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Authors Posts by Carol Ferenz

Carol Ferenz

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Photo by CDC on Unsplash

Updated (bivalent) boosters became available September 2, 2022. Prior to September 2022, the available boosters were original, monovalent boosters. The CDC recommends that people ages 5 years and older receive one updated (bivalent) booster if it has been at least 2 months since their last COVID-19 vaccine dose, whether that was:

  • Their final primary series dose, or
  • An original (monovalent) booster.

People who have gotten more than one original (monovalent) booster are also recommended to get an updated (bivalent) booster.

Boosters are an important part of protecting yourself from getting seriously ill or dying from COVID-19. The CDC has developed a tool to determine when or if you (or your child) can get one or more COVID-19 boosters. This tool can be accessed here.

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Through a partnership of the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP), the Research and Training Center on Community Living at the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration, and the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR), the Moving Mountains Award recognizes organizations using leading practices in direct support workforce development that result in improved outcomes for people with disabilities. Organizations applying for the award are required to demonstrate how their workforce practices and philosophy align with the key principles of NADSP. These principles are:

  • All direct support professionals benefit from access to well-constructed educational experiences (e.g., competency-based trainings, continuing and higher education) and lifelong learning.
  • Certifying highly-qualified workers incentivizes continuing education, increased compensation, and access to career pathways for direct support professionals, thereby improving retention.
  • Values-based and ethical decision making can be learned and infused into daily practice.
  • Strengthening relationships and partnerships between direct support professionals, self-advocates, and other advocacy groups and families improves the quality of support.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2023 Moving Mountains Award. The winning organization(s) will be honored and will share their initiatives during the ANCOR Annual Conference on April 24–26, 2023, in Chicago. Winners will be notified in advance. Applications are due on Friday, December 2, 2022, by 11:59 pm CST via electronic submission. 

If you have questions regarding the completion of the application, please email the Moving Mountains Coordinators. To learn more about the awards, visit here. For information on previous award winners, visit the Moving Mountains Award Past Winners page.

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The Office of Developmental Programs is pleased to announce TaWanda Jackson as the new Chief of Staff. TaWanda brings a wealth of experience and will begin her new role October 31, 2022.

TaWanda Jackson, a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is an energetic professional with a passion for helping others. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Robert Morris University and continued her education and received her master’s degree in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University.

TaWanda began her career in public service at the Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging. She then joined the Commonwealth as an Income Maintenance Caseworker, and for the past thirteen years, she’s been with ODP in various roles. Most recently, TaWanda served as a statewide lead for the Quality Assessment & Improvement Process. She has participated in the development and implementation of the QA&I process since its inception and provided her knowledge and expertise to ensure that stakeholders understand the overall processes and procedures and adhere to federal and state regulations and requirements.

TaWanda is an alumnus of the Office of Administration Emerging Leader Program and the Department of Human Services Leadership Development Institute. In her spare time, she likes to spend time with family playing games, cooking, reading, being active in her church, and watching the Pittsburgh Steelers. TaWanda lives in Lancaster County with her husband Bobby and two children.

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