Devereux announced today the addition of four new members to its National Board of Trustees (pictured below, L to R): Catherine Kortlandt , Merritt Lutz , Susan Nofi , and Jon Mandel . The new trustees bring experience across law, finance, technology, media, and philanthropy, and will help support Devereux’s mission to serve children, adolescents, and adults with emotional, behavioral, and cognitive differences [see full official anouncement] .
A bill to create a two-year Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) license for providers who are accredited by a national accrediting body and whose license is in good standing and has not been provisional for at least two consecutive years passed unanimously today out of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. Sponsored by Senator Michele Brooks, Chair of the Committee, S.B. 1352 passed, 13–0. RCPA strongly supports the bill and released its position on it yesterday, June 8, 2026. In introducing her legislation, Senator Brooks intends to provide regulatory relief to qualifying substance use disorder treatment providers in the Commonwealth by allowing them to obtain a multi-year license from DDAP instead of full annual inspections. In her co-sponsorship memo, Senator Brooks wrote, “Addiction treatment providers across Pennsylvania face mounting administrative pressures, including workforce shortages, financial strain, and increasingly complex compliance demands. Too often, audits, inspections, and duplicative regulatory requirements force providers to spend more time on paperwork than on patient care. “By allowing multi-year licenses for stable, well-run programs, we can reduce disruption and offer real relief to these providers, helping to ensure the system remains sustainable and viable for those who need it.” The legislation directs DDAP to conduct a single licensing inspection for each two-year licensing period. The inspection shall constitute the required licensure inspection for that period and may not be conducted as separate annual inspections. The scope and depth of the inspection shall be equivalent to that of a standard one-year licensing inspection and may not be expanded on the basis that the inspection covers a two-year period. Providers are encouraged to contact their elected state officials and urge them to support this legislation. For assistance with this, contact RCPA SUD Treatment Services Policy Director Jason Snyder .
Sarah Boateng will join the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) as its new Deputy Secretary beginning June 15, 2026. Boateng brings extensive experience in Pennsylvania government, having served at the Department of Health (DOH) from 2015 – 2021 as both Special Assistant to the Physician General and later as Executive Deputy Secretary. During her time at DOH, she worked closely with DDAP on the Commonwealth’s response to the opioid epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic. Following her work in Pennsylvania, Boateng joined the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health. In that role, she led and supported several initiatives, including the department’s Behavioral Health Council, the Opioid Action Plan, and federal telehealth efforts. Most recently, she served as a principal at Health Management Associates, advising public health and healthcare leaders on system transformation and partnership strategies.