RCPA Shares Updates on DHS H.R. 1 Committee, Eligibility, and SNAP Requirements
DHS to Host PA Rural Health Transformation Plan Public Webinar March 31
IPRC Webinar “Family-Centered Care” to Be Held April 20
Family-Centered Care: One Organization’s Revolutionary Approach to Include Families in All Aspects of Care
Monday, April 20, 2026
11:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT; 10:00 am – 11:00 am CDT;
9:00 am – 10:00 am MDT; 8:00 am – 9:00 am PDT
Register Here
Donna Provenzano, Director of Family-Centered Care
Donna Provenzano is the Director of Family-Centered Care at Children’s Specialized Hospital. She has thirty-nine years of experience in working with children, adolescents, young adults, and their families at Children’s Specialized. Donna serves on several hospital leadership committees and councils and provides administrative and operational management of Family-Centered Care and Volunteers. She supervises and partners with Family Faculty staff and coordinates with the Family Advisory Council. Donna has presented both nationally and internationally on Patient- and Family-Centered Care. Under Donna’s leadership, her department received the IPFCC Family-Centered Care Partnership Award for Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) in 2022. Donna has received additional leadership certifications from the Harvard Business School. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Therapeutic Recreation from Ithaca College.
Linda Waddell, Family Faculty Manager
Linda Waddell is the Family Faculty Manager at Children’s Specialized Hospital. She has been employed at the hospital as a Family Faculty since June of 2008 and a member of the Children’s Specialized Hospital’s Family Advisory Council since 2014. On behalf of the hospital, Linda has presented with her team on Patient- and Family-Centered Care at regional, national, and international conferences. Most recently, Linda was a member of a panel that presented at the 2024 RISE Summit “Addressing Social Determinants of Health (SDOH): A Look into Children’s Specialized Hospital’s Program in NJ and Beyond.” Linda participates in various hospital committees and is also a member of the IPRC Steering Committee, where she provides a family member’s perspective for discussions and decision-making.
Linda was the 2019 recipient of the Lester Z. Lieberman Humanism in Healthcare Award and received the IPFCC 30th Anniversary 2022 Partnership Award on Social Determinants of Health. Linda received her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Kean University. Linda’s first experience with Children’s Specialized Hospital began in 1999, receiving multiple services for her newborn, medically fragile baby. She became an expert in the experience of pediatric rehabilitation through caring for her daughter with medical complications.
Family Faculty at Children’s Specialized Hospital are paid positions held by parents and family members whose children have received or are still receiving services at Children’s Specialized Hospital Inpatient, Outpatient, or Long-Term Care sites. Their own day-to-day experiences provide a unique perspective, understanding, and empathy for families going through similar situations. Family Faculty partner with staff and families to build a respectful and understanding relationship by listening, providing insights, and encouraging positive communication between staff and families.
Objectives: At the end of this session, the learner will identify strategies to:
- Embed Patient- and Family-Centered Care into your organization;
- Cultivate respectful partnerships and collaboration with leadership, staff, and families;
- Include families in education and training of staff at all levels; and
- Engage families and staff in creating valuable resources.
Audience: This webinar is intended for all interested members of the rehabilitation team.
Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Certificate of Attendance: Certificates of attendance are available for all attendees. No CEs are provided for this course.
Complimentary webinars are a benefit of membership in IPRC/RCPA. Registration fee for non-members is $179. Not a member yet? Consider joining today.
AARP Public Policy Institute Publishes New Research Insights on Brain Health
The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Public Policy Institute has released a series of new research insights that highlights American adults’ views on a variety of issue areas. One of the recent releases focuses on brain health and includes the following resource topics:
- Healthy Eating
- Dementia
- Hearing and Brain Health
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Music and Brain Health
- Mental Health, Emotional Well-Being, and Resiliency
- Delirium
Visit here to read more about each of these resource topics.
CMS Final Rule Implements Requirements for Administrative Simplification of HIPAA, ACA
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the final rule that implements requirements of the Administrative Simplification subtitle of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, enacted on March 30, 2010.
Specifically, this final rule adopts standards for health care claims attachments transactions, which will support health care claims transactions and a standard for electronic signatures to be used in conjunction with health care claims attachments transactions.
The final rule will slash wasteful spending and antiquated paperwork by swapping out faxing and mailing for streamlined electronic transactions. This action lets providers spend less time on administrative hassle and more time caring for patients and is projected to save the healthcare industry approximately $781 million on an annual basis.
The final rule will be published in tomorrow’s (March 24, 2026) Federal Register and will become effective on May 19, 2026. Covered entities must comply by May 19, 2028.
Novitas Solutions Introduces New, Improved Medicare Navigator Program
Novitas Solutions, the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) for Pennsylvania, has announced the introduction of a new and improved Medicare Navigator program for providers.
The program includes webinars focused on supporting providers so they can successfully navigate Medicare program requirements and submit complete, accurate transactions. March’s Medicare Navigator Program also spotlights the Foundations of Compliance:
- March 24, Foundations of Compliance: Locating and Utilizing Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs)
- March 26, Foundations of Compliance: Purposeful Documentation
Members are encouraged to review Novitas’s event calendar for the full listing of events and opportunities to register.
2026 CMS Burden Reduction Conference: Recordings and Key Takeaways
Materials from March 2026 LTSS Meeting
In addition to the OLTL updates, key items presented included the trends in PAS Person-Centered Plans and ensuing reductions in hours. This highlighted significant differences between the three CHC-MCOs.
The in-depth presentation of Assisted Living Facilities as an “in lieu of” service provides the platform for potentially introducing this setting as part of the acceptable community settings, where other waiver services may be delivered. This would also be a departure from Pennsylvania’s definition of HCBS settings, but aligns with 23 other states where Assisted Living is included in the HCBS waivers.
- 3-11-26 LTSS Subcommittee Mtg Transcript – Final
- 5.26 DHS HR 1 Implementation Updates – Final
- OLTL LTSS 3.11.26 AL ILOS in CHC – UPMC – Final
- OLTL LTSS 3.11.26 PAS Reductions – AHC – Final
- OLTL LTSS 3.11.26 PAS Reductions – PHW – Final
- OLTL LTSS 3.11.2026 ILOS OPTION IN CHC – Policy – Final V4
If you have any questions, please contact Fady Sahhar.
From Questions to Confidence: Connecting Students and Families to Benefits Counseling — Webinar on April 28
The Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education, is pleased to announce the following training opportunity: From Questions to Confidence: Connecting Students and Families to Benefits Counseling. As students with disabilities plan for life after high school, questions about how employment impacts public benefits can create uncertainty and hesitation for students and their families. Benefits counseling plays a critical role in helping individuals understand how work, earnings, and career advancement interact with benefits such as SSI, SSDI, Medicaid, and related programs, supporting informed decision-making and reducing fear around employment. This session will combine a brief foundational presentation with a panel discussion featuring educators and partners who have implemented strategies to connect students and families to benefits counseling in their schools and communities.
Audience:
Special Educators, Transition Coordinators, School Counselors, School Psychologists, Related Service Providers, Administrators, Rehabilitation counselors or professionals working in vocational rehabilitation/transition
Registration Information:
You may register online at PaTTAN’s website.
For content-related information and questions, please contact Hillary Mangis via email or at 412-826-6878.
For general registration information and questions, please contact Roanne Bush via email or at 412-826-6829.
National Center on Law & Elder Rights Contract Terminated
