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    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

     
    Mental Health in PA

    Behavioral Health Commission for Adult Mental Health

    Act 54 of 2022 established the Behavioral Health Commission for Adult Mental Health as an interdisciplinary body comprised of leadership from state agencies, communities around Pennsylvania, and the behavioral health field as well as individuals with lived experience with behavioral health. The commission is charged with establishing recommendations for funding in the following categories:

    • Delivery of services by telemedicine;
    • Behavioral health rates, network adequacy, and mental health payment parity;
    • Workforce development and retention; expansion of certified peer support specialist and peer-run services;
    • Development and provision of crisis services;
    • Integration of behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment;
    • Cultural competencies when providing behavioral health care;
    • The impact of social determinants of health on behavioral health;
    • The intersection of behavioral health and the criminal justice system; and,
    • Establishing an integrated care model to deliver timely psychiatric care in primary care settings.

    The legislature appropriated $100 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for adult mental health programs. Per Act 54 of 2022, no funding shall be expended until enabling legislation is enacted by the General Assembly. The Commission shall produce a report with funding recommendations.

    The Commission was charged with convening no less than two meetings with county mental health administrations to review the provision of behavioral health care and identify recommendations for improvements in coordination of care. The Commission shall hold at least one meeting with representatives from a rural county mental health administration and related entities and at least one meeting with representatives from a mental health administration from either an urban or suburban county and related entities. Act 54 of 2022 defines related entities as including but not limited to, county commissioners, managed care organizations, behavioral health managed care organizations, single county authorities, hospitals, law enforcement, district attorneys, county child welfare agencies and county jails.

    The Commission voted to select Dauphin County as the urban/suburban county and Centre County as the rural county. More information will be posted here and disseminated publicly as it becomes available.

    Membership

    Insurance Commissioner
    (or a designee)

    Michael Humphreys, Co-Chair
    Acting Insurance Commissioner,

    Secretary of Human Services
    (or a designee)

    Dr. Dale Adair, Co-Chair
    Chief Medical Officer, Department of Human Services, Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Co-chair

    Secretary of Drug and Alcohol Programs (or a designee)

    Ellen DiDomenico
    Executive Deputy Secretary

    Secretary of Health
    (or a designee)

    Muneeza Iqbal
    Deputy Secretary of Health Resources and Services

    Representative of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency

    William F. Ward
    Chair of the Mental Health and Justice Advisory Committee, Allegheny County

    Individual appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate

    Dr. Noreen M. Fredrick
    UPMC Western Behavioral Health, Allegheny County

    Individual appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate

    Senator Maria Collett

    Individual appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives

    Representative Wendi Thomas, Bucks County

    Individual appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives

    Representative Michael H. Schlossberg, Lehigh County

    Active member of the Mental Health Planning Council

    Kathy Quick, Schuylkill County

    Active member of the Mental Health Planning Council

    Lisa Kennedy, York County

    Behavioral health consumers or family members with lived experiencing navigating diagnosis, treatment, and recovery

    Jason Rilogio
    Rilogio Consulting/Pennsylvania Peer Support Coalition, Cambria County

    Behavioral health consumers or family members with lived experiencing navigating diagnosis, treatment, and recovery

    Reverend Dr. Michelle Anne Simmons
    Why Not Prosper, Montgomery County

    Individual recommended by the Pennsylvania Association of County Administrators of Mental Health and Developmental Services

    Tina Clymer
    Carbon-Monroe-Pike Mental Health and Developmental Services, Monroe County

    Representative of a behavioral health managed care organization serving a rural county

    Dr. Matthew O. Hurford
    Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, serving 42 counties

    Representative of a behavioral health managed care organization service an urban county

    Dr. Faith Dyson-Washington
    Community Behavioral Health, serving Philadelphia County

    Individual recommended by the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania

    Dr. Maria A. Oquendo
    University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia County

    Individual member of local law enforcement certified in crisis intervention recommended by the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association

    Chief Edward M. Cunningham
    Elizabethtown Police Department, Lancaster County

    Psychologist specializing in mental, social, and emotional development recommended by the Pennsylvania Psychological Association

    Dr. Jeanne M. Slattery
    PennWest Clarion, Clarion County

    Licensed clinical social worker recommended by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers

    Dr. Stephanie Diez-Morel
    Reboot & Recover, Erie County

    Individual who is a subject matter expert in evidence-based, trauma-informed treatment modalities and trauma-informed approaches

    Dr. Hasshan Batts
    Promise Neighborhoods of the Lehigh Valley, Lehigh County

    Individual who specializes in culturally-competent behavioral health care

    Dr. Kenneth Thompson
    Pennsylvania Psychiatric Leadership Council, Allegheny County

    Individual who is a subject matter expert in treatment of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders with experience in behavioral health matters recommended by the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association

    Dr. Dale Klatzker
    Gaudenzia, Inc., Montgomery County

    Individual who is a subject matter expert in behavioral health recommended by the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers

    		Jillian M. London
    Hamilton Health Center, Dauphin County

    Meeting Minutes

     

    Public Testimony

    9/1 - Dauphin County

    9/8 – Centre County