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Authors Posts by Cathy Barrick

Cathy Barrick

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared updates to ODPANN 26-037. The purpose of this communication is to announce the release of the updated Incident Management (IM) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document on MyODP. This FAQ has been developed to answer commonly asked questions about incident management. The questions that have been added appear with a blue background, and any updated answer from a previous question is italicized.

Please view the announcement for more details.

Attachment:

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has announced the release of the 2025 Employment First report. ODP believes that all people with an intellectual disability and/or autism must be encouraged to pursue their vision for an everyday life, which may include working in competitive integrated employment. Competitive integrated employment offers a person an opportunity to achieve economic independence, build self-confidence, enhance self-determination, and meet new people while building new skills. The Everyday Lives: Values in Action publication, developed by the ODP Information Sharing and Advisory Committee (ISAC), which includes self-advocates, reads:

“Employment is a centerpiece of adulthood and must be available for every person. The benefits of employment for people with disabilities are significant and are the same as for people without disabilities.”

This report serves as an update to all stakeholders on the progress that has been made to support individuals served by ODP on finding and maintaining competitive integrated employment.

Access the 2025 Employment First report here. This document can also be found by visiting the MyODP Employment Home page.

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Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) invites you to register for its Everyday Lives 2026 Virtual Conference!

The 2026 Everyday Lives Conference will include ODP’s annual Dual Diagnosis Conference as a pre-conference event, jointly hosted with the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS). The biannual Everyday Lives Conference, hosted by the Pennsylvania Office of Developmental Programs (ODP), invites individuals with a disability and/or autism (ID/A), family members, caregivers, and support professionals to engage in presentations and panels focused on sharing information that empowers the everyday lives of individuals with disabilities throughout Pennsylvania. The 2026 Everyday Lives Conference (EDL) will be held virtually throughout the first two weeks of May 2026. The conference theme for 2026 is “Breaking Barriers and Building Futures.” View the conference program for more information, including the full conference agenda.

Learn More and Register Here

What to Expect:

The virtual conference will be hosted through the online platform Whova and will feature six days of presentations. A series of watch parties will be hosted throughout the state as an opportunity for conference-goers to connect and engage with the conference content together. Follow the registration link for more information.

The conference program is broken into three sections. Each conference section (excluding the post-conference) will include presentations for all ODP stakeholders, but some sessions may cater more to one audience than another. Regardless, ODP invites all audiences to attend every session. Content will be accessible and relevant to all.

Learn more at the EverydayLives website.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has announced the release of new and updated resources available through MyODP to support Life Sharing services. These materials have been developed to enhance the quality, consistency, and effectiveness of Life Sharing services provided to individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism across Pennsylvania.

In alignment with the mission of ODP, resources are intended to inform providers, along with individuals and families, about Life Sharing and support person-centered approaches across all Life Sharing settings.

Key Updates Include:

  • Resource materials for providers, families, and Support Coordinators;
  • Guidance reflecting current service definitions and rates;
  • Tools to support effective person-centered service planning; and
  • Recorded webinars about Life Sharing services.

ODP remains committed to ensuring that individuals receiving services experience safe, supportive, and meaningful living environments.  These resources are an important step in advancing that commitment and fostering continuous improvement across the system.

We encourage all providers, families, and partners to review and utilize these materials as part of their ongoing efforts to deliver high-quality Life Sharing services.

Resources can be accessed by clicking the following link: Life Sharing – MyODP

Or by navigating to MyODP’s website, clicking the “Resources” tab at the top of the page, then selecting “Life Sharing” from the drop-down menu.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) and Temple University have developed a new online training module shared in ODPANN 26-036. The newly released lesson provides an additional learning opportunity designed to enhance skills relating to interviewing the victim of an incident and supplies helpful information to Certified Investigators (CI), Administrative Review Committee members, CI Peer Reviewers, Incident Management (IM) Reps, and others involved in the incident investigation process. The “Interviewing the Victim” lesson has been added to the Additional Learning Opportunities section on the MyODP, PA ODP Certified Investigator Program Home page.

Please view the announcement for more details.

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A Hands-On Workshop in Incident Management Data Organization, Analysis, Risk Identification, and Action Planning for Providers and Supports Coordination Organizations (SCO)

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) invites providers and SCOs to register for its training workshop “From Data to Decisions.” Findings from the most recent Quality, Assessment & Improvement (QA&I) cycle identified opportunities for improvement in conducting and documenting incident management trend analyses in accordance with IM Bulletin 00-21-02. To support this effort, ODP is hosting training sessions focused on using available tools, strengthening the analysis and documentation, and using risk management strategies to identify risk and develop effective actions.

Registration is free, but pre-registration is required to attend.

If you are a provider, register for one of four available sessions by following the registration links below:

If you are SCO staff, register below:

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Please share these important workshops and support groups with your networks! Register here for upcoming events.

Good Life Group, Support Groups

Life Course Workshops

Waiver Workshops

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared communication ODPANN 26-033, to announce that registration for the May – August 2026 CI Initial Certification Course cohorts is now open in MyODP.

To Register for a cohort of the Initial Certification course:

  • Log into your MyODP.org account.
  • Go to the Certified Investigator Initial Certification Course Information page.
  • Read the information on the page to ensure you understand certification eligibility and course completion requirements.
  • Follow the instructions on the “Certified Investigator Initial Certification Course Registration for May – August 2026” section of the page.

Please review the announcement for more details.

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The Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education, is pleased to announce the following training opportunity: From Questions to Confidence: Connecting Students and Families to Benefits Counseling. As students with disabilities plan for life after high school, questions about how employment impacts public benefits can create uncertainty and hesitation for students and their families. Benefits counseling plays a critical role in helping individuals understand how work, earnings, and career advancement interact with benefits such as SSI, SSDI, Medicaid, and related programs, supporting informed decision-making and reducing fear around employment. This session will combine a brief foundational presentation with a panel discussion featuring educators and partners who have implemented strategies to connect students and families to benefits counseling in their schools and communities.

Audience:
Special Educators, Transition Coordinators, School Counselors, School Psychologists, Related Service Providers, Administrators, Rehabilitation counselors or professionals working in vocational rehabilitation/transition

Registration Information:
You may register online at PaTTAN’s website.

For content-related information and questions, please contact Hillary Mangis via email or at 412-826-6878.

For general registration information and questions, please contact Roanne Bush via email or at 412-826-6829.

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