The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) has shared their success story publication, The Story, highlighting teachers and nurses. We hope you enjoy reading about these individuals’ journeys!
Make sure you check out the social channels (OVR on Facebook; OVR on X; OVR on LinkedIn; and OVR on Instagram) in the coming weeks for highlights of these stories as well!
The Office of Developmental Programs has shared this important announcement from the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) related to possible exposure to an individual positive for measles.
On October 11, the Pennsylvania DOH was notified by the New Jersey DOH that Pennsylvania residents could have been exposed to measles.
The New Jersey Health Department’s confirmed measles case is a resident of Monmouth County who presented with measles following recent international travel. The individual developed a rash and was subsequently confirmed to have measles via positive measles PCR results. He visited several healthcare facilities and public venues while infectious for measles.
DOH notes that anyone who visited the following New Jersey locations during the specified dates and times may have been exposed and should contact a health care provider immediately to discuss potential exposure and risk of developing the illness.
Potentially exposed individuals, if infected, could develop symptoms as late as October 29, 2024.
When to Suspect Measles
Consider measles as a diagnosis in anyone with a febrile rash illness lasting three days or more, a temperature of 101ºF (38.3ºC) or higher, and clinically compatible symptoms (cough, coryza, and/or conjunctivitis), particularly if the patient was potentially exposed to a case of measles or has recently traveled to an area with an on-going measles outbreak and are not fully vaccinated.
RCPA staff and Conference Committee members are grateful to all of our attendees, speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors for a great experience at the Hershey Lodge this past September. We are happy to report that we had 800 people in attendance throughout the week!
Participants were able to hear from over 150 speakers, and RCPA was able to record many of the workshops as well as the keynote and plenary sessions. The recordings are available to attendees who previously registered for the conference in the mobile app. For those who are interested in earning CEs, you can earn over 110 credits!
We were honored to host 86 exhibit booths in our Connections Hall, representing a variety of services and products from pharmacy initiatives to technology, furniture to HR services, insurance and electronic health record systems to education, and so much more.
Our conference in 2025 will be held in September once again! We ask you to save the date — the 2025 RCPA Conference will be held September 9 – 12, 2025.
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging has released information about the 2024 Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders (ADRD) virtual forum. The forum, “Brain Health and Beyond: Taking Care of Your Brain as You Age,” is scheduled for November 7, 2024, from 9:00 am – 12:30 pm.
The agenda for the forum is located here. To participate in the virtual forum, registration is required.
Questions regarding the virtual forum should be directed to Heidi Champa, Aging Services Specialist, via email.
The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) is presenting a live, interactive, 6-session webinar series on housing issues from November 5, 2024, to December 10, 2024, every Tuesday, from 11:00 am – 12:30 pm. The webinars will include targeted content as well as Q&A sessions with housing experts and OLTL staff.
The webinar series targets Service Coordinators, Managed Care Organizations, and Service Coordination Entity support staff who assist program participants in securing and maintaining affordable, accessible housing through Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS). The target audience for these webinars includes individuals and organizations who provide long-term services and supports for older Pennsylvanians and people with physical disabilities.
Presenters
The Department of Health’s Brain Injury Advisory Board, established under section 1252 of the Federal Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. § 300d-52), will hold their next public meeting on Friday, November 1, 2024, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. The meeting will be held in person at the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network, 6340 Flank Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17112 in the Cambria conference room.
Meeting materials will be sent out before the meeting and will also be available on the Board’s website and at the meeting location. Questions should be directed to Nicole Johnson.
The Department of Health’s Head Injury Program (HIP) strives to ensure that eligible individuals who have a traumatic brain injury receive high quality rehabilitative services aimed at reducing functional limitations and improving quality of life. The Board assists the department in understanding and meeting the needs of persons living with acquired brain injuries, both traumatic and nontraumatic, and their families. This quarterly meeting provides 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 with speech and/or hearing impairments, contact V/TT 717-783-6514 or the Pennsylvania Hamilton Relay Service at 800-654-5984. This meeting is subject to cancellation without notice.
The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has announced that they are reopening the calendar year (CY) 2023 rate study survey in order to gather responses from providers that were not able to submit previously. The rate study survey is for the following Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS):
Access the survey here. Please complete the survey for CY 2023, which spans from January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023, unless otherwise specified. Please only complete the survey if you did not previously participate. The reopening of the survey will ensure every provider has ample time to offer input to broaden and improve the resulting analysis. The survey will remain open until Friday, November 15, 2024.
It is highly recommended that you review the survey questions before starting the survey. This survey tool does not allow individuals to save and go back to answer questions. Have all your agency information such as wages, employee information, and financial statements readily available. This will help you to submit accurate information when answering the questions.
This survey is one piece of the targeted rate review and is intended to collect current provider rate and wage data and general feedback on the challenges of providing these services. The information collected in this survey will be used to assist in developing a point of reference for the rate range to evaluate current payment rates. In addition to results from this survey, the review will include payment rate information from Managed Care Organizations (MCO) in OLTL claims data, recent legislative policies, department expectations, and other data obtained from publicly available sources.
HCBS providers that delivered multiple service categories during CY 2023 should fill out this survey separately for each service category you delivered.
HCBS providers that did not deliver any of the service categories listed above should disregard this survey. OLTL is partnering with Mercer to perform a rate study exclusive to the service categories listed above at this time.
The information collected for this survey will be used for both this rate study and to meet the requirements of House Bill 1300 from the 2023–2024 Pennsylvania General Assembly regular session. The information you provide will remain confidential and private and will only be shared publicly through high-level summary reports that do not include provider-level detail. Please comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and do not share any protected health information (PHI) within your survey responses.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out via email.
Providers who hold a license to operate a facility licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) are being notified of a change to the Civil Rights Compliance process. There is a new Civil Rights Compliance form when submitting a new licensing application as well as a new Civil Rights Compliance Renewal form when submitting a licensing renewal application.
Entities seeking a new license will utilize a Civil Rights Compliance (CRC) form (HS2126). The prior Civil Rights Compliance (CRC) form is now obsolete and will be returned back to providers. This form must be included in the packet submitted as part of any new license request. The new application, supporting documents, and CRC form must be emailed to the DHS office that issues your license; the email address can be found in the chart below.
Entities licensed by OCDEL or ODP who use CLS or PELICAN to submit new applications must submit the form by email. The CRC forms are not part of the electronic CLS/PELICAN new application process. The updated CRC form for new applications can be found on the DHS website under the “Application for License” page.
For licensing renewals, a licensee will now submit a CRC Renewal form (HS 2125). The prior Attestation form is now obsolete and will be returned back to providers. The renewal form must be submitted as part of a renewal licensing application, and the renewal notice will still be sent out 130 days prior to expiration. The renewal application must be emailed to the DHS office that issues your license; the email address can be found in the chart below.
Entities licensed by OCDEL or ODP who use CLS or PELICAN to submit renewal applications must submit the renewal by email. The renewal is not part of the electronic CLS/PELICAN renewal application process. The CRC form for can be found on the DHS website under the “Application for License” page.
Previously, the DHS Bureau of Equal Opportunity (BEO) would issue you a letter verifying that you are compliant with applicable civil rights laws. With the new process, a letter from BEO will no longer be sent out to licensed entities. Instead, the issuance of the new license or renewal license will indicate that your CRC form or renewal form submission was approved. If there are issues or questions on the submitted CRC or renewal form, a staff member from BEO or DHS will contact you.
| If your license is issued by… | Submit your application AND your CRC form (if new license) or CRC Renewal (if license renewal) to: |
| The Bureau of Human Services Licensing (Renewals) – PCH & ALR | [email protected] |
| For NEW applications for Personal Care Homes or Assisted Living Residences | Send the application, supporting documents, Civil Rights Compliance Form (HS2126) and the application fee, check or money order payable to DHS to:
Via USPS: Or via courier: DHS/BHSL DHS/BHSL Room 623 Health & Human Services Bldg. PO Box 2675 Rm 623 Harrisburg, PA 17105-2675 625 Forster Street Harrisburg, PA 17120 |
| The Office of Children, Youth, and Families | [email protected] |
| The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services | [email protected] |
| The Office of Developmental Programs* | [email protected] |
| The Office of Child Development and Early Learning* | Child care providers should include their MPI number in the subject line and email the appropriate regional office:
Northeast Region: Central Region: Counties: Dauphin, Cumberland, Lancaster, York, Adams, Lebanon and York Counties: Snyder, Perry, Juniata, Centre, Mifflin, Tioga, Lycoming, Northumberland, Union and Clinton South Region: |
| Western Region:
Counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Greene, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Venango, Warren, Washington and Westmoreland Counties: Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset |
*Licensees who use CLS or PELICAN to submit renewal applications must submit the renewal by email. The renewal is not part of the electronic CLS/PELICAN renewal application process.
The new process is effective on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. Existing licensees and applicants must begin following the new process on or before that date.
If you have any questions about the new process, please contact the applicable DHS office, DHS Human Services Licensing Office at 717-705-0383, or, if your facility is a childcare facility, please reach the Office of Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) at Western Region 1-800-222-2149, Central Region (Harrisburg) at 1-800-222-2117, Northeast Region (Scranton) at 1-800-222-2108, or Southeast Region (North & South) at 1-800-346-2929.
If you have any questions or need assistance with the completion of your civil rights compliance application, please contact Bureau of Equal Opportunity Licensing office at 717-787-1579 or electronically.
Thank you for your commitment to protecting the rights of Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable citizens. If you have any additional questions, please contact your respective RCPA Policy Director.
The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) recently released a reminder to ensure that all agencies have correct contact information on file with them in accordance with § 52.14 (j)(1) (related to ongoing responsibilities of providers), which states that a provider shall notify the Department of Human Services’ (DHS) OLTL at least 30-days prior to changes in the provider’s address, telephone number, fax number, email address, provider name change, or provider’s designated contact person.
Additionally, it is imperative that the participant’s designated service coordinator’s correct information is included in the Home and Community Services Information System (HCSIS). Please ensure that the correct service coordinator’s (SC) name and contact information are accurate on each Individual Service Plan (ISP) assigned to them. OLTL uses this information to contact providers for many reasons specific to your agency, and it is important that members of their team have accurate information, as some of these contacts require immediate follow-up.
Please verify that your agency and staff member contact information is accurate and correct in HCSIS and PROMISe™ no later than 30 Days from Notice. If changes are needed to the SC and/or SC Supervisor contact on the Caseload Facesheet page, work with your agency’s designated Business Partner Administrator (BPA) and SC Supervisors to make the applicable changes to your agency’s caseload. If you are unsure of how to make those changes, all training materials are located in the HCSIS Learning Management System (LMS). If you do not have access to LMS, please contact your agency’s BPA.
To update your information with OLTL, complete the Change of Information form and send the completed form and any required supporting documents electronically.
If you have any questions regarding this communication, please contact the Division of Provider Operations, Enrollment and Certification Section inbox or call 800-932-0939, Option 1, Monday through Friday, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm.
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