Members of the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services’ (OMHSAS) Advisory Committee/Mental Health Planning Council arrived at consensus on an advisory structure to assure that:

1. Consumers, family members and other stakeholders have the opportunity for meaningful, effective participation in advising OMHSAS;
2. Information is shared broadly and in a timely manner from stakeholders to OMHSAS and from OMHSAS to stakeholders;
3. Valuable networking opportunities are available among stakeholders;
4. There are productive partnerships between OMHSAS and the advisory committees.

The OMHSAS Advisory Structure is comprised of three committees and one subcommittee: Children’s Behavioral Health Advisory Committee, Adult Behavioral Health Advisory Committee, Older Adult Behavioral Health Advisory Committee and Transition Age Youth Subcommittee. The three committees and subcommittee come together in a Joint Session to form the Pennsylvania Mental Health Planning Council. These committees advise on a broad behavioral mandate to include, but not be limited to, mental health, substance abuse, behavioral health disorders, and cross-system disability.

The OMHSAS Advisory Committees directly advise the Deputy Secretary and are active partners in establishing OMHSAS Goals, Objectives and Priority Projects.

Advisory Committee Protocols

Older Adult Advisory Committee

Adult Advisory Committee

Children's Advisory Committee

Transition Age Youth Subcommittee

 

 

Older Adult Advisory Committee
Mr John Farmer, MEd, I CAN of PA/Mental Health Association of Southeast Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, co-chair
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Philadelphia, Region: SE

Ms Denise Stewart, MSW, Delaware County Office of Services for the Aging, Eddystone, co-chair
Term Exp: May 2007, County: Delaware, Region: SE

Ms Marilyn V Baker, Paoli
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Chester, Region: SE

Ms Susan Bartholomew-Palmer, NAMI PA, Willkes-Barre Chapter,Wilkes-Barre
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Luzerne, Region: NE

Ms Gail Cash, Erie
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Erie, Region: NW

Ms Hikmah Gardiner, PMHCC - Philadelphia Mental Health Care Corp, Dept of Behavioral Health, Philadelphia
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Philadelphia, Region: SE

Mr Brad Gebhart, PA Assoc of Latino Organizations, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Mr Austin George, Northumberland County CFST, Shamokin
Term Exp: May 2009, County: Northumberland, Region: Central

Mr Eric Goldstein, Montgomery County MH/MR/D&A/BH, Norristown
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Montgomery, Region: SE

Ms Margaret (Marge) E Hanna, Bucks County D&A Commission Inc., Warminster
Term Exp: May 2009, County: Bucks, Region: SE

Mr George Kimes, PA Community Providers Association, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Ms Midge Klotz, CSTAP, Palmerton
Term Exp: May 2009, County: Carbon (H), Region: Northeast

Ms Kathy Latimer, Erie County Care Management Inc., Erie
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Erie, Region: NW

Dr Thomas Laton, CCBHO, DuBois
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Clearfield, Region: Statewide

Ms Gayle Lorenz, Meadville
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Crawford, Region: NW

Ms M Crystal Lowe, PA Association of Area Agencies on Aging, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Ms Virginia (Ginny) Mastrine, Bureau of Policy and Program Development, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Mr Terrance McCarthy, Disability Rights Network of PA, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Dauphin, Region: Central

Ms Myrn Montalvo, Ruffsdale
Term Exp: May 2009, County: Westmoreland, Region: SW

Dr Richard K Morycz, Dept of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Allegheny, Region: SW

Ms Lynn Patrone-Ruppel, C/FST at Mental Health America of York/Adams Counties, York
Term Exp: December 2009, County: York/Adams, Region: Central

Adult Advisory Committee
Mr Tim Connors, Delaware County Office of Behavioral Health, Upper Darby, co-chair
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Delaware, Region: SE

Ms Jacqui Williams, Mental Health Association of Southeast Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, co-chair
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Philadelphia, Region: SE/State Coalition

Mr Michael Alexander, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2008, County: Dauphin, Region: Central

Ms Judy Banks, Disability Rights Network of PA, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2009, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Ms Cindy L Boore, Home Nursing Agency, Altoona
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Blair, Region: West/SW

Ms Carol Caruso, NAMI PA – Montgomery County, Glenside
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Montgomery, Region: Southeast

Ms Charlotte Chew-Sturm, McKean Co Dept of Human Services, Smethport
Term Exp: May 2010, County: McKean, Region: West/NW

Ms Mary Finck, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Dept of Corrections, Camp Hill
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Cumberland, Region: Statewide

Ms Cheryl Floyd, PRO-A, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2009, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Ms Carol Horowitz, Disability Rights Network of PA, Pittsburgh
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Allegheny, Region: West/SW

Mr Anthony House, CBHNP, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2009, County: Dauphin, Region: Central

Ms Mary Kohut, PA Mental Health Consumers’ Association, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Mr Michael Lane, Hospital & Healthsystem Association of PA, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2009, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Mr Randall Loss, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Dauphin , Region: Statewide

Ms Cindi Mazza, Salisbury Behavioral Health, Bethlehem
Term Exp: May 2009, County: Lehigh, Region: NE

Ms Marie Onukiavage, NAMI PA Scranton Area Chapter, Archbald
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Lackawanna, Region: NE

Ms Bette Peoples, Butler
Term Exp: May 2010, County: West/Butler, Region: NW

Ms Mary Ellen Rehrman, FTAC, Spring City
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Chester, Region: SE

Ms Deborah Ann Shoemaker, Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Mr John W Strayer, Latrobe
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Westmoreland, Region: West/SW

Mr Dan Sylvester ACSW/LSW/CPRP, PA Association of Psychosocial Rehab Services, Media
Term Exp: May 2009, County: Montgomery, Region: Statewide

Ms Patrice Terrance, Family Services of Western PA, New Kensington
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Westmoreland, Region: West/SW

Ms Sue Walther, Mental Health Association in PA, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Mr Robert Waters, Magellan Health Services, Newtown
Term Exp: May 2009, County: Bucks, Region: SE

Ms Julie Weaver, PA Community Providers Association, Community Services Group, Mountville
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Lancaster, Region: Statewide/Central

Mr Dave Wooledge, Erie
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Erie, Region: NW

Ms Lisa Yaffe, PA Housing Finance Agency, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2008, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Children's Advisory Committee
Ms Sally Lynaugh, Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg co-chair
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Ms Deb Neifert, MH/MR Program Administrators Association of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, co-chair
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Ms Jazmin Banks, FAKS (Foster, Adoptive, & Kinship Supporters), Inc., Philadelphia
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Philadelphia, Region: SE

Ms Bernadette Bianchi, PA Council of Children Youth & Family Services, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Ms Darlene Black, DPW Office of Children, Youth, & Families, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2009, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Ms Dianna Brocious, Western PA Partnership for Family Support, Templeton
Term Exp: May 2009, County: Armstrong, Region: West

Ms Bernadette Cameron, Colonial Intermediate Unit 20, Easton
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Northampton, Region: NE

Ms Myrna M Delgado, PA Dept of Education, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2008, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Ms MaryAnn Donovan, Magellan Health Services, Newtown
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Bucks, Region: SE

Ms Shelley Dorfi, West Central Center for the Deaf, Community Counseling Center, Hermitage
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Mercer, Region: West/NW

Ms Lisa Fox, The Bradley Center-Robinson, Pittsburgh
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Allegheny, Region: SW

Ms Karen Garrison, CST, Inc., Philadelphia
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Philadelphia, Region: SE

Mr James Gavin, Community Care Behavioral Health, Pittsburgh
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Allegheny, Region: SW

Ms Sandy Goetze, Western PA Partnership for Family Support, Zelienople
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Butler, Region: SW

Ms Jodi Hoffman, The RASE Project, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2008, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Ms Paulette Hunter, Allentown
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Lehigh, Region: NE

Ms Christine Kuhn, Lancaster Co CASSP, Lancaster
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Lancaster, Region: Central

Ms Wendy Luckenbill, Mental Health Association of PA, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Berks, Region: SE

Mr Connell O'Brien, PA Community Providers Association, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Ms Deborah Ormsby, Director, Family Networking Project/NAMI, Huntingdon
Term Exp: May 2009, County: Huntingdon, Region: Central

Ms Arlene Prentice, Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Ms Nancy Priester, Kittanning
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Armstrong, Region: West

Mr Thomas Seben, Division of Compliance, Monitoring, & Planning, Central, PA Dept of Education, Harrisburg
Term Exp: May 2009, County: Dauphin, Region: Statewide

Ms Sharon Smith, MOMSTELL, Mechanicsburg
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Cumberland, Region: Statewide

Ms Elizabeth Starks, MHASP Parents Involved Network Montgomery County, Norristown
Term Exp: May 2010, County: Montgomery, Region: SE

Transition Age Youth Subcommittee

Mr Daniel DeLucey, BC Scores Youth Coordinator, The Prevention Network, Baden, mentor
County: Beaver, Region: West/SW

Mr Michael Reber, Pittsburgh, mentor
County: Allegheny, Region: West/SW

MEMBERS

Ms Leanna Chambers, Lansdale
County: Montgomery, Region: SE

Mr Brock Formosa, Ambridge
County: Beaver, Region: West/SW

Mr Charles Hause II, Lawrence County CST, New Castle
County: Lawrence, Region: West

Mr Alex Knapp, Harrisburg
County: Dauphin, Region: Central

Mr Austin Mosby, Souderton
County: Montgomery, Region: SE

Ms Melissa Moser, Ambridge
County: Beaver, Region: West/SW

Ms Christy Orzulak, Fairless Hills
County: Bucks, Region: SE

Ms Vanessa Robinson, Greensburg
County: Westmoreland, Region: West/SW