RCPA Shares Updates on DHS H.R. 1 Committee, Eligibility, and SNAP Requirements
JCJC Presents Professional Development Training Opportunity on March 31
Building Cultures of Safety: Trauma-Responsive Leadership Across the Juvenile Justice System and Foundations of Trauma-Informed Leadership
Virtual Workshop
March 31, 2026
9:00 am – 11:00 am
The Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission (JCJC) is presenting a training opportunity with William Kellibrew for professional development designed to earn training credits while strengthening skills and knowledge.
This workshop establishes a shared understanding of trauma’s impact within juvenile justice settings and its influence on behavior, staff dynamics, and leadership responses. Participants will examine the core principles of trauma-informed and trauma-responsive practices while reflecting on their own leadership styles, stress reactions, and organizational culture. Through guided discussions and case examples, participants will begin developing strategies to promote safety, trust, and resilience across teams.
Register here for the virtual workshop.
Please contact RCPA Policy Associate Emma Sharp with any questions.
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.
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.
Review, Comment Period Now Open for the Federal IDEA Part C Grant Application for the Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program
Message from the Office of Child Development & Early Learning (OCDEL):
Review & Comment Period Now Open for the Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C Grant Application for the Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program
- Available for review beginning on March 30, 2026
- Comment Period Open on April 1 – May 8, 2026
Each year the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) provides access and opportunity for interested parties, including families, EI providers, and other professionals, to review and make comments on the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C application for the Infant Toddler Early Intervention program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026.
Anyone who would like to review the proposed grant application can find the document at: Early Intervention Services or Early Intervention on the right side menu of the web pages. Hard copies can also be requested by emailing or by calling 717-346-9320.
To ensure all families, professionals and other Early Intervention stakeholders throughout our system have access to the application and are provided with opportunity to comment, we are providing you with a few reminders to ensure wide distribution of the information, specifically for those who may not have computer access to provide input.
Strategies to ensure access to the draft application include:
- Sharing the email and its content with your Local Interagency Coordinating Councils to assist with its distribution. Please encourage them to share with those who may not always have web access to review or provide comment.
- Encourage service coordinators to share the information from the email with families using the preferred method of communication identified by families. Highlighting how families can receive a print copy of the application and how they can submit comment would be beneficial to ensure appropriate reach to all stakeholders.
Opportunities to provide public comment from April 1 – May 8, 2026 include:
- Visit Part C Grant Public Comment. This link will allow for online comment opportunity.
- Submitting written comments regarding the proposed grant application can be directed to Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Bureau of Early Intervention Services and Family Supports, ATTN: Public Comments for Part C Grant Application, 607 South Drive, 4th Floor Rotunda, Harrisburg, PA 17120 or via email.
If you need an accommodation or assistance to review the proposed grant application or to submit comments, please contact via email or by calling 717-346-9320.
Comments will be accepted through May 8, 2026. All comments will be reviewed and considered by the Department before submitting the final grant application.
MHSN Coalition Urges General Assembly for Funding
The Mental Health Safety Net (MHSN) Coalition is a group of stakeholders participating in a joint advocacy effort to protect and preserve our mental health service delivery system. The Coalition’s first advocacy bulletin discusses the critical areas of funding for the FY 2026/27 budget, including community mental health, school-based services, crisis intervention services, Behavioral HealthChoices programs, and impacts associated with the implementation of H.R. 1.
The full letter can be read here.
RCPA invites all members, non-members, and systems-wide behavioral health stakeholders to participate in the Mental Health Safety Net Coalition meetings that will be occurring throughout the budget season. These meetings will serve to update the group on strategy, activities, and engagement opportunities.
Also note that the Mental Health Safety Net Coalition will also be participating in the RCPA Capitol Day on Wednesday March 25, 2026, with the event starting at 10:00 am in the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg.
Please contact Emma Sharp with any questions or if you would like to join the Coalition.
2026 CMS Burden Reduction Conference: Recordings and Key Takeaways
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.
Chester County Chosen for National Youth Mental Health Pilot, Supported by RCPA Member NAMI Keystone
