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Diversity

My Body, My Choice: Recognizing and Respecting the Body Autonomy of People With IDD
Thursday, December 5, 2024
2:00 pm ET
Register Here

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have the right to lead healthy, fulfilling lives within their chosen communities. This includes expressing their sexuality safely and being able to access sexuality education on topics of choice.

Join Relias December 5 at 2:00 pm ET as they explore the importance of recognizing and respecting the body autonomy of people with IDD.

Learning objectives

  • Explore the concepts of body autonomy, ways to support and respect the body, and the significance of supporting the rights of people with disabilities.
  • Develop the skills to create and sustain safe spaces that empower individuals with IDD to openly discuss their bodies.
  • Discover effective strategies to empower individuals with disabilities to advocate for their rights and establish personal boundaries.

Register Here

Image by Markus Winkler from Pixabay

Message from the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL):

The Commonwealth is working collaboratively — Governor Shapiro’s office and the health hub agencies (Health, Human Services, Drug and Alcohol Programs, and Insurance) — to develop a statewide maternal health strategic plan. We need your help to make it a robust, comprehensive, collaborative, living, and most importantly, active plan.

As you are likely aware, Pennsylvania, like the nation, is experiencing a maternal health crisis.

According to the Pennsylvania Maternal Mortality Review Committee report, in 2020, Pennsylvania residents experienced a pregnancy-associated mortality ratio of 83 deaths per 100,000 live births with large disparities identified. In total, 107 individuals lost their lives during pregnancy, delivery, or up to one year postpartum.

Those numbers are far worse for Black women, where the rate was twice as high at 163 deaths per 100,000.

We also know that women and birthing people with disabilities experience unique challenges and needs on their health journey, so we are inviting you to join us for a 90-minute Zoom listening session where members of the Commonwealth’s health agencies and members of the statewide maternal health strategic plan can engage with you to learn what specific needs you have and how you feel the Commonwealth should address those needs.

We want our strategic plan to address all Pennsylvania women and birthing people, and sharing your voice at this listening session will help inform our plan.

The Zoom listening session is scheduled from 10:00 am – 11:30 am, on Friday, December 6, 2024. Please RSVP electronically by December 1 if you plan to attend. We will send the Zoom link by end of day December 4 to those who RSVP.

Thank you for considering spending 90 minutes with the disability community and state health team members to share your thoughts and needs around maternal health.

Mark your calendars and plan to join IPRC for our exciting 2025 educational webinar series! Complimentary registration for all IPRC webinars is a benefit of your RCPA/IPRC Membership.

Thursday, January 16, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EST 
Neuro-Opthalmic Rehabilitation

Friday, February 7, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EST
POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome)

Monday, March 3, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EST
Data-Driven Decision Making

Monday, March 24, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EST
Evidence-Based Practice: A Clinical Perspective

Tuesday, April 15, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT
Part 1: Motivational Interviewing with Children

Tuesday, April 22, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT
Part 2: Additional Strategies for Patient Engagement

Tuesday, May 20, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EDT
Treating FND: Functional Neurologic Disorder

Thursday, September 4, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT
The Therapy Intensive Model

Tuesday, October 7, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT
Treating Non-Accidental Trauma

Monday, November 3, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EST
The Intersect of Functional Imaging and Clinical Presentations

Monday, December 8, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm EST
Treating Pediatric Burns

Do you have a great topic or know a fantastic presenter? Please reach out to Cindi Hobbes, IPRC Director.

To address Pennsylvania’s high maternal mortality rate, the Commonwealth, through a partnership with Governor Shapiro’s office and the Departments of Health, Human Services, Drug and Alcohol Programs, and Insurance, is developing a statewide Maternal Health Strategic Plan. Interested stakeholders are invited to share their opinion through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Maternal Health Strategic Plan survey, which will remain open through November 4.

The vision for Pennsylvania’s Maternal Health Strategic Plan is a Pennsylvania where every pregnant and birthing person has easy access to high-quality perinatal, birth, and postpartum care that is person-centered, comprehensive, equitable, and affordable and that results in healthy outcomes and long-term good health and well-being.

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Join Esther Hio-Tong Castillo, PhD, as BHE’s guest speaker for the Speaker Series titled “The Courage to Talk: Overcoming Discomfort in Discussions on Racism,” moderated by BHE faculty member Karin Gladney, PhD, CAADC, as a live webinar on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, from 9:00 am – 11:00 am ET.

Systemic racism is deeply embedded in our institutions and communities, presenting significant challenges that require us to engage in difficult but necessary conversations about race. As James Baldwin famously stated, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” This moderated conversation aims to empower participants to confront their discomfort and engage in meaningful discussions on racism, fostering greater inclusion within our interpersonal relationships, workplaces and communities.

In this session, BHE will delve into the importance of discussing race and racism, providing strategies to overcome the emotional and psychological barriers that often hinder these conversations. Through real-life storytelling, participants will gain insight into ways that addressing racial discomfort can lead to personal and collective growth. The session will also explore the mindsets that inhibit authentic cross-racial connections and offer practical approaches to fostering more meaningful dialogues.

Join BHE for an engaging and enlightening discussion designed to equip professionals with the courage and compassion needed to tackle the challenges of race head on.

About Esther Hio-Tong Castillo, PhD:

Esther Hio-Tong Castillo, PhD, is a mental health and social justice advocate with nearly two decades of experience in education, community advocacy and government. She founded the award-winning Chinese Immigrant Families Wellness Initiative (CIFWI) at the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, recognized by the CDC Foundation for its impact on mental wellness in Asian immigrant communities. With a PhD in sociology, Dr. Castillo specializes in cross-racial solidarity work, particularly between Black and Asian communities. Her background as a biracial queer woman, first-generation college student and 1.5-generation immigrant informs her commitment to equity. As a former director of racial equity in city government and now CEO of Bridging Worlds Consulting, she provides DEI training and services, leveraging strategic thinking and community engagement to drive systemic change and promote equity across diverse communities.

CE Credits: APA-2; CPRP-2; LSW/LCSW/LPC/LMFT-2; NBCC-2; PA Act48-2; PCB-2; PSNA-2; IACET-.2

Training Fee: $18

Register Today

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Improving Patient Experience Through DEI Efforts
Thursday, August 22, 2024 | 12:00 PM EDT

In today’s health care and human services landscape, promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is essential for enhancing patient experience and care outcomes. Join Relias and Feedtrail to learn how DEI initiatives can transform care quality. Their expert speakers will provide actionable insights and strategies to help health care organizations integrate DEI principles into their daily practices, ultimately improving patient experience. Register here to participate.

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In order to better serve our members and leverage our collective experience, the RCPA Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Committee is compiling a list of training and consultant recommendations on DEI-related topics. We kindly request that you share your organization’s experiences. If you have engaged in or utilized multiple trainings or consultants, please complete an additional survey for each one. RCPA will compile and post a repository of member recommendations.

Please submit recommendations via this survey. We request submissions be completed by Friday, August 30. If you have any questions, please contact Cindi Hobbes.