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Authors Posts by Carol Ferenz

Carol Ferenz

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has issued a revised Health Alert to emphasize the need to avoid delay in seeking emergency medical care.

There are two key issues in reducing this risk for delay:

  1. Recognizing a medical emergency. Correctly interpreting and acting on these signs could potentially save a life.
  2. Seeking immediate attention for the emergency. With medical emergencies, time is of the essence.

Current provider policies should not instruct staff to contact a supervisor prior to calling 911 in an emergency. Failure to call 911, which can result in treatment delays, may contribute to serious injury or death of an individual that otherwise may have been prevented if 911 was called. This Health Alert is intended to help providers and staff respond to medical emergencies by contacting 911 without delay.

For more information, see the updated Health Alert.

Philadelphia Coordinated Health Care (PCHC) is hosting their first in-person Health Fair since the pandemic on May 18, 2023. There will be an array of physical and behavioral health vendors with interactive activities for individuals, families, and caregivers in the IDD, DD, and Autism field.

The event will be held at the Rivers Casino at 1001 N. Delaware Avenue in Philadelphia from 9:00 am – 12:30 pm. There will be breakfast, music, activities, and demonstrations. See the flyer for additional details.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) Technology Task Force is seeking input from providers about the use of Remote Supports, Assistive Technology, Teleservices, and Video Monitoring. The information collected will develop baseline data and inform future decisions related to supportive technology. This brief survey should take approximately 5–10 minutes to complete. Please include information for all individuals served and for all service locations throughout your organization. Once collected, ODP plans to publish the results for all stakeholders.

The survey will close on Friday, April 28, 2023 at 4:00 pm. Thank you for your participation.

Complete the survey here.

ODP Announcement 23-035 announces that an updated Certified Investigator Peer Review Manual (CIPR) is now available. Agency Board of Directors and Human Rights Committee members, Agency Administrative, Management and Risk Management staff, Administrative Entities (AEs), Supports Coordination Organizations (SCOs), Supports Coordinators (SCs), Direct Service Providers (DSPs), and Contracted Entities that are responsible for participating in the Peer Review process for investigations that are conducted as a requirement under Incident Management Bulletin 00-21-02 and under Chapter 6100.404 Final Incident Report should all be familiar with the information contained in the manual.

All prospective and current Certified Investigators (CI), Administrative Review Committee members, and other administrative staff are required to be familiar with the 2023 CIPR Manual to ensure their understanding and use of the standards and protocols contained in it. In order to align with Incident Management (IM) Bulletin 00-21-02 (effective on July 1, 2021) and the Enterprise Incident Management (EIM) system, several new or expanded topics have been added to the manual. This document replaces the manual that was published in 2021.

If you have any questions regarding the 2023 CIPR Manual or Peer Review process, please contact Taniqua Robinson of Temple University via email.

It is not too late to register for NADSP’s Advocacy Symposium. On May 3 and May 4, the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) will embark on its second national advocacy event to bring the direct support professional (DSP) perspective to the forefront of Congress and the Administration during a time of unprecedented workforce challenges. Hardships from the pandemic and recent legislation have provided new insights and opportunities for the direct support workforce that supports people with disabilities.

NADSP recognizes the previous absence and critical importance of lifting the voices of DSPs to federal policy-makers so that public policy can be informed by the people who are on the front-lines of supporting people with disabilities to live, work, and thrive in the community. On April 13, 2023, NADSP will provide DSPs from all across the country comprehensive advocacy virtual training. (No worries if you are registering late, as this training was recorded.) This will lead up to the 1.5-day virtual event in May that will culminate with virtual meetings with Congressional leaders and staff to educate and advocate on NADSP’s public policy priorities for 2023.

Advocacy Symposium and Legislative Meetings Training

Wednesday, May 3, 2023, 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm ET

State Team Meetings will extend beyond 4:30 pm ET

Legislative Meetings

Thursday, May 4, 2023, Time will vary by state and district

After registering, all individuals will receive a confirmation that they have registered. Final meeting times will be shared on March 4 from Soapbox Consulting. Please note that your meeting time will depend on your Zip Code and Congressional District.

RCPA members participated last year, and the event was a great success. If you have any questions regarding the event, please contact Carol Ferenz.