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Authors Posts by Cathy Barrick

Cathy Barrick

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AID In PA is accepting applicants for its April 2024 TRAIN program. This free training program was developed for therapists, counselors, and clinical social workers who already have experience working with clients who have an ID/A diagnosis and are looking to gain knowledge and skills related to trauma therapy.

Individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism are at an increased risk of experiencing trauma; however, few therapists are skilled in both trauma and ID/A support. To bridge this gap, psychologists with the ASERT team created the TRAIN program – 12 weeks of self-guided learnings and live webinars to equip therapists across Pennsylvania currently working with the ID/A populations with the skills to support clients through trauma experiences.

Participants have direct supervision from psychologists with backgrounds in both trauma and ID/A and interactive discussions with fellow participants, as well as receive Continuing Education (CE) credits provided through the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) upon completion of the program. You must currently be licensed and provide 1:1 talk therapy sessions to adult clients at the moment to qualify for this course and participate in the case consultation presentations.

The TRAIN program focuses on:

  • Trauma-focused mental healthcare
  • Types and prevalence of trauma
  • Disclosures of abuse
  • Ethical principles of reporting abuse
  • Expression of trauma
  • Assessing trauma and trauma-focused interviews
  • Psychoeducation
  • Trauma response management strategies
  • Trauma processing
  • Resiliency and self-care

Course Structure:
12 weeks in total, comprised of 3 modules that are each 4 weeks long. The first three weeks are self-paced learning courses that are assigned through AID in PA’s online Learning Management System. The fourth week of each module is an hour and a half interactive discussion with the other group members and instructors. These live sessions are required and are held from 9:00 am – 10:30 am on the following dates:

  • 4/9: Pre-training live session
  • 5/14: Module 1 live session
  • 6/11: Module 2 live session
  • 7/9: Module 3 live session
  • 8/13 – 10/29: Weekly Case Consultation Calls (8:00 am – 9:00 am, Tuesdays)

Case Consultations

After the initial 12 weeks, there is a short break, followed by a second 12-week session that consists of weekly one-hour case consultations. Each participant is expected to present a case from a current patient and receive feedback/information from other participants and the instructors. Participants need to join at least 6 of the 12 weekly case consultation calls, although it’s encouraged to attend all. If you are not currently seeing patients or are not in a capacity to present any cases, this may not be the right program for you.

Cost and CE Credits:
It is free to participate, and if you complete the entire program, you will receive 13.5 CE credits through the NBCC.

If you believe this program is appropriate for you and can commit to the requirements, please complete the survey by March 25, 2024. This is on a first come, first serve basis, so don’t delay! If you cannot attend the Spring session, the program will also be available in Fall 2024.

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The Role of HCBS Waiver Services in Supporting Families
April 4, 2024
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm (CT)
Register Now

Due to unforeseen circumstances that are beyond their control, the Best Practice Series scheduled for March will now be in April.

Note: If you already registered before the date change, you do not need to register again. You will be sent a separate email with the updated zoom link for the new date.

 The Best Practice Series introduces and elevates best practices related to supporting families. Each session will feature a panel of individuals or organizations who will address key recommendations from the National Agenda through their lens of:

  • Grassroots Advocacy
  • “Practice Level” Implementation
  • States Service System
  • Federal Policies
  • Research

In this session, they will focus on Recommendation 4: The redesign of waiver services and supports to focus on quality-of-life outcomes, increase flexibilities, improve access and navigation, and ensure self-determination and self- direction (while also balancing the need to support the family).

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This is a reminder that ODP is requiring Residential Providers and Support Coordination Organizations (SCO) to provide a PDF of their fiscal year-end financial statements. Providers and SCOs will be given nine months after the end of their fiscal year to make the initial submission. For example, if the provider’s fiscal year ended on 6/30/2023, their financial statements must be submitted by 03/31/2024. The link for the statement form is here. You can view the ODP announcement with further details and information here.