Adult Mental Health Commission | Department of Human Services | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:36
Adult Mental Health Commission | Department of Human Services | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Behavioral Health Commission for Adult Mental Health
Act 54 of 2022 established the Behavioral Health Commission for Adult Mental Health as an interdisciplinary body comprised of leadership from state agencies, communities around Pennsylvania, and the behavioral health field as well as individuals with lived experience with behavioral health.
The Behavioral Health Commission for Adult Mental Health is charged with establishing recommendations for funding in the following categories:
Delivery of services by telemedicine;
Behavioral health rates, network adequacy, and mental health payment parity;
Workforce development and retention; expansion of certified peer support specialist and peer-run services;
Development and provision of crisis services;
Integration of behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment;
Cultural competencies when providing behavioral health care;
The impact of social determinants of health on behavioral health;
The intersection of behavioral health and the criminal justice system; and,
Establishing an integrated care model to deliver timely psychiatric care in primary care settings.
View the Commission's Report & Recommendations — Oct. 4, 2022
The legislature appropriated $100 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for adult mental health programs. Per Act 54 of 2022, no funding shall be expended until enabling legislation is enacted by the General Assembly. The Commission shall produce a report with funding recommendations.
The Commission was charged with convening no less than two meetings with county mental health administrations to review the provision of behavioral health care and identify recommendations for improvements in coordination of care. The Commission shall hold at least one meeting with representatives from a rural county mental health administration and related entities and at least one meeting with representatives from a mental health administration from either an urban or suburban county and related entities. Act 54 of 2022 defines related entities as including but not limited to, county commissioners, managed care organizations, behavioral health managed care organizations, single county authorities, hospitals, law enforcement, district attorneys, county child welfare agencies and county jails.
The Commission voted to select Dauphin County as the urban/suburban county and Centre County as the rural county. More information will be posted here and disseminated publicly as it becomes available.
Commission Membership
Insurance Commissioner
(or a designee)
Michael Humphreys, Co-Chair
Acting Insurance Commissioner,
Secretary of Human Services
(or a designee)
Dr. Dale Adair, Co-Chair
Chief Medical Officer, Department of Human Services, Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services,
Co-chair
Secretary of Drug and Alcohol Programs
(or a designee)
Ellen DiDomenico
Executive Deputy Secretary
Secretary of Health
(or a designee)
Muneeza Iqbal
Deputy Secretary of Health Resources and Services
Representative of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency
William F. Ward
Chair of the Mental Health and Justice Advisory Committee, Allegheny County
Individual appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate
Dr. Noreen M. Fredrick
UPMC Western Behavioral Health, Allegheny County
Individual appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate
Senator Maria Collett
Individual appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives
Representative Wendi Thomas, Bucks County
Individual appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives
Representative Michael H. Schlossberg, Lehigh County
Active member of the Mental Health Planning Council
Kathy Quick, Schuylkill County
Active member of the Mental Health Planning Council
Lisa Kennedy, York County
Behavioral health consumers or family members with lived experiencing navigating diagnosis, treatment, and recovery
Jason Rilogio
Rilogio Consulting/Pennsylvania Peer Support Coalition, Cambria County
Behavioral health consumers or family members with lived experiencing navigating diagnosis, treatment, and recovery
Reverend Dr. Michelle Anne Simmons
Why Not Prosper, Montgomery County
Individual recommended by the Pennsylvania Association of County Administrators of Mental Health and Developmental Services
Tina Clymer
Carbon-Monroe-Pike Mental Health and Developmental Services, Monroe County
Representative of a behavioral health managed care organization serving a rural county
Dr. Matthew O. Hurford
Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, serving
42 counties
Representative of a behavioral health managed care organization service an urban county
Dr. Faith Dyson-Washington
Community Behavioral Health, serving Philadelphia County
Individual recommended by the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania
Dr. Maria A. Oquendo
University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia County
Individual member of local law enforcement certified in crisis intervention recommended by the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association
Chief Edward M. Cunningham
Elizabethtown Police Department, Lancaster County
Psychologist specializing in mental, social, and emotional development recommended by the Pennsylvania Psychological Association
Dr. Jeanne M. Slattery
PennWest Clarion, Clarion County
Licensed clinical social worker recommended by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers
Dr. Stephanie Diez-Morel
Reboot & Recover, Erie County
Individual who is a subject matter expert in evidence-based, trauma-informed treatment modalities and trauma-informed approaches
Dr. Hasshan Batts
Promise Neighborhoods of the Lehigh Valley, Lehigh County
Individual who specializes in culturally-competent behavioral health care
Dr. Kenneth Thompson
Pennsylvania Psychiatric Leadership Council, Allegheny County
Individual who is a subject matter expert in treatment of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders with experience in behavioral health matters recommended by the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association
Dr. Dale Klatzker
Gaudenzia, Inc., Montgomery County
Individual who is a subject matter expert in behavioral health recommended by the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers
Jillian M. London
Hamilton Health Center, Dauphin County
Commission Documents
09-16-2022: BH Commission
09-08-2022: Centre County
09-01-2022: Dauphin County
09-01-2022: BH Commission
08-18-2022: BH Commission
Mike Alexander, Dauphin County Community Support Program
Andrea Kepler, Dauphin County Mental Health Administrator
Scott Suhring, Capital Area Behavioral Health Collaborative
Gregory Briggs, Dauphin County Prison
Dauphin County Single County Authority
Dr. Erika Saunders, Penn State Health
Noreen Frederick, UPMC Western Behavioral Health
Charles Hooker, Keystone Human Services
Kim Freeman, Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute
Darrell Reider, Swatara Township Public Safety
Ted Dallas, Merakey
PrimeCare Medical
Felicia Stehley, Community Care Behavioral Health
Val Barner, Skills of Central PA
Dr. Lucas Malishchak, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
Beth Gillan, Center for Community Resources
Catherine Arbogast, Centre County Drug and Alcohol
Centre County Task Force on Mental Health Crisis Service Final Report (November 2020)
Erin Crown, Oasis LifeCare, LLC
Tyler Jolley, Patton Township Police Department
Captain Kevin Creighton, Pennsylvania State Police
Behavioral Health Commission for Adult Mental Health
Act 54 of 2022 established the Behavioral Health Commission for Adult Mental Health as an interdisciplinary body comprised of leadership from state agencies, communities around Pennsylvania, and the behavioral health field as well as individuals with lived experience with behavioral health.
The Behavioral Health Commission for Adult Mental Health is charged with establishing recommendations for funding in the following categories:
Delivery of services by telemedicine;
Behavioral health rates, network adequacy, and mental health payment parity;
Workforce development and retention; expansion of certified peer support specialist and peer-run services;
Development and provision of crisis services;
Integration of behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment;
Cultural competencies when providing behavioral health care;
The impact of social determinants of health on behavioral health;
The intersection of behavioral health and the criminal justice system; and,
Establishing an integrated care model to deliver timely psychiatric care in primary care settings.
View the Commission's Report & Recommendations — Oct. 4, 2022
The legislature appropriated $100 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for adult mental health programs. Per Act 54 of 2022, no funding shall be expended until enabling legislation is enacted by the General Assembly. The Commission shall produce a report with funding recommendations.
The Commission was charged with convening no less than two meetings with county mental health administrations to review the provision of behavioral health care and identify recommendations for improvements in coordination of care. The Commission shall hold at least one meeting with representatives from a rural county mental health administration and related entities and at least one meeting with representatives from a mental health administration from either an urban or suburban county and related entities. Act 54 of 2022 defines related entities as including but not limited to, county commissioners, managed care organizations, behavioral health managed care organizations, single county authorities, hospitals, law enforcement, district attorneys, county child welfare agencies and county jails.
The Commission voted to select Dauphin County as the urban/suburban county and Centre County as the rural county. More information will be posted here and disseminated publicly as it becomes available.
Commission Membership
Insurance Commissioner
(or a designee)
Michael Humphreys, Co-Chair
Acting Insurance Commissioner,
Secretary of Human Services
(or a designee)
Dr. Dale Adair, Co-Chair
Chief Medical Officer, Department of Human Services, Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services,
Co-chair
Secretary of Drug and Alcohol Programs
(or a designee)
Ellen DiDomenico
Executive Deputy Secretary
Secretary of Health
(or a designee)
Muneeza Iqbal
Deputy Secretary of Health Resources and Services
Representative of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency
William F. Ward
Chair of the Mental Health and Justice Advisory Committee, Allegheny County
Individual appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate
Dr. Noreen M. Fredrick
UPMC Western Behavioral Health, Allegheny County
Individual appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate
Senator Maria Collett
Individual appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives
Representative Wendi Thomas, Bucks County
Individual appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives
Representative Michael H. Schlossberg, Lehigh County
Active member of the Mental Health Planning Council
Kathy Quick, Schuylkill County
Active member of the Mental Health Planning Council
Lisa Kennedy, York County
Behavioral health consumers or family members with lived experiencing navigating diagnosis, treatment, and recovery
Jason Rilogio
Rilogio Consulting/Pennsylvania Peer Support Coalition, Cambria County
Behavioral health consumers or family members with lived experiencing navigating diagnosis, treatment, and recovery
Reverend Dr. Michelle Anne Simmons
Why Not Prosper, Montgomery County
Individual recommended by the Pennsylvania Association of County Administrators of Mental Health and Developmental Services
Tina Clymer
Carbon-Monroe-Pike Mental Health and Developmental Services, Monroe County
Representative of a behavioral health managed care organization serving a rural county
Dr. Matthew O. Hurford
Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, serving
42 counties
Representative of a behavioral health managed care organization service an urban county
Dr. Faith Dyson-Washington
Community Behavioral Health, serving Philadelphia County
Individual recommended by the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania
Dr. Maria A. Oquendo
University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia County
Individual member of local law enforcement certified in crisis intervention recommended by the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association
Chief Edward M. Cunningham
Elizabethtown Police Department, Lancaster County
Psychologist specializing in mental, social, and emotional development recommended by the Pennsylvania Psychological Association
Dr. Jeanne M. Slattery
PennWest Clarion, Clarion County
Licensed clinical social worker recommended by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers
Dr. Stephanie Diez-Morel
Reboot & Recover, Erie County
Individual who is a subject matter expert in evidence-based, trauma-informed treatment modalities and trauma-informed approaches
Dr. Hasshan Batts
Promise Neighborhoods of the Lehigh Valley, Lehigh County
Individual who specializes in culturally-competent behavioral health care
Dr. Kenneth Thompson
Pennsylvania Psychiatric Leadership Council, Allegheny County
Individual who is a subject matter expert in treatment of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders with experience in behavioral health matters recommended by the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association
Dr. Dale Klatzker
Gaudenzia, Inc., Montgomery County
Individual who is a subject matter expert in behavioral health recommended by the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers
Jillian M. London
Hamilton Health Center, Dauphin County
Commission Documents
09-16-2022: BH Commission
09-08-2022: Centre County
09-01-2022: Dauphin County
09-01-2022: BH Commission
08-18-2022: BH Commission
Mike Alexander, Dauphin County Community Support Program
Andrea Kepler, Dauphin County Mental Health Administrator
Scott Suhring, Capital Area Behavioral Health Collaborative
Gregory Briggs, Dauphin County Prison
Dauphin County Single County Authority
Dr. Erika Saunders, Penn State Health
Noreen Frederick, UPMC Western Behavioral Health
Charles Hooker, Keystone Human Services
Kim Freeman, Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute
Darrell Reider, Swatara Township Public Safety
Ted Dallas, Merakey
PrimeCare Medical
Felicia Stehley, Community Care Behavioral Health
Val Barner, Skills of Central PA
Dr. Lucas Malishchak, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
Beth Gillan, Center for Community Resources
Catherine Arbogast, Centre County Drug and Alcohol
Centre County Task Force on Mental Health Crisis Service Final Report (November 2020)
Erin Crown, Oasis LifeCare, LLC
Tyler Jolley, Patton Township Police Department
Captain Kevin Creighton, Pennsylvania State Police