The Bureau of Policy, Planning, and Program Development is responsible for performing a full range of planning and developmental functions. This includes managed care design and development, service system design and development, policy and program development, state and county planning, and human resource development and training functions within the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS).
Functional responsibilities are carried out in collaboration with other county, state, federal, and private agencies that provide services to children, adolescents adults, and older adults with mental illness or emotional disturbance, substance abuse, and other related disorders.
This Bureau also directs the development of: new and revised OMHSAS regulations and policies; new and revised nationally recognized service design and integrated behavioral systems models for county mental health systems; the expansion of managed care across the Commonwealth with the development of managed care Requests for Proposal (RFP), and along with other state agencies; and the development of the Medicaid managed care waivers.
The Bureau of Policy, Planning, and Program Development is organized with two divisions,:the Division of Planning and Policy Development and the Division of Research and Program Development.
Division of Planning and Policy Development
Responsibilities include: policy development; clarification of new and established regulations and policy bulletins and federal and state legislative; and regulatory review and analysis. This Division also is responsible for planning State Mental Health Plans, block grant applications, county plan guidelines, and review criteria. Along with planning, this division designs and redesigns programs for adult, older adults, and special populations. It also accesses federal and foundation grants for services and programs, establishes program standards through workgroups, and supplies technical assistance on best practices and model programs. This is all completed with teamwork and interagency coordination and collaboration.
Division of Research and Program Development
This division is responsible for the planning and provision of statewide managed care through the development of federal Medicaid managed care waiver applications, requests for proposals, readiness review process and managed care policy clarifications. The division conducts stakeholder forums and technical assistance sessions related to the Commonwealth's mandatory Medical Assistance Behavioral Health managed care program called HealthChoices. The Division interprets and develops policy for OMHSAS initiatives which are implemented in HealthChoices, interprets federal and state regulations and updates existing HealthChoices program standards and requirements as necessary. The division works with other bureaus and program offices to ensure that the terms and conditions of the HealthChoices waiver are met throughout the waiver period. Research is completed on the best practices in behavioral health services and service delivery systems for incorporation in both the HealthChoices Behavioral Health program and the county mental health system.
Contact information:
Jill Stemple, Acting Director
P. O. Box 2675
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2675
Receptionist: 717-772-7900
Fax: 717- 772-7964