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Due to a scheduling conflict with the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) participating in RCPA’s Brain Injury Committee meeting on October 26, 2022, OLTL has agreed to provide their update via a separate webcast. The update/webcast has been scheduled for November 16, 2022, at 11:00 am and will be led by Randy Nolen. The topics of discussion include:

  • Clarification of the role of the Service Coordinators and the process providers should use for reporting inaccuracies, etc. Providers are experiencing an increase of SCs telling families and providers that job functions are not their job, including not assisting participants, families/support persons, and providers with issues such as the participant needing a higher or lower level of care.
  • Updates on the next RFP for the CHC-MCOs.
  • Consideration of a bed hold provision and how this could help ease some financial strain for the BI providers. Is this something that can be included in the next RFP for the CHC-MCOs?
  • Possibility and consideration of having a BI Specialist within OLTL and the CHC-MCOs.
  • With only 25% of ARPA funds spent, is there a possibility of applying for more?
  • Status/update on the checklist that was shared in April 2022.
  • Updates on next steps from OLTL regarding CMS’ HCBS quality measure set.

Register to participate in this discussion here. If you have any questions, please contact Melissa Dehoff.

In partnership with the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), the Office of Children, Youth, and Families (OCYF) is funding trauma training opportunities for all child welfare professionals in PA via Lakeside Global. From September 30, 2022, through September 30, 2023, PA child welfare professionals serving children in PA are able to take advantage of FREE trainings facilitated by the team at Lakeside Global to become trauma-aware, trauma-sensitive, trauma-informed, or healing-centered. This also includes “Train the Trainer” sessions to support trauma-informed sustainability within a child welfare organization.

To learn more about how you can take advantage of this professional development, please view the Trauma Training Announcement.

If you have questions relating to any of these trainings, please email PA Care Partnership or RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp.

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.