Bill OBoyle: State reminds public of mental health resources during holiday season
Dec. 26—WILKES-BARRE — Members of the Wolf Administration this week reminded Pennsylvanians of available resources during the holiday season for individuals and families affected by mental health and substance use disorders (SUD).
The departments of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP), Health (DOH), Human Services (DHS), Aging (PDA), and Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) joined to reinforce the Wolf Administration's commitment to providing trauma-informed mental health and substance use disorder services and resources that are available year-round but often increasingly needed during the holiday season.
Pennsylvania's Mental Health and SUD Resource guides offer information related to mental health screenings, finding a mental health or SUD treatment professional, resources for housing insecurity, help with trauma due to racism, and assistance with contacting your county assistance offices and county drug and alcohol offices, and applying for benefits.
Mental Health
This year saw the launch of the new, shortened number — 988 — for the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. 988 serves as a direct link for suicide prevention and mental health crisis support. Anyone can call, text, or chat with 988 and will be directly connected to trained, compassionate mental health crisis response counselors, the same that were accessible through the 10-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
988 call centers provide support for individuals considering suicide, self-harm, or any behavioral or mental health need for themselves as well as people looking for help for a loved one experiencing a mental health crisis. While the majority of calls are triaged and de-escalated without deploying in-person services, in communities where mobile crisis mental health teams are available, a 988 counselor can dispatch the team to provide on-site support and interventions.
The 988 lifeline's services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at no cost to the caller.
Substance Use Disorder
Individuals seeking substance use treatment or recovery resources for themselves or a loved one can call the toll-free PA Get Help Now helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). This helpline is confidential, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and staffed by trained professionals who will connect callers to resources in their community.
Callers can also be connected with funding if they need help paying for treatment. ATLAS is also available for Pennsylvanians and their loved ones to search for and compare SUD treatment facilities using criteria such as location, services offered, and insurance accepted so they can find the best treatment for their unique needs.
Naloxone
Naloxone is a medication that can reverse an overdose caused by an opioid drug (i.e. prescription pain medication or heroin). When administered during an overdose, naloxone blocks the effects of opioids on the brain and restores breathing. Pennsylvanians can obtain naloxone at their local pharmacy by using Physician General, Denise Johnson's standing order. People can also get naloxone mailed to their home when completing a short training through a partnership with NEXT Distro.
Resources for older adults
The PA Link to Aging and Disability Resource Centers, also known as the PA Link, assists older adults and individuals with disabilities by providing information and connecting them to supports including assistive technology to access telehealth services, check-in calls and options to help reduce social isolation. Any older adult needing support can contact the PA Link Call Center by phone at 1-800-753-8827 or online at www.carelink.pa.gov.
In addition, Pennsylvania's 52 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), covering the commonwealth's 67 counties, provide virtual and in-person activities, including health and wellness programs. Older adults can locate their local area agency on aging here.
Resources for veterans
The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs works to identify and serve veterans in need through PA VETConnect, an innovative program that connects service members, veterans and their families to the best possible resources for assistance, anywhere in the commonwealth.
A team of DMVA field staff networks throughout all 67 Pennsylvania counties and are well-versed in the substance abuse and mental health resources available for veterans to get the help they need now.
In partnership with Veteran & First Responder Health, the DMVA has supported veterans suffering from opioid use disorders by providing services through in-person and telehealth methodologies. Some of these services include Medicated Assisted Treatment; Intensive Outpatient Program; Outpatient; and Case Management.
Resources for people with intellectual disabilities, autism
DHS' Office of Developmental Programs has resources developed by self-advocates to provide helpful tips and suggestions for people with intellectual disabilities & autism to manage stress during the holidays.
These tips include:
—Being aware of your sensory issues and trying your best to explain them to other people,
—Talking to a trusted friend or family member about expectations for the gathering,
—Using coping skills and having an exit plan if you need to excuse yourself,
—Making sure you have a safe, comfortable place when you come home to decompress, and
—Understanding self-care and knowing what works best for you in holiday situations.
Public Assistance programs
DHS encourages Pennsylvanians struggling to meet basic needs to apply for programs that can help them meet essential needs through the winter months. Programs including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), cash assistance, Medical Assistance, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) and other programs can be applied for at any time at www.compass.state.pa.us.
Casey bill to expand savings accounts for people with disabilities passes Senate
U.S. Senator Bob Casey, D-Scranton, announced this week that his ABLE Age Adjustment Act has passed the Senate via the Fiscal Year 2023 spending bill.
Sen. Casey's ABLE Act, signed into law in 2014, makes it possible for people who acquired their disability before turning 26 to save money without risking the loss of their federal disability benefits. His bipartisan ABLE Age Adjustment Act would provide 6.2 million additional Americans, including more than one million veterans, the opportunity to open an ABLE account and save for the future by extending access to people who acquired their disability between 26 and 46 years of age.
"For years, millions of people with disabilities in this country were barred from saving for the future, which meant many people couldn't save for a home, purchase needed assistive technology, or save for an accessible car," Casey said. "That is why I worked to create ABLE, to knock down a barrier that people with disabilities face as they work to improve their lives. My ABLE Age Adjustment Act builds on that success and expands access to these life-changing ABLE savings accounts for millions more Americans. I am proud that this bill has passed the Senate and is on its way to making progress and advancing equity for people with disabilities."
Approximately 1 out of 4 adults in the U.S. has a disability. People with disabilities across the Nation have half the rate of workforce participation as the non-disabled population and are more than twice as likely to be living in poverty compared to the general population. There are almost 120,000 ABLE account holders in the United States—these accounts contain over $1.1 billion in assets for an average account size of nearly $9,300.
Prior to the passage of ABLE, individuals could not accumulate more than $2,000 in assets such as a savings or retirement account without potentially losing their federal benefits. Now individuals can open an ABLE account in 43 states and the District of Columbia, and contribute up to $15,000 a year and have a total of up to $100,000 in their account without risking the loss of federal disability benefits.
Casey, Cassidy bill to protect pregnant workers passes Senate
U.S. Senators Bob Casey, D-Scranton, and Bill Cassidy, R-LA, Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Children and Families this week announced the Senate passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, bipartisan legislation that would ensure pregnant women are treated fairly on the job.
The legislation closes a loophole in the 1978 Pregnancy Discrimination Act by requiring employers to make temporary, reasonable accommodations — like a stool or a water bottle — so that pregnant women can continue to work safely. Seventy five percent of pregnant women and new mothers are in the workplace and need access to reasonable accommodations.
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act was included as an amendment in the Fiscal Year 2023 federal appropriations bill. The amendment to add the bill to the spending package passed 73-24.
"Pregnancy should never be a barrier for women who want to stay in the workplace," Casey said.
Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
