Community Support Program
Southeast Regional CSP Committee
History and Structure
Since 1984, the Pennsylvania Office of Mental Health has utilized CSP Principles and the state CSP Advisory Committee (now called the OMHSAS Mental Health Planning Council) to guide development of services. Today, a network of local and regional CSP committees provide a place for consumers, family members and providers to work together to advise OMHSAS regarding the promotion of a recovery oriented system of care for individuals in recovery from behavioral health challenges in Pennsylvania.
Through the Community Support Program, small seed grants awarded to agencies, counties and advocacy groups have generated innovative trainings, anti-stigma campaigns, celebrations of recovery and the production of a wide variety of literature. Individuals in recovery have been empowered by CSP and have risen to leadership roles. The system of care continues to be impacted by CSP to ever improve in its ability to promote recovery, not just stabilization, and more and more individuals are experiencing recovery from mental illness. Their voices are being heard.
Southeast Regional CSP consists of a main meeting and subcommittees. Subcommittees meet one hour before the main meeting and include Advocacy, Outreach, Social, Speaker Presentation, Scholarship, Seed Grant and Retreat Planning. Additional subcommittees and workgroups form as needed. Subcommittees report their progress during the main meeting. Meetings are held on a monthly basis and everyone is welcome to attend. A Technical Assistant provides support to the Regional Committee, assisting with preparation for meetings, organizing calls and other administrative duties.
Regional/State
Former CSP TA is “Ultra Walker”
In the RUNegades walk/run challenge
Dion Despaigne, Technical Assistant for the SE Regional CSP Committee
Interview by Runegades:
Dion Despaigne’s primary mode of transportation has always been his own feet. He walks to work, to the store, across Norristown to his sister’s house. Then Hopeworx, a local nonprofit he's affiliated with, took on our Fall Challenge. Dion added even more mileage and became the RUNegades first ultra-walker.
We recently caught up with Dion over Zoom to discuss his journey. He shared what goes through his mind as he walks, how the seasonal challenges have changed his perspective, and how he’s persevered through injury.
To read the interview, click below:
Regional Executive Committee:
Co-chairs:
-Joann Johnson
-Anise Robinson
Advocacy Subcommittee:
-Julie Whitemore
-Amelia Mraz
Conference Subcommittee:
-Karleen Caparro
-Jasmine Banks
Treasurer:
-Marvin White
Technical Assistant:
-Lisa Petriello
email: lpetriello@hopeworxinc.org
Lisa Petriello
SE CSP Technical Assistant
CSP Meetings in the 5-county Region
1.
Montgomery County CSP
3rd Thursday each month
Norristown Public Library
12-2:30 p.m.
County Liaison
Tracey Riper-Thomas
2.
Bucks County CSP
Lower-2nd Thursday
Penndel MH Center 1-4 pm
Central-1st Wednesday
Lenape Valley Foundation
9:30am-12 noon
Upper-2nd Friday
Penn Foundation
9:30am-12:30pm
Wendy Flanigan-Cty Liaison
3.
4.
Philadelphia County CSP
@ RHD United Peers
4200 Ridge Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19129
2nd Tuesday
12:30-2:30 p.m.
County Liaisons-Sean Brinda
Velma Kennedy
5.
Chester County CSP
Currently no meetings
OMHSAS seeks applicants for seats on Mental Health Planning Council - 2022
The Pennsylvania Mental Health Planning Council (MHPC) is seeking applicants to fill positions on the Council and its subcommittees, according to the Pennsylvania Human Services website.
The MHPC consists of three committees: Children's Advisory Committee, Adult Advisory Committee, and Older Adult Advisory Committee. These committees come together to form the MHPC whose purpose is to advise on a broad behavioral mandate to include — but not be limited to — mental health, substance abuse, behavioral health disorders, and cross-system disability.
For more information about the application process, please contact:
Jill Stemple, Section Chief of Planning
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
DHS-OMHSAS-BPPPD
Commonwealth Tower 11th Floor
P.O. Box 2675
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2675
717.409.3790
Email: jistemple@pa.gov
Committee Member Expectations
· Committees will meet at least four times per year in the Harrisburg region. Committee members are expected to physically attend at least three of these meetings annually. Members without state/agency funding may request travel cost reimbursement through OMHSAS.
· Committee members are expected to read and respond to e-mailed requests from Committee Co-Chairs in a timely fashion.
· Committee members are expected to represent their broader constituency — not only themselves or their own family member(s)/ organization(s) — in their committee's work.
· Members must have the ability to communicate with those they are representing to bring their concerns to the committee and to report back on the outcomes of the committee's work.
Committee members should have the time and ability to participate in additional workgroups throughout the year on an as-needed basis.
State
Planning Council:
Purpose:
The purpose of the Pennsylvania OMHSAS Mental Health Planning Council shall be to provide counsel and guidance to the OMHSAS in order to ensure an infrastructure and full array of mental health, substance abuse and behavioral health services which comply with the Mission, Vision and Guiding Principles of OMHSAS, as well as core principles of Community Support Program (CSP), Child and Adolescent Service System Program (CASSP), Cultural Competency and Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs. To find out more, click on link below.
Reports from MHPC meetings in December 2020