On September 10, 2020, the PA Department of Human Services (DHS) disseminated a press release on behalf of the Wolf Administration, members of the General Assembly, and Prevent Suicide PA that recognized World Suicide Prevention Day and National Suicide Prevention Month and released Pennsylvania’s Statewide Suicide Prevention Plan. The plan, which was developed by the state’s Suicide Prevention Task Force, is a four-year strategy to reduce suicide in Pennsylvania by fighting stigma, increasing training and education on suicide and mental health, improving data collection for suicide, and supporting clinical practices and treatment to prevent suicide and help those who are struggling or in crisis know that things can and will get better.

“Too often, shame and stigma prevent someone from talking openly about suicide, but mental health difficulties and personal crises can touch all of us. Suicide can be extremely isolating for attempt survivors and loss survivors, so it is important to know that you are not alone. We all have a role to play in supporting people in crisis and preventing suicide. If you or someone you know has struggled with mental health or suicidal thoughts, we encourage you to reach out. Help is available,” said DHS Secretary Teresa Miller. “I am incredibly proud of the work every person on the task force did to create the Suicide Prevention Plan. This was a large undertaking and underscored the importance of collaboration between many groups to achieve such a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention. This is an important step, and this plan will help save lives across Pennsylvania.”

“Suicide is a complex policy problem that requires complex solutions,” said Representative Mike Schlossberg. “This task force created this plan based on input from survivors, family members and professional from across the state. One suicide is too high. Thousands are tragedies. We need to do whatever we can to address this crisis.”

September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, and September recognized as National Suicide Prevention Month. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the country, claiming more than twice as many lives each year as homicide. In Pennsylvania, 2,017 people completed suicide in 2018 (up from 1,272 suicides in 1999), reflecting a 43.3 percent increase in the age-adjusted suicide rate. Approximately 1.4 million adults attempt suicide annually in the United States, with more than 85 percent reporting having made a suicide plan prior to their attempt. Throughout September, we remember those lost to suicide and support loss and suicide attempt survivors and all who experience suicidal ideation every day. We must build an open dialogue around suicide so anyone who is struggling can discuss what they are experiencing and feel safe, supported, and know that help is available.  

In 2019, the Wolf Administration announced the formation of a statewide Suicide Prevention Task Force comprised of leadership from Prevent Suicide PA, members of the General Assembly, and the departments of Human Services (DHS), Health (DOH), Corrections (DOC), Aging (PDA), Education (PDE), Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), Transportation (PennDOT), Agriculture (PDA), Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP), the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP). Because suicide is so far-reaching, this diverse array of expertise is necessary to build a comprehensive prevention plan.

From late August through early December 2019, the task force held 10 listening sessions across Pennsylvania. More than 800 Pennsylvanians shared their stories of how suicide and mental health difficulties impact their lives and communities and made recommendations to inform the task force as they developed the statewide plan.

In January 2020, the task force released an initial report, which included key themes heard during the task force listening sessions. The goals and objectives of the task force were refined based on public feedback. 

The final Statewide Suicide Prevention Plan lays out the task force’s findings into actionable themes with eight specific goals and objectives:

• Goal 1: Reduce stigma and promote safety, help-seeking, and wellness by increasing suicide awareness and prevention education.
• Goal 2: Promote trauma-informed approaches to support all Pennsylvania residents as part of our suicide prevention efforts by coordinating with Pennsylvania’s Trauma-Informed Care Task Force.
• Goal 3: Provide quality training on the prevention of suicide and management of suicide risk across multiple sectors and settings.
• Goal 4: Promote screening to identify individuals at risk for suicide across sectors, including health care, behavioral health, educational and correctional settings.
• Goal 5: Promote and implement effective clinical and professional practices for assessing and treating those identified as at risk for suicidal behaviors.
• Goal 6: Provide trauma-informed care and support to individuals affected by suicide deaths or attempts to promote healing.
• Goal 7: Promote safety among individuals with identified suicide risk, including firearms safety and awareness of the relationship between opioids and other substances to increased risk of suicide.
• Goal 8: Improve the capacity to utilize data reporting systems relevant to suicide and improve the ability to collect, analyze, and use the information in a timely manner so we can inform further suicide prevention efforts.

Moving forward, the task force will continue working with stakeholders at the local, regional, and state levels to support and monitor the implementation of the plan, and will begin with developing measurable, achievable action items. 

“Before suicide, there is stress, depression, and other treatable triggers. My hope is to build a community where we normalize addressing stressors before suicidal thoughts appear,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “The Department of Agriculture is at this table because the Ag community can be more susceptible to depression and suicide. Farmers face stress and very little change of scenery. We live where we work, and it can feel like we are in a silo with no way out. Just as animals and crops demand tending, our own physical and mental health require our attention. I’ve found comfort in learning that most people can get better. The hard part is asking for help. If you feel depressed or have a numbness of emotions, you are not alone. With treatment, you can feel joy again.”

“Our roadways connect people to work, school, and recreation and we want everyone to arrive safely,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “We are proud to be members of this Task Force and contribute to its important efforts.” 

“The Pennsylvania Department of Aging is proud of the work of the Suicide Prevention Task Force.  Suicide prevention is very relevant to us because of our role in advocating for and serving older Pennsylvanians who are more prone to social isolation and depression than any other age group.  Because of their vulnerability, older adults are at a much higher risk of suicide as they age,” said Aging Secretary Robert Torres. “The Department of Aging has resources that can help older adults who are struggling with thoughts of suicide.  We look forward to working with our many partners to implement this plan and help prevent cases of older adult suicides in the commonwealth.”

“The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) has made suicide awareness and prevention a key priority, especially since veterans are 1.5 times more likely to die by suicide than Americans who never served in the military,” said Maj. Gen. Anthony Carrelli, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general and head of the DMVA. “We are committed to working every day with our community partners toward the common goal of reducing suicide across the spectrum to zero. We are grateful for the opportunity to join with other state agencies to raise awareness to help save lives and make a difference within our families.”

“The conversation about preventing veterans suicide, is the same conversation about increasing meaningful supports, rapid access to robust resources, a genuine appreciation of military service and family support, leaving a veteran feeling dignified and filled with hope when they look for help and the normalization of talking about mental health challenges,” said James Stafford, Certified Peer Specialist at Supportive Services for Veteran Families. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or suicidal ideation or have in past, know that help is always available:

• The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255.
• The Spanish-language National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-888-628-9454
• For the Mental Health Crisis Text Line: Text “PA” to 741-741
• Support and Referral Helpline: 1-855-284-2494. For TTY, dial 724-631-5600.

These free resources are available 24/7. If you are concerned about someone else’s well-being, these resources can help you be a life-saving assistance. No matter what you are going through, help is available. 

“Suicide does not discriminate and has the ability to impact people from all walks of life. The significance of Pennsylvania unveiling a comprehensive suicide prevention plan which included input from those in our communities most affected cannot be overstated. By bringing together leadership from numerous state agencies and organizations to address our need to better prevent suicide, we have taken a monumental step to extend our prevention efforts beyond the mental health system and examine a true public health approach. Prevent Suicide PA was proud to be part of this collaboration and looks forward to working with state representatives on its implementation,” said Dr. Matthew Wintersteen, executive board member of Prevent Suicide PA. 

Read the final report of Pennsylvania’s Statewide Suicide Prevention Plan here. Members of the public can submit feedback on the plan at [email protected].

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s (PCCD) School Safety and Security Committee has announced the availability of state School Safety and Security funds to implement projects to address violence in Pennsylvania’s communities.  One aspect of Act 44 of 2018 provided for up to $7.5 million in funding for local efforts to reduce and/or prevent violence for certain specific purposes.  These purposes include: 

• Increasing access to quality trauma-informed support services and behavioral health care by linking the community with local trauma support and behavioral health systems; 
• Providing health services and intervention strategies by coordinating the services provided by eligible applicants and coordinated care organizations, public health entities, nonprofit youth service providers and community-based organizations; 
• Providing mentoring and other intervention models to children and their families who have experienced trauma or are at risk of experiencing trauma, including those who are low-income, homeless, in foster care, involved in the criminal justice system, unemployed, experiencing a mental illness or substance abuse disorder or not enrolled in or at risk of dropping out of an educational institution; 
• Fostering and promoting communication between the school entity, community and law enforcement; or 
• Any other program or model designed to reduce community violence and approved by the committee.  

For FY20-21, the School Safety and Security Committee (SSSC) has prioritized applications that intend to utilize evidence-based or evidence-informed programs to reduce or prevent community-based violence (e.g., gun violence, gang violence, etc.) in areas identified with high-violent crime rates using Uniform Crime Report offense data or similar local crime statistics.  This prioritization does not preclude any other application for any other type of community violence prevention but does mean that applications collectively addressing these areas will receive priority in the review process. 

Applications are due in PCCD’s Egrants System by November 10, 2020.  Recommended applications will be approved at the January 2021 School Safety and Security Committee meeting, and all projects will have a targeted start date of February 1, 2021.  For full application requirements, applicants are encouraged to read and print the narrative funding announcement and use it as a guide to complete their applications in the Egrants System.  

Click here for more information or visit: https://www.pccdegrants.pa.gov/Egrants/Public/OpenAnnouncements.aspx

On September 4th, BSE Director Carole L. Clancy,  disseminated a PennLink memo titled 2020-21 School-Based ACCESS Program Statewide Training Sessions that, on behalf of  the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), announced the schedule for annual statewide training sessions offered to all participating School-Based Access Program (SBAP) teams.

This year, all training sessions will be held virtually on September 29, 2020 via Schoology. Local educational agencies (LEAs) will be able to view a pre-recorded session for each of the four training areas and then participate in a live Q&A with the speakers via Zoom. Registration is required; see instructions below. Participation is strongly encouraged. LEAs are encouraged to assign at least one representative to attend the training in order to receive important SBAP information. No downlink sites will be available.

Trainings will include:

• SBAP General Session led and presented by DHS. DHS team members will review policy highlights of SBAP, updates to the Provider Handbook, SBAP annual performance and claiming levels, and other important information and reminders. The DHS team will address flexibilities within SBAP to help navigate through the ongoing public health emergency.
• Compliance Session led and presented by DHS. DHS team members will review common errors found during SBAP record reviews, allowable telehealth services, and how to determine if your provider is currently licensed. 
• Optimizing Your SBAP Potential While Functioning in a Virtual Setting –  During this session, Public Consulting Group will focus on assisting participating LEAs in achieving compliance within the SBAP and managing operational changes associated to virtual participation.  LEA responsibilities impacting compliance include: Related Service Documentation: Ensure monitoring of service log entry, compliance information, and reimbursement levels; Random Moment Time Study: Ensure quality of staff pool positions, moment responses, and shifts; and Medicaid Administrative Claiming: Impact of annual Unrestricted Indirect Cost Rate.
• Understanding the SBAP Cost Reconciliation/Cost Settlement Process – During this session, Sivic Solutions Group will provide an overview of the cost reconciliation/cost settlement process. Cost-based reimbursement ensures that LEAs are appropriately reimbursed for the actual costs for the delivery of direct medical services to Medicaid eligible children. This training will emphasize 1) Accurate reporting of costs; 2) Guidelines for entering depreciation costs; 3) Understanding tuition reimbursement methodology; 4) Emergency preparedness recommendations; and 5) Potential impacts on Fiscal Year 19-20 cost settlement from the COVID-19 public health emergency.

These sessions are intended for ACCESS coordinators, special education directors and supervisors, business managers, and anyone else involved in SBAP.

Virtual training will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020 from 9AM to 3PM. Registration is required. Register online via the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) Training Calendar at http://www.pattan.net.  Contact Sharon Kennedy at [email protected] with any registration questions.

For content questions, contact DHS’ vendors at [email protected] or [email protected].

On September 4, 2020, Carole L. Clancy, PDE Bureau of Special Education (BSE) Director, issued a PennLink memo titled Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA): New 2020-21 Assessment Vendor and Training Announcement to provide school administrators and staff with details regarding important changes to the Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA) for the 2020-21 school year and a series of trainings to support the transition to the new alternate assessment.

 BSE has selected Dynamic Learning Maps® (DLM®) Alternate Assessment System Consortium at the University of Kansas as the new PASA assessment and vendor for the 2020-21 testing cycle. Because the alternate assessment and vendor are new for this coming school year, it is imperative that school administrators, assessment coordinators, and teachers who work with students taking the PASA review the updated PASA DLM calendar, understand the new test design and training requirements, and participate accordingly in order to enroll and assess students through the new assessment system this year. To that end, the following trainings will be offered virtually for school administrators and teachers who work with the PASA.  It is imperative that school administrators share this information with PASA Assessment Coordinators and assessors to ensure participation in required trainings accordingly.  Details are included below:

• PASA Getting Ready is a virtual training provided by BSE and Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) staff for Special Education Administrators and PASA Assessment Coordinators.  This annual training provides relevant updates regarding the PASA, and the federally mandated 1.0 percent threshold compliance and submission requirements for the 2020-21 school year.  The webinar will be available beginning September 25, 2020, and can be accessed on the PDE website at Bureau of Special Education Alternate Assessment.
• Getting to Know DLM for District Test Coordinators/Assessment Coordinators is a required training series for all PASA Assessment Coordinators to introduce the new assessment.  If the PASA Assessment Coordinator is not the Special Education Administrator, the Special Education Administrator also should participate.
• Getting to Know DLM for Test Administrators/Assessors is a required training series for all teachers who will administer the PASA.  PASA Assessment Coordinators are advised to view this training as well. This virtual training is designed to introduce the teacher to the new assessment design, system, and features.  The Getting to Know DLM training series for Assessment Coordinators and Assessors is intended to familiarize relevant personnel with the new assessment system.  Both webinars should be completed prior to enrolling students and engaging in the other DLM trainings. These pre-recorded trainings will be available beginning September 28, 2020 on the Pennsylvania DLM webpage.  All participants must register at PaTTAN Training Calendar.  Act 48 credit will be available.
• PASA DLM Test Administration Training is the annual required training that all teachers who administer the PASA must complete prior to administering the PASA.  This training will be available Monday, October 12–February 19, 2021 through the DLM Kite Portal.  Assessors looking to earn Act 48 credit must register through the PaTTAN Training Calendar.   

The 2020-21 PASA online enrollment window in the new DLM system will be open from October 19, 2020 through December 11, 2020.  To view the full PASA DLM Calendar for 2020-21 and other pertinent PASA information, visit the BSE Special Education Assessment page at Special Education Assessment.  Statewide assessment information for students with significant cognitive disabilities is available at PaTTAN PASA. Questions regarding these training opportunities may be directed to Ron Logan, PaTTAN Educational Consultant, at [email protected].

On September 1, 2020, PDE BSE Director Carole L. Clancy released a PennLink titled Contingency Funds for Extraordinary Expenses. The memo states that the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) will begin accepting applications for the Special Education Contingency Funds for Extraordinary Expenses on November 23, 2020.  Interested local educational agencies (LEAs) will have until January 8, 2021 to submit applications.

The application and review process for the 2020-21 school year is specified in the Contingency Funds Guidelines.  Applications must be submitted electronically through the contingency funds request system website at https://apps.leaderservices.com/cfunds.  LEAs that have not previously used the system may request a password from Leader Services by emailing [email protected]. The LEA’s address will be verified and a password will be issued, along with the information regarding the primary account.

 Questions regarding Special Education Contingency Funds for Extraordinary Expenses should be directed to Janette Fulton, Division of Analysis and Financial Reporting, at 717-425-5442 or [email protected].