RCPA Shares White Paper on IBHS: The Case for Center-Based Services

In 2019, the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) promulgated regulations as a result of the Sonny O. v. Dallas lawsuit, which yielded a settlement that sought to guarantee access to quality behavioral health care. 

This settlement led to the creation of the Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) regulations.

Since the implementation of the IBHS regulations, access to these life-changing services has diminished, with children and families on months-long waitlists. RCPA recently wrote on the need for ABA center-based services to remain a viable treatment option for children and families in accordance with the settlement stipulations of Sonny O. v. Dallas, and in conjunction with the 55 PA Code Chapters 1155 and 5240. You can read the white paper here.

Research has proven that early, intensive intervention is critical in supporting a child’s development, but these services are too often difficult to obtain. With shifting funding and uncertainty over the last two budget seasons resulting in level rates and no program expansion, there are concerns regarding the future of IBHS services. Recent regional program adaptations also potentially threaten the viability of the overall IBHS service continuum by proposing integration between childcare and center-based IBHS services. There are key distinctions that separate center-based ABA programs and typical childcare, and the integration of these two vastly different systems could be detrimental to the children and families seeking ABA services.

Read the full white paper here.

Please contact Emma Sharp with any questions.