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Brain Injury

Temple University is conducting a survey to better understand and improve employment services for people with disabilities in Pennsylvania, including those who use languages other than English.

This information will be included in the Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment (CSNA), conducted in collaboration with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) and the Pennsylvania Rehabilitation Council (PaRC), and will inform the State Plan.

You are eligible if you:

  • Are 18 years or older;
  • Work for an organization in Pennsylvania; and
  • Work for an organization that provides services to people with disabilities who speak languages other than English.

The survey takes approximately 15–20 minutes to complete. It asks about your experiences providing employment services, including challenges, supports, and training needs. Participants will receive a $25 gift card.

Participate in the survey, or learn more

Thank you for considering this opportunity to share your experiences and improve services for people with disabilities who speak languages other than English.

Photo by Larry Crayton on Unsplash

Family-Centered Care: One Organization’s Revolutionary Approach to Include Families in All Aspects of Care

Due to a widespread technical malfunction, this webinar was rescheduled from Monday, April 20, to Monday, April 27. If you wished to attend the webinar and were unable to make the April 20 date, you can now register for April 27 at 1:00 pm!

Monday, April 27, 2026
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EST; 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm CDT;
11:00 am – 12:00 pm MDT; 10:00 am – 11:00 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.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has clarified qualification requirements for Residential Habilitation in the Consolidated Waiver specifically for individuals with a Medically Complex Condition (MCC).

Currently, there are about ten providers qualified to provide Residential Habilitation to individuals with an MCC in the Consolidated Waiver. To ensure that individuals with an MCC have access to needed services, current residential providers are encouraged to become qualified to provide Residential Habilitation to individuals with a MCC.

Please see ODPANN 26-044 for more information and details on the following:

  • Why Should Providers Become Qualified?
  • What are the Steps for Current Residential Providers to become an MCC Residential Habilitation Provider?
  • What are the Responsibilities of the Administrative Entity (AE) to Support Current Residential Providers to become MCC Qualified?

Questions about this communication should be directed to the appropriate ODP Regional Office.

Palliative Care Through the Rehab Continuum: Caring for Children With Complex Needs

Thursday, May 14, 2026
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT; 11:00 am – 12:00 pm CDT;
10:00 am – 11:00 am MDT; 9:00 am – 10:00 am PDT
Register Here

Kara Monnin, PhD
Kara Monnin is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) and Ohio State University’s School of Medicine in Columbus, OH. She provides clinical services across multiple inpatient units, including Complex Healthcare, Inpatient Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and acute care services (PICU, Trauma/Surgery/Neurosurgery). Dr. Monnin also serves as a member of the Advanced Illness Management/Palliative Care Team at NCH, and she specializes in traumatic brain injury, rehabilitation populations, and children and adolescents with complex medical needs.

Ryan Jenkins, MD
Ryan Jenkins is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and a pediatric hospice and palliative medicine physician on the Advanced Illness Management Palliative Care Team at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. He provides inpatient, outpatient, and home-based palliative and hospice care to patients and families across the Nationwide Children’s healthcare system. His academic work includes the teaching of primary palliative care skills to learners of different disciplines and backgrounds.

Objectives: At the end of this session, the learner will:

  • Engage with palliative care providers (in the full scope of their practice) throughout the spectrum of illness, not just at end of life;
  • Recognize common medical and psychological paradigms at key stages of illness;
  • Understand how the goals of medical care after a significant neurological illness can change over time to include elements of recovery, stabilization, and/or prioritizing comfort; and
  • Identify key takeaways for practice across the rehab continuum.

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.

Due to a widespread technical outage, IPRC will need to reschedule the “Family-Centered Care” webinar that was scheduled for today, April 20, at 11:00 am. The new date and time will be Monday, April 27, at 1:00 pm. If you have already registered, you do not need to re-register.

We apologize for the inconvenience. Please contact Cindi Hobbes if you have any questions.

The Brain Injury Advisory Board (Board), established under section 1252 of the Federal Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. § 300d-52), will hold a public meeting on May 1, 2026, from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm. The meeting will be held in person at the Health and Human Services Building, 7th Floor, Conference Room A, 625 Forster Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120. A virtual meeting option is available via Microsoft Teams. To join the Microsoft Teams meeting, call (267) 332-8737. The phone conference ID is 428991948#.

Meeting materials will be sent out before the meeting and will also be available on the Department of Health’s (DOH) website. Questions should be sent to Nicole Johnson electronically.

DOH’s Head Injury Program (HIP) strives to ensure that eligible individuals who have a traumatic brain injury (TBI) receive high quality rehabilitative services aimed at reducing functional limitations and improving quality of life. The Board assists DOH in understanding and meeting the needs of persons living with acquired brain injuries, both traumatic and nontraumatic, and their families. This quarterly meeting will provide updates on a variety of topics, including the number of people served by HIP. In addition, meeting participants will discuss budgetary and programmatic issues, community programs relating to traumatic and nontraumatic brain injuries and available advocacy opportunities.

For additional information or for persons with a disability who wish to attend the meeting and require an auxiliary aid, service, or other accommodation to do so, contact Nicole Johnson, Division of Community Systems Development and Outreach, (717) 772-2763. For individuals who need assistance with speech or for deaf or hard of hearing persons, contact the Pennsylvania Hamilton Relay Service at (800) 654-5984 (TDD users) or (800) 654-5988 (voice users).

Photo by Larry Crayton on Unsplash

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.

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

Friday, April 10 at 5:00 pm is the deadline to complete and submit nominations for the Rural Health Transformation Plan (RHTP) Advisory Council and RHTP Rural Care Collaboratives (RCC).

Advisory Council (Statewide): This is a not a decision-making body.
The Advisory Council will provide subject matter expertise (SME) to the RCCs. The Council’s feedback is intended to inform and enhance RCC regional plans to ensure planned projects have the best chance of succeeding and will be sustainable after the 5-year RHTP funding is no longer available.

  • Meeting Cadence: The Advisory Council will meet once a month during the RCC plan development period. Once plans are solidified, the Advisory Council will meet quarterly to help address implementation concerns.
  • Council Member Expectations: Provide technical assistance (TA) to the RCCs in the member’s identified area of expertise. TA can be provided in multiple formats. This could be open discussion during RHTP meetings, written questions and answers, or a more hands-on knowledge transfer.
  • Conflict of Interest: If chosen for the Advisory Council, members must provide their formal CV for documentation, a brief bio, and disclosure of any conflicts of interest. All conflicts of interest also must be communicated verbally during meetings and TA communication with RCCs.

The Advisory Council needs SME representation in:

  • Aging and Access
  • Behavioral Health
  • EMS and Transportation
  • Technology and Infrastructure
  • Maternal Health
  • Workforce

Rural Care Collaboratives (Regional): This is a planning body.
There will be 8 RCCs established with the purpose of:

  • Identifying regional priorities based on healthcare gaps;
  • Developing a regional plan to address prioritized needs; and
  • Recommending/identifying projects to the RHTP interagency project team to operationalize the regional plan that works towards Pennsylvania’s identified outcomes.

Complete the RHTP Advisory Council and RCC Nomination form here.