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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared a list of current Agency With Choice (AWC) Financial Management Service (FMS) organizations that are available to support participants and surrogates who have chosen to self-direct some or all of their Participant Directed Services (PDS) using the AWC FMS model and are in the Consolidated, Community Living, or Person/Family Directed Support (P/FDS) waivers. Please view the announcement for additional information and to see the listing.
The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) will host technical assistance webinars on substance use disorder (SUD) confidentiality and Act 33’s impact. DDAP is seeking input through a short “SUD Confidentiality Survey” to tailor the webinar topics to the audience’s needs. The survey is open until 6:00 pm on September 22, 2023. To participate in these webinars and other monthly DDAP technical sessions, email DDAP’s ASAM Transition inbox for calendar invites. Questions about SUD confidentiality regulations can be directed to DDAP’s Division of Program Licensure electronically.
The RCPA 2023 Annual Conference A Decade of Unity is scheduled for October 10 – 13, 2023, at the Hershey Lodge. The sessions listed below are a sample of the sessions planned, and these include the opportunities to interact with DHS, OLTL, and Aging Department leaders. This will be further enhanced by the participation of current and prospective CHC-MCOs. Of course, a number of networking events with your peers, technology innovators, and vendors to improve your operations make these days a must-have for your agency! View the list below of planned sessions for your PD&A teams:
Use this link for quick, convenient online registration for the 2023 Annual Conference! You can view the brochure for the full schedule as well as the RCPA Conference website for further details. We look forward to seeing you in Hershey this October!
The University of Pittsburgh and other Pennsylvania-based partners are supporting the efforts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, led by the Pennsylvania Department on Aging, to develop a Master Plan for Older Adults. Please circulate this survey on PA Aging and Disability Needs to your consumers and encourage them to complete it ASAP.
This project is being led by Dr. Howard B. Degenholtz and Dr. Steven Albert from the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health. Please use this link to share any questions or concerns you have about the process.
If you have any questions, please contact Fady Sahhar.
September continues PA Family Network’s series on Participant Directed Services. Join the team of Family Advisors to get your questions answered about Participant Directed Services and how you can choose to direct your own services under the Intellectual Disability/Autism (ID/A) Waivers. These workshops are created by family members and self-advocates FOR family members and self-advocates.
Register for upcoming events online.
Community Engagement Workshops:
These will only be offered at these dates and times!
LifeCourse Workshops
Waiver Workshops
Support Groups
Join the #ComplexCare field November 1–3, at Putting Care at the Center 2023, the annual conference of the Camden Coalition’s National Center for Complex Health and Social Needs initiative. This year’s event will focus on “Elevating behavioral health in whole-person care,” and will feature various levels of discussions highlighting complex care programs and innovators from across the country, from plenary speakers to Beehive sessions. Register now to participate. #CenteringCare23
Last week, the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) issued the following message to clarify criminal history background checks and child abuse history requirements:
In accordance with 55 Pa. Code § 52.19(d), hiring policies shall be in accordance with the PA Department of Aging’s (PDA) Older Adults Protective Services Act policy as posted on the PDA website. The Criminal History Background Checks page of the PDA website contains an OAPSA and Act 28 Summary, which summarizes criminal history background checks. The process is as follows:
All applicants must submit to a PA State Police (PSP) criminal history background check. Applicants can use the online process at Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) or mail the request with a money order or cashier’s check made payable to “Commonwealth of PA” to the State Police for processing. If there is no criminal record, the PSP will forward a letter stating the same. If there is a criminal record, the PSP will forward a copy of the rap sheet to the requester.
If the applicant has not been a PA resident for the two consecutive years before application, they will need to have a PSP criminal history background check completed and an FBI Background Check. All requests for FBI background checks must be made directly through 3MCogent Systems, a 3rd party electronic background check processor contracted by the Department of Aging. The fingerprinting registration process is conducted through Cogent online. The fee for the FBI background check is $23.00. The fingerprints will be forwarded to the FBI for processing by PDA. When the application has been processed by the FBI, the results will be returned to PDA. PDA will send letters to both the facility & applicant. The applicant will receive a copy of the FBI criminal history record information if applicable.
Note: It’s possible that the fee for FBI background checks cited above could change over time.
In addition, agency employees who will be providing services in a home where children reside must also obtain a Child Abuse History Certification from the PA Department of Human Services (DHS). Child Abuse History Certifications are obtained online at the Child Welfare Portal, or through the PA DHS ChildLine and Abuse Registry, P.O. Box 8170, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105-8170, (717) 783-6211 or toll free at (877) 371-5422. More information is available at the PA DHS Child Abuse History Certification website. Prior to provisionally hiring a person for employment as described in 55 Pa. Code Ch. 52.20, the clearances required prior to providing services in homes where children reside must be completed.
Any questions about the information in this listserv message should be sent electronically. You can also contact Fady Sahhar, Director of PD&A Division.
