';
CLOSE
Criminal Justice

0 448

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) announces the opening of registration for the 2024 Criminal Justice Advisory Board (CJAB) Conference, themed “An Evolving Justice System: Adapting and Navigating New Directions.” The conference is scheduled for April 9 – 10, 2024, at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center in State College. The event will convene criminal justice, behavioral health, and treatment partners for a dynamic one and a half-day gathering. Featuring a lineup of national and local experts, discussions will center on emerging issues impacting criminal justice and behavioral health systems, offering innovative strategies and collaborative solutions.

Registration and conference details are available on the 2024 CJAB Conference page on PCCD’s website. Additionally, notable sessions include a plenary by Jason Snyder, RCPA SUD Policy Director, on April 9, and a workshop on SUD confidentiality facilitated by RCPA, which will include representatives from the SUD treatment and criminal justice systems on April 10. Attendees should be aware that the discounted room rate deadline is Friday, March 8, 2024.

0 906

Today, Governor Josh Shapiro gave his second budget address to members of the General Assembly.  The Governor outlined an agenda that included new spending for direct service providers, minimum wage, education, health care, law enforcement, and a number of other initiatives. The below budget initiatives come from information from the Governor and his team, which has been made available to stakeholders. The budget proposals include:

Investing in Competitive Pay and Reimbursement of Services for Home & Community-Based Care

  • Increase in minimum wage to $15/hr.
  • $34.2 million in Community Waiver and $1.85 million in the Community Base Program, which will allow DHS to expand the number of individuals participating in home and community-based services programs.
  • Reimbursement Rates: The 2024/25 executive budget invests $213 million toward Community Waiver Program, $2.1 million in the Autism Intervention Program, and $1.1 million in the Community Base program. It also leverages $266 million in total federal funding to increase resources for providers of home and community-based services.
  • Equality in Communication Services: Inclusivity and equality require appropriate communication for Pennsylvanians with intellectual disabilities and/or autism who need it. This budget invests $934,000 to add American Sign Language and English interpreter services to program serving this population.
  • For more in-depth information regarding funding for ID/A services, visit here.

Making Pennsylvania a Leader in Economic Development, Job Creation, and Innovation

  • $500 million in PA SITES funding to bring more commercial and industrial sites online and ensure companies have options for attractive business environments where they can move quickly and thrive in Pennsylvania.
  • $25 million for the Main Street Matters program, to support small businesses and commercial corridors that are the backbone of communities across our Commonwealth.
  • $20 million to support large-scale innovation and leverage Pennsylvania’s best-in-class research and development assets.
  • $3.5 million to create and launch the Pennsylvania Regional Economic Competitiveness Challenge, which will incentivize regional growth, build vibrant and resilient regions, and support communities by investing in the development of comprehensive strategies to propel entire regions forward.

Building on Historic Education Investments & Making Progress to Support Every Pennsylvania Child

  • A historic nearly $1.1 billion increase in basic education funding — the largest increase in Pennsylvania history, recognizing the work of the BEFC and the need to direct these investments to the schools that need them the most. Of this significant increase, nearly $900 million is proposed as a first-year adequacy investment as recommended by the BEFC. The remaining $200 million will be distributed through the Basic Education Funding Formula.
  • A $50 million increase for special education funding to ensure school districts have the basic resources necessary to provide special education services to students with disabilities and special needs.
  • A $50 million annual investment in school safety and security improvements and $300 million in sustainable funding for environmental repair projects in school buildings.
  • $10 million for the Educator Talent Recruitment Account and $450,000 to support the Talent Recruitment Office at the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
  • A $5 million increase — coming to a total of $15 million — in funding for student teacher stipends to support Pennsylvanians training to become certified and committed educators.

Delivering a New Blueprint for Higher Education Grounded in Access & Affordability

  • $975 million in this new governance system that combines our community colleges and PASSHE schools — a 15 percent increase from $850 million last year in state investment in state-owned universities, community colleges, and the students they serve.
  • A 5 percent increase in institutional support for the Commonwealth’s state-related universities — Penn State, Temple, Lincoln, and Pitt — and a 15 percent increase to Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.
  • An increase in financial aid for students who attend the schools under the new governance system, so that Pennsylvanians making up to the median income will pay no more than $1,000 in tuition and fees per semester.
  • An increase in financial aid for students who attend the schools under the new governance system, so that Pennsylvanians making up to the median income will pay no more than $1,000 in tuition and fees per semester beginning in FY 2025/26.
  • Increasing Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) state grants by $1,000, bringing the maximum award up from $5,750 to $6,750 beginning in FY 2025/26.
  • Investing $279 million annually starting in FY 2025/26 so Pennsylvania students can attend college in-state with a limited debt load after they graduate and can enter the workforce ready to start their careers and build a future in our Commonwealth.

The above are highlights of the Governor’s proposed budget. RCPA will be examining the budget spreadsheets over the next few days, will be attending the DHS Budget Overview this Friday afternoon, and will update members with any new information as it becomes available during the budget season.

If you have any questions, please contact Jack Phillips.

0 398

Secretary Val Arkoosh and leadership from the Department of Human Services (DHS) will host a webinar to discuss the proposed 2024/25 budget for the department. The briefing will take place at 10:00 am on Friday, February 9. If you are unable to attend, the briefing will be recorded and available for viewing afterwards.

Visit here to register for the briefing. DHS encourages individuals to submit questions ahead of the briefing so they can prepare as much information as possible. The Departments will follow up on any questions that they are unable to answer during the webinar.

(If the registration link above does not work, please try copying this link directly into your browser: https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/3049c317-17f6-46ab-8396-1e5f3a370422@418e2841-0128-4dd5-9b6c-47fc5a9a1bde)

0 664

RCPA is continuing to accept proposals for our 2024 Conference Embracing Challenges, Empowering Success, which will be held September 24 – 27 at the Hershey Lodge for a statewide audience. Our Conference Committee seeks workshop proposals in every area for possible inclusion, particularly those that assist providers in developing and maintaining high-quality, stable, and effective treatments, services, and agencies in an industry where change is constant. The committee looks for presentations that:

  • Highlight new policy, research, and treatment initiatives, such as the use of artificial intelligence, telehealth innovations, and employing people with disabilities;
  • Provide specific skills and information related to individual and organizational leadership development and enhancement;
  • Discuss advanced ethics practices and suicide prevention;
  • Address system changes that affect business practices, including integrated care strategies, value-based purchasing, performance-based contracting, acquisitions and mergers, and alternative payment models;
  • Provide guidance on building a culture of a committed workforce, including recruitment and employee development as well as effective remote workforce strategies;
  • Offer concrete skills and tools to operate more efficient, effective businesses; and
  • Inspire ideas for organizations to be leaders in their field.

The committee welcomes any proposal that addresses these and other topics essential to rehabilitation, mental health, substance use disorder, children’s health, aging, physical disabilities, and intellectual/developmental disabilities & autism. Members are encouraged to consider submitting, and we highly encourage you to forward this opportunity to those who are exceptionally good speakers and have state-of-the-art information to share. Individuals are welcome to submit multiple proposals.

The Call for Proposals (featuring a complete listing of focus tracks) and accompanying Guidelines for Developing Educational Objectives detail requirements for submissions. The deadline for submissions is Monday, March 11, 2024, at 5:00 pm. Proposals must be submitted electronically on the form provided; confirmation of receipt will be sent. Proposals submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

If the proposal is accepted, individuals must be prepared to present on any day of the conference. Workshops are 90 or 180 minutes in length. At the time of acceptance, presenters will be required to confirm the ability to submit workshop handouts electronically four weeks prior to the conference. Individuals unable to meet this expectation should not submit proposals for consideration.

Notification of inclusion for the conference will be made via email by Friday, May 17, 2024. Questions may be directed to Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator.

0 699

RCPA is pleased to report that there has been significant progress as stakeholders work together in developing solutions for expanded telehealth flexibility. RCPA has met with members of the General Assembly, OMHSAS, the Governor’s office, the National Council on Mental Wellbeing; as well as other member associations and providers; all committed to a collaborative effort to address the continuation of the telehealth service deliverables as outlined in our PA tele-behavioral health bulletin.

Next week, the principals will meet to review the legislative pathways and bill specifics in addressing the current 4 walls requirements. It has been determined the vehicle to this will be to amend our current draft legislation that initially was created to address the psychiatrist in office time requirement.

We have spoken at length with our partners at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and they have provided an insightful overview of this from a federal lens; including the fact that Pennsylvania is only one of more than 15 states working with CMS and their legislature to meet the systems needs of their Medicaid population. The National Council also reported that the legislative process is the pathway most supported at the federal level to address the matter.

We are hopeful for an expedited legislative solution that will support OMHSAS in making any resulting policy, practice, or programmatic changes that will support the initiative. We are extremely encouraged by the system’s efforts and focus this week, and the developing short-term plan. RCPA continues, as recommended earlier in the week, for providers to be patient, review your contingency plans, and focus your primary efforts on servicing those entrusted to your care.

RCPA will continue to partner with all members and stakeholders and provide updates as we proceed.

If you have questions, please contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp. The next RCPA Telehealth Operations Committee meeting will be rescheduled for earlier in February and we will be sending that information out early next week. Please share this information with your stakeholder networks.

0 1059
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

In response to the recent developments on the delivery of telehealth services and its intersection with Federal Medicaid payment standards outlined in the “4 walls” requirements, RCPA has widened its efforts in addressing the barriers currently in place. It has been determined that the most effective route to address this would be through legislation. The necessary changes cannot be achieved through a revised Tele-Behavioral Health Bulletin.

RCPA has been working with a bipartisan team of legislators on an updated version of Act 76 to address our limited access to psychiatric services through utilization of our advanced practice professionals. We are working with the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), our stakeholders, and the legislative committees to introduce a bill that would address both the psychiatric office time and the “4 walls” service delivery barriers.

Our members’ feedback over the last few days and during the OMHSAS telehealth forum on Monday has provided an invaluable backdrop to our efforts. RCPA is focused on working with our legislators and stakeholders to introduce this bill, and we will look to our members for support with these efforts. Additionally, we continue our daily efforts with our partners at OMHSAS, who are jointly committed to creating this viable and sustainable effort to preserve Medicaid service access to those most vulnerable in our Commonwealth.

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

0 2811

RCPA attended the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) telehealth webinar on Monday, January 29, alongside many provider members, regarding the Federal payment conditions related to the delivery of telehealth services and the requirement that the physicians or clinicians must present in the office, or that the client must be in the office during the telehealth session, to meet the guideline. It was explained that despite the standards outlined in the current OMHSAS Telebehavioral Health Bulletin, under the Federal “4 walls” statute, this is a required Federal Medicaid payment condition. These requirements cannot be waived.

The purpose of today’s call was twofold: explaining the “4 walls” requirements, and for providers to give vital feedback to OMHSAS on the impacts, challenges, and barriers to accessing services that this may create for consumers and families. This Medicaid standard remains in effect, and RCPA recommends provider members review their operating practices to ensure compliance.

During this time, RCPA will continue its efforts and work with OMHSAS, the HealthChoices partners, and stakeholders to ensure access to services via telehealth. You can review today’s OMHSAS telehealth webinar slide deck. We are also looking to obtain a recording of the webinar to share with our members.

If you have questions, please contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp. The next RCPA Telehealth Operations Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 27; however, we will be reviewing if we need to meet sooner based on current information.

Please share this information with your stakeholder networks.

0 542

RCPA is delighted to share our 2023 Year in Review! We’re confident that this review will provide you with valuable insights, and inspire you as we highlight some of our significant achievements. This past year, we have embarked on groundbreaking initiatives and celebrated remarkable successes, all thanks to our collective efforts. As we step into 2024, we remain optimistic about reaching new heights together, and hope this review fuels your enthusiasm for what we can all accomplish in the coming year.

Prev1...234...124Next Page 3 of 124
© 2021 - Rehabilitation & Community Providers Association