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Brain Injury

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RCPA is excited to host a membership benefits webinar on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 1:00 pm, as an opportunity for members to orient themselves with all that RCPA membership includes. This is not just for new and future members. For current members, there may be benefits associated with our membership that you may not be aware of, including targeted meetings and groups that are held throughout the year.

Registration is required; please register here to attend the webinar. Attendees will have the opportunity to:

  • Virtually meet the dedicated RCPA Policy Staff and RCPA lobbyists;
  • Discuss the 2026 Legislative and Administrative priorities;
  • Preview RCPA divisional committee and subcommittee meetings and what they offer;
  • View the RCPA member-only website;
  • Review exclusive yearly educational and networking events; and
  • Understand the value of the National Council and ANCOR memberships included with RCPA membership.

Visit the RCPA member benefits web page for more information, or contact Tieanna Lloyd for benefit details.

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On November 12, 2025, the Fiscal Year 2025/26 Budget was signed into law, removing travel restrictions. As a result, OLTL will resume holding hybrid LTSS Subcommittee meetings. The meetings scheduled for April 2026 – June 2026, which were changed to webinar and remote streaming only earlier this year, are now scheduled to be held as both in-person and webinar with remote streaming.

Since the travel ban has been lifted, reimbursement for Subcommittee members’ travel expenses may be submitted with an itemized receipt for review.

The Office of Long-Term Living appreciates your understanding and flexibility.

Please share this message with staff, participants, and any other interested parties.

If you have questions about the LTSS Subcommittee Meetings, please send them electronically.

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Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Start time: 10:00 am
End time: 2:30 pm
Break: 12:00 pm – 1:10 pm

This meeting will be virtual via Zoom with on-site access at Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (6340 Flank Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17112). The public is invited to attend or register for this meeting using this link.

Note: The public Zoom link requires Webinar registration prior to meeting access.

CART and sign language interpreters will be available during this meeting. Those using a screen reader can connect here. Additional auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Please email the State Board Resource Account.

The agenda for this meeting can be found on the State Board’s web page. Anyone who would like to make public comment prior to the meeting may submit their comments via email.

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Legislation. Wooden gavel and books in background. Law and justice concept

Representative John Schlegel has introduced a co-sponsorship memo regarding House Bill 2070, Clarifying Dry Needling as an Acceptable Practice within Physical Therapy (PT).

The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) recognizes dry needling as being within the physical therapist scope of practice. However, Pennsylvania’s Physical Therapy Practice Act (Act 110 of 1975) does not explicitly allow or deny the performance of this type of therapy. This creates a legal gray area and causes uncertainty among licensed physical therapists. Due to the current law’s silence on this treatment technique, legislative clarification is needed.

Dry needling (sometimes referred to as “trigger point dry needling” or “intramuscular manual therapy”) is a treatment method used to relieve muscle pain and stiffness and to improve range of motion. It is important to note that dry needling and acupuncture are not the same, though both are considered needle-based therapies. These procedures have different medical origins, needle placement and application techniques, and serve different purposes.

HB 2070 clarifies that licensed physical therapists may perform dry needling therapy given certain education and training requirements are met and will further specify that dry needling does not include the practice of acupuncture.

A majority of states acknowledge that dry needling is within the scope of practice for physical therapists, including our neighboring states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, and West Virginia.

The bill was referred to the House professional licensure committee on December 3, 2025.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared this important announcement from the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The FDA is aware that Abbott Diabetes Care has sent all affected customers, distributors, and health care providers a letter regarding an issue with certain FreeStyle Libre 3 and FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus sensors providing incorrect low glucose readings. If undetected, incorrect low glucose readings over an extended period may lead to wrong treatment decisions for people living with diabetes, such as excessive carbohydrate intake or skipping or delaying insulin doses. These decisions may pose serious health risks, including potential injury or death, or other less serious complications.

As of November 14, 2025, Abbott has reported 736 serious injuries and seven deaths associated with this issue.

Affected Product

  • FreeStyle Libre 3 Sensor
    • Model Numbers: 72081-01, 72080-01
    • Unique Device Identifiers (UDI-DI): 00357599818005, 00357599819002
  • FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus Sensor
    • Model Numbers: 78768-01, 78769-01
    • Unique Device Identifiers (UDI-DI): 00357599844011, 00357599843014
  • Download the full list of affected lots

What to Do:

Patients should verify if their sensors are impacted and immediately discontinue use and dispose of the affected sensor(s).

On November 24, 2025, Abbott Diabetes Care sent all affected customers a letter recommending the following actions:

  • For Patients:
    • Determine if your current or unused sensor(s) are affected by visiting FreeStyle Check and selecting “CONFIRM SENSOR SERIAL NUMBER.” You will need to locate your sensor serial number to determine if your sensor is affected.
      • If you are wearing a FreeStyle Libre 3 and FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus sensor, you can find the serial number in the app or reader. The serial number can also be found on the label on the bottom of the sensor applicator or carton. (If you are using a sensor with a connected insulin delivery device, please refer to the connected insulin delivery device user manual on how to locate the sensor serial number.)
    • If you are currently wearing or have a FreeStyle Libre 3 or FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus sensor that has been confirmed as potentially affected on FreeStyle Check or by a customer service representative, immediately discontinue use and dispose of the affected sensor(s).
    • You can request a replacement for any potentially affected sensor(s) on FreeStyle Check. Select “CONFIRM SENSOR SERIAL NUMBER” and enter a valid serial number. If your sensor is potentially impacted, you will be instructed to enter your contact information so a replacement product can be sent to you at no cost.
    • Use a blood glucose meter or the built-in meter in your FreeStyle Libre 3 Reader to make treatment decisions when your sensor readings don’t match your symptoms or expectations.

Visit the FDA’s website for additional information and instructions on how to locate the Sensor’s Serial Number.

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Healing Hands — A Collaborative Approach to Treating Pediatric Hand Burns
Monday, December 8, 2025 
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm EST; 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm CST;
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm MST; 11:00 am – 12:00 pm PST
Register HerePresenter Bios:

Hannah Gift, OTR/L, CHT, COMT UE, CEAS
Hannah Gift is an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Her primary role is providing upper extremity rehabilitation for pediatric patients with acquired, traumatic, and congenital conditions; she also serves on a team specializing in complex pain and neurological disorders. Hannah previously served on the American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) board of directors in roles including Education Division Director and Board Member at Large, and she has taught live and virtual education courses for Select Medical, ASHT, and other local and national organizations.

Jennifer Seigel, RN, CPNP, CWCN
Jennifer Seigel is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at WashU at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. She works in the Pediatric Surgery Department and has specialized in burn recovery and wound care for 25 years. St. Louis Children’s Hospital is a level 1 trauma hospital and sees several hundred burn patients per year through both their inpatient and outpatient departments. Jennifer has authored textbook chapters on burn care and often lectures on the topic. She enjoys caring for children and their families in the St. Louis Children’s Hospital burn wound unit called PAWS: Pediatric Acute Wound Service.

Objectives: Following this course, the learner will:

  • Describe 2 common mechanisms of pediatric hand burns and their implications for wound depth and tissue involvement;
  • Differentiate between the grades of burn injury to guide appropriate medical and rehabilitation interventions;
  • Identify the correct position of an orthosis based on the location of the hand burn; and
  • Discuss the purpose of pressure garments and other scar management techniques in improving functional outcomes for pediatric patients.

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. The registration fee for non-members is $179. Not a member yet? Consider joining today.

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Message from PA DHS:

Under new federal rules, to keep or become eligible for SNAP benefits, some recipients will have to meet work requirements that include working, volunteering, or participating in an education or training program for at least 20 hours a week (or 80 hours each month) AND report that they are meeting these work requirements.

To help SNAP recipients and applicants find out if they need to meet this requirement, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (PA DHS) has launched a new online screening tool.

By answering a simple set of yes or no questions, SNAP applicants and recipients can find out if they need to meet the work requirements, if they are already meeting the work requirements, or if they are eligible for an exemption.

The screening tool is not a final determination of whether someone is meeting the work requirements or is eligible for an exemption, but it can help recipients and applicants have a more informed conversation with their caseworker.

The new work requirements will apply to Pennsylvanians who:

  • Are between 18-64 years old;
  • Do not have a dependent child under 14 years old; and
  • Are considered physically and mentally able to work.

In addition, being a veteran or a current or former foster youth age 18–24 will no longer be an exemption.

Some people may still be exempt from work and reporting requirements if they meet a different exemption. You can learn more about these work reporting requirements, who they affect, and more about exemptions at DHS’s website.

State Budget Investments Help Fight Food Insecurity

Pennsylvania’s charitable food network and our agricultural community are vital to keeping our neighbors and communities fed. Governor Shapiro’s 2025/26 budget delivers major investments to combat hunger, strengthen the charitable food network, and support Pennsylvania farmers. The budget includes a historic $11 million increase for food security, including:

  • $3 million for the State Food Purchase Program and $1 million for the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System (PASS);
  • $2 million for a new state Food Bucks program to supplement SNAP; and
  • $5 million in new funding to Pennsylvania food banks.

Help Us Spread the Word

PA DHS has developed a communications toolkit to help Pennsylvanians understand the changes happening to SNAP.

We ask RCPA members, advocates, and stakeholders to view and share the toolkit, which includes sample text, social media posts, and more.

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