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Authors Posts by Cathy Barrick

Cathy Barrick

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March continues the series on Participant Directed Services. Creating an Everyday Life using Waiver Services comes with some exciting opportunities and challenges. Many individuals use Participant Directed Services to pursue their vision and create the life they want. Join us to explore more about Participant Direction and offer resources and information. These workshops are created by family members and self-advocates FOR family members and self-advocates. Register for upcoming events at PA Family Network’s website.

Join the Participation Direction Summits!

Support Groups

LifeCourse Workshops

Waiver Workshops

Community Engagement Workshops

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is sharing an important announcement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning individuals of the risks related to using smartwatches or smart rings that claim to measure blood glucose levels (blood sugar) without piercing the skin. These devices are different than smartwatch applications that display data from FDA-authorized blood glucose measuring devices that pierce the skin, like continuous glucose monitoring devices (CGM). The FDA has not authorized, cleared, or approved any smartwatch or smart ring that is intended to measure or estimate blood glucose values on its own. If your medical care depends on accurate blood glucose measurements, talk to your health care provider about an appropriate FDA-authorized device for your needs.

View the FDA alert here.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared the communication, ODPANN 21:046 Reissue: Process for 180-Day and 365 Day Timely Filing Edits: Exception and Special Handling Requests and its accompanying attachment. This UPDATED communication is intended to instruct providers on how to proceed when a claim denial is received for Error Status Codes (ESC) 545 and 512. Please review the announcement for additional guidance and information.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared ODPANN 24-022 and its accompanying Family Surveys attachment. The announcement notes that the National Core Indicators® (NCI®) surveys provide states with valid and reliable tools to help improve system performance and better serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (age 18 and older) and their families. Since 1997, Pennsylvania has participated annually in the NCI® Project.

Both surveys are scheduled to be mailed and should be received within the next two weeks. Beginning this year, families and guardians may choose one of two ways to complete the survey they receive. They may either fill out the hard copy and return it to ODP via the self-addressed stamped envelope provided, or they may enter their responses directly into a secure online database using the link and instructions contained in the cover letter accompanying the survey.

Please view the announcement and attachment for information and details.