer psychotropic medications over objection in the State Mental Hospitals through the establishment of an additional appeals process.
OMHSAS-25-03 supersedes 99-85-10 Administration of Psychotropic Medication to Protesting Patients, meaning that 99-85-10 remains in effect, but OMHSAS-25-03 takes precedence over it.
**Importantly, 99-85-10 applies to both state mental hospitals and community providers, but OMHSAS-25-03 applies only to state mental hospitals.**
OMHSAS-25-03 and forms may be found at the links provided below:
Please submit any questions regarding this bulletin via email.
Registration is now officially open for the 2025 RCPA Conference Strive to Thrive! The conference offers inspiring keynotes and plenaries, over sixty workshops, live updates from both state and national partners, and the ability to interact with exhibitors and sponsors in our Connections Hall! View our Registration Brochure for complete details of the conference schedule, presenters, current sponsors, and a message from RCPA President and CEO Richard Edley. You can also register directly here.
All conference information is also available on the RCPA Conference website. Be sure to check the website regularly for details and updates to the schedule, registration, and sponsors/exhibitors. Our mobile app, which we are proud to share is once again being sponsored by Millin, will become available closer to the time of conference and will contain CE information, a detailed agenda, and more!
In addition to registration, there are still many opportunities available for sponsorship and exhibit booths, so don’t delay! Opportunities still available include but are not limited to coffee and refreshment breaks, our Awards Luncheon, entertainment, and meal sponsorships. If your organization is interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at our conference, all information is available in our Sponsor, Exhibit, and Advertise Brochure. Contact Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator, for more details.
View our sponsors and exhibitors at our Conference website!