Thread by @drnpa

Disability Rights PA is at the state capitol building with the Mental Health Advisory Committee to listen to legislators talk about Mental Health funding. Follow along on our profile or with the tag: #MentalHealthinPA.

Live tweeting begins at 10:30 am.

People are still filing into the hearing room. To follow along with the hearing @pcntv will be live streaming here: pcntv.com #MentalHealthinPA

@pcntv Representative Stanley Saylor has sworn in the witnesses and begun the hearing. #MentalHealthinPA

@pcntv Representative: why would we want to propose a new tax on surgical centers.

@PAHumanServices Medicaid rate is so low doesn’t cover the actual cost of services.

@pcntv @PAHumanServices Representative Davis: what is DHS plan to modernize children’s services

@PAHumanServices: Making sure counties have the ability to share info with other counties, predictive analytics

Rep Davis: what is DHS doing to address the rising insurance costs for nonprofits.

@PAHumanServices: no plan yet to address private insurance costs.

@PAHumanServices Rep. Kinsey: Increasing funding for direct support workers?

@PAHumanServices : need to have well trained and supported workforce. Increased funding allowing providers to increase wages. Mean hourly rate was raised to $12.83/hr.

@PAHumanServices Rep Delozier: would minimum wage increase kick those with intellectual disabilities off of the services they need?

@PAHumanServices: takes individual incomes into account rather than the household. They can also apply for MAWD program where threshold is 250% poverty rate.

@PAHumanServices Rep. Fiedler: those caring for the most vulnerable should see wage increase.

@PAHumanServices : we recognize and see the need for these workers to be supported.

@PAHumanServices Reminder that you can follow along with this hearing @pcntv

@PAHumanServices @pcntv @drnpa ‘s Mental Health Advisory committee has left the hearing and is now joined by Philip Mader, Bureau Director at PA Dept of Public Welfare.

@PAHumanServices @pcntv Mader: 2019 priorities include “whole person care,” better communication + transparency, better interaction with the planning council, individuals with complex cases (returns to community)

@PAHumanServices @pcntv Jen Garman @drnpa : will there be guidelines for dealing with complex cases? Something formalized would be helpful.

Mader: until we think about it as a departmental need, there will always be back and forth on who pays for the service.

@perijude @drnpa : Request for bid, rather than request for proposal, lets resources go to the lowest bid, not those with appropriate experience in advocating for patients.

@perijude Mader: the opioid crisis remains a priority.

@perijude @drnpa : the opioid crisis conversation often ignores the needs of disabled/ chronically ill people than need opioids for illness and pain.

Mader: there needs to be nuance to the conversation given that there are many who need them.

@perijude @drnpa : so is the new money coming to Mental Health going towards opioid treatment or other services?

@perijude Mader: governor has proposed funding for additional CHIPs so more people can acquire mental health services.

@perijude Mader: OMHSAS doesn’t have housing plan supporting Pennsylvanians through housing. Part of challenge is advent of block grants where leverage is gone. Finalized new instructions for goal oriented Olmstead Plans.

@perijude @threadreaderapp please unroll.