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Substance Use Disorder

RCPA’s 2025 Conference Strive to Thrive will be held in Hershey September 9 – 12, 2025. Early bird rates for registration end August 8! Be sure to register today and take advantage of the early bird rates!

RCPA is proud to host those who lead PA in health and human services at our Annual Conference. This year, DHS Secretary Valerie Arkoosh will be presenting as our kickoff plenary speaker on September 9. Throughout the week, we will hear updates from various departments and leaders of DHS, including:

  • ODP Deputy Secretary Kristin Ahrens;
  • OLTL Deputy Secretary Juliet Marsala;
  • DDAP Deputy Secretary Kelly Primus; and
  • OMHSAS Deputy Secretary Jennifer Smith.

View our Registration Brochure for complete details of the conference schedule and speakers. You can also register directly here. Be sure to check the RCPA Conference website regularly for details and updates to the schedule, registration, and sponsors/exhibitors.

In addition to registration, there are still many opportunities available for sponsorship and exhibit booths, so don’t delay! We are grateful to all our sponsors and exhibitors who help make the conference happen. If your organization is interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at our conference, all information is available in our Sponsor, Exhibit, and Advertise Brochure. You can contact Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator, for more details.

Thank you to our Sponsors and Exhibitors! We thank you for your support!

On July 14, the National MLTSS Health Plan Association submitted comments on the “Preserving Medicaid Funding for Vulnerable Population – Closing a Health Care-Related Tax Loophole” proposed rule. Per the Association:

This rule proposes to refine how CMS evaluates whether a health care-related tax is considered “generally redistributive.”

In our comments, we noted that we appreciate CMS’ efforts to strengthen the oversight and quality of Medicaid programs but raised concerns about the timelines and administrative burden on states, as well as the potential impact on individuals receiving long term-services and supports (LTSS).

The recommendations included:

  • Extending the transition period to three years for all states.
  • Providing clear implementation guidance and technical assistance to states.
  • Postponing finalization of the rule until further research and data analysis on provider-related taxes and impacts are conducted.

Read the full letter here.

In Pennsylvania, this rule would impact participants’ funding of approximately $1B in federal matching funds for HealthChoices, Community HealthChoices, and Behavioral HealthChoices. No immediate action is required. If you have any questions, contact Fady Sahhar.

The passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” has made significant changes to Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and Medicare, with strict requirements to maintain Federal support and criteria to qualify and maintain enrollment in Federal healthcare programs. There are several key provisions that will result in hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians losing access to healthcare:

  • “Community Engagement” Requirements which will require able-bodied adults to study, work, or volunteer for a minimum of 80 hours per month for expansion enrollees aged 19 – 64.
    • There are exceptions to these work requirements for people who are: enrolled in Medicare; incarcerated (and for 90 days following incarceration); pregnant or receiving postpartum coverage; Urban and California Indians; are caretakers of dependents under the age of 14; veterans with a total disability rating; are “medically frail”; participate in SNAP and are not exempt from its work requirements; or who have a substance use disorder or a disabling mental disorder (though neither of those exemptions are clearly defined). In addition, individuals who are participating in a drug or alcohol treatment and rehabilitation program (as defined in section 3(h) of the Food and Nutrition Act [FNA] of 2008) are exempt. However, FNA defines drug addiction or alcoholic treatment and rehabilitation programs as “any such program conducted by a private nonprofit organization or institution.” With no clear guidance at this point on how an individual is determined to qualify as having an SUD, the definition of drug addiction or alcoholic treatment and rehabilitation program could be an issue for for-profit providers.
    • States may request an exemption for 2027 and 2028 if they show a “good faith” effort to implement the program.
  • Limits to certain non-citizen access to federal health services, which will prevent certain individuals from enrolling in or receiving Medicaid or CHIP benefits. Medicaid will no longer be available to refugees, asylees, victims of trafficking, or other people under temporary protected status, with certain exceptions.
  • Eligibility redeterminations must be made every six months for Expansion enrollees. Individuals who are exempt from the community engagement requirements are also exempt from the bi-annual eligibility redeterminations.

Additional Resources:

Folders with the label Applications and Grants

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is announcing the notice of a funding opportunity (NOFO) for a new Hepatitis C Elimination Initiative Pilot. SAMHSA estimates awarding between 13 to 40 grants. This grant will be up to three years, and the amount funded will be based on a tiered system explained in the NOFO. Applications are due no later than August 1, 2025.

The purpose of the Hepatitis C Elimination Initiative Pilot is to leverage existing health care institutions’ capacity to prevent, test for, treat, and cure Hepatitis C (HCV) in individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) and/or severe mental illness (SMI), particularly in communities severely affected by homelessness, as well as to gain insights on effective ways to identify patients, complete treatment, and reduce reinfection. Recipients of this program are expected to implement a holistic approach that integrates HCV and HIV testing, comprehensive prevention treatment, and recovery support services for SUD, SMI, hepatitis C, and HIV as needed. Through this initiative, SAMHSA aims to increase the number of individuals who are cured of HCV, reduce the incidence of HCV and HIV in grant-funded communities, and help address the intersection of SUD, SMI, infectious disease, and homelessness in high-need populations across the nation.

The NOFO and application details can be found at the following websites:

This is a unique opportunity for Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers (CCBHC), as many CCBHCs may have the infrastructure to support this grant and may find this pilot to be aligned with their CCBHC programming.

To prepare and submit an application for the Hepatitis C Elimination Initiative Pilot, it is essential to refer to the specific NOFO and the FY 2025 NOFO Application Guide. The Application Guide provides detailed instructions on the application process, including registration requirements, attachment completion, budget preparation, and adherence to federal policies and regulations.

SAMHSA requires applicants to download application forms from the Grants.gov website and may need additional forms from the SAMHSA website. It is crucial to ensure that all required forms are completed and included in the application. Incomplete applications without all the necessary forms may be deemed ineligible for review.

Beyond the Cuts: Protecting Behavioral Health in an Era of Policy Change (webinar)
Presented by Qualifacts, National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and OPEN MINDS
Tuesday, July 22, 2025 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET

Presenters include Josh Schoeller, CEO of Qualifacts; Chuck Ingoglia, President and CEO of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing; and Monica E. Oss, Founder and CEO of OPEN MINDS.

The behavioral health system is being reshaped at an unprecedented pace. In just weeks, the federal government has terminated over $12 billion in public health grants, dissolved SAMHSA under a sweeping HHS reorganization, and passed legislation that will transform Medicaid through work requirements, cost-sharing, and reduced provider tax caps. These changes are already leading to funding cuts, stalled infrastructure projects, and increased pressure on providers to prepare for reduced support and stricter eligibility. To help organizations navigate this evolving landscape, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, OPEN MINDS, and Qualifacts are joining forces for a timely webinar. The session will focus on how behavioral health leaders can adapt service models, protect financial stability, and continue meeting community needs.

Register here.

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

The 2025 American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) Conference will be held October 4 – 8 in Philadelphia at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. The 2025 conference theme is “The Evolving Field of Opioid Treatment.”

AATOD is seeking opioid treatment program (OTP) providers, OTP patients, and friends of the field to serve as volunteers for the conference. Benefits of volunteering include discounted full conference rates or free individual days. More information about volunteering can be found on the AATOD Conference website.

The aim of the AATOD conference is to educate and promote acceptance and integration of medication-assisted treatment options by patients, families, clinicians, the medical system, judicial systems, government, policymakers, social service administrations, and the general public. Presenters will disseminate innovative, evidence-based initiatives and treatment techniques to better serve patients and providers, improve program development and administration, promote integration across the continuum of care, and enhance patient outcomes to assist communities in developing an effective response to this crisis.

The Pennsylvania Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (PATOD), the state chapter of AATOD, is a member of RCPA. Those interested in volunteering or with questions can email Pam Gehlmann, Regional Director for Pinnacle Treatment Centers, who is serving as Host Committee Chair.

Checklist concept - checklist, paper and pen

The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) and the Department of Human Services (DHS) launched a new initiative designed to reduce administrative burden for substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health treatment providers that are licensed by both agencies.

Specifically, licensing staff from both DDAP and DHS will begin conducting coordinated annual inspections of SUD and mental health treatment facilities that are licensed by both agencies for outpatient, partial hospitalization, and residential services. The new initiative, which is voluntary, could impact up to 170 jointly licensed facilities that provide SUD and mental health services.

DDAP and DHS launched the new initiative today, July 14, by holding a webinar for impacted providers on the new inspection process, including how to pre-submit information. In addition, the agencies plan to survey providers to receive feedback on the new process that will allow for any necessary modifications to be made to the joint inspection process.

“On behalf of our behavioral health provider members across the Commonwealth, I want to thank DDAP and DHS for their hard work on this initiative. Reducing administrative burden has been and remains a top priority for RCPA, and we are grateful that the Shapiro Administration has responded, not only with this joint licensing inspection process, but with the other work it is currently doing to address provider burdens, including its work to reform regulations,” said Jason Snyder, Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services Director of Rehabilitation & Community Providers Association. “We look forward to continuing to collaborate with both departments in the future on additional ways to enable providers to put even more of their focus on patient care.”

Read the entire press release.