The Children’s Committee Meeting set for Wednesday, August 15 has been moved to Wednesday, October 16 at the Penn Grant Centre (RCPA), 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. The meeting was moved so members could attend the two-day Value-Based Purchasing Summit in Harrisburg, August 14–15. We look forward to seeing everyone in October. Contact RCPA Children’s Division Director Jim Sharp with any questions.
The Medical Assistance Promoting Interoperability Program, formerly the Medical Assistance Electronic Health Record Incentive Program (MA EHR), is in the process of updating their State Medical Assistance Health Information Technology Plan (SMHP) for 2019.
Your assistance is requested in reviewing and updating this SMHP document by providing feedback or suggestions for this year. The deadline to submit your review is Tuesday, August 6, 2019 at noon. Please use the comments feature, in lieu of track changes, to record your proposed edits to the plan. With multiple reviewers, integrating all input with track changes can become unwieldy. In this way, they can better manage version control on their end. In addition, please save your changes with your last and first name. For example, smith- john_PA_SMHP_2019_DRAFT.docx.
During this stage of the document creation process, they are looking for specific content suggestions, clarifications, and projects. For background information on the SMHP, visit this web page. Contact RCPA Children’s Division Director Jim Sharp with questions.
On September 18, the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance (PFSA) is holding a PA Child Abuse Prevention Symposium at the Harrisburg Hilton Hotel as part of their 40th Anniversary Celebration, and would love for you to join the celebration!
This day-long event is for professionals and volunteers who work with children and will feature three nationally acclaimed speakers who are experts in child abuse prevention:
All attendees will receive a copy of Liz Murray’s memoir and lunch will be provided. This symposium is approved for 4 CEUs (for social workers, marriage & family therapists, and professional counselors) and 4 CLEs (for attorneys). Cost is $150 per registrant.
Registration is required – use this link to register. See the symposium booklet here. Contact RCPA Children’s Division Director Jim Sharp with questions.
(From DHS)
Harrisburg, PA (July 15, 2019) – The Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) today highlighted programs and services offered to families of individuals who have an intellectual disability or autism (ID/A). The nationally recognized approach, LifeCourse Framework, assists families to support their family member to live an everyday life.
“We are committed to helping individuals access opportunities to support their goals and dreams, and that includes helping their families understand how to help support them to live an everyday life,” said DHS Secretary Teresa Miller. “It is important to continue to review best practices for helping individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism. The LifeCourse approach is this best practice. LifeCourse is focused on planning for a good life throughout someone’s lifespan and supporting families.”
The LifeCourse Framework is an approach that focuses on the whole person and targets the needs of people at critical periods throughout their lifetime. There are a variety of planning tools created by the National Community of Practice to support people with using this approach. The core belief of the framework is all people have the right to live, love, work, play and pursue their life aspirations in their community. ODP has worked through regional collaboratives in the commonwealth to implement LifeCourse. Two organizations that support ODP’s work by supporting strong visions and high expectations for individuals and families for their everyday life are PA Family Network and Self-Advocates United as 1 (SAU1).
PA Family Network is a major element of Pennsylvania’s statewide strategy of supporting families of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. PA Family Network offers both workshops and one-on-one family mentoring. They also hold regular events to teach attendees the LifeCourse Framework. Upcoming workshops include:
Self–Advocates United as 1 manages the Self Advocacy Power Network for All (SAPNA), which is funded by ODP. SAPNA provides peer–to–peer targeted training and technical assistance to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to further self–advocacy. SAU1 also teaches LifeCourse Frameworks at various events. Upcoming dates include:
The LifeCourse Framework training and events at both the PA Family Network and SAU1 are free, but registration is required through the organizations. For more information about PA Family Network’s workshops, visit here. For more information about SAU1’s events, visit here.
To learn more about the LifeCourse Framework, visit here.
To learn more about DHS’s Office of Developmental Programs, visit here.
MEDIA CONTACT: Erin James – 7174257606
# # #
In response to commentators’ questions regarding the recently released Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) Regulations–Final; DHS has released the IBHS Preamble. The RCPA Children’s IBHS Work Group is reconvening the week of July 29, to provide a substantive review and a prepared response in advance of the IRRC public hearing on August 15, 2019.
Please note that any comments should be submitted to DHS prior to the 48-hour blackout period, which begins on Tuesday, August 13 at 10:00 am. Please provide IRRC with a copy of any comments submitted to DHS, and also copy RCPA Children’s Division Director Jim Sharp, by close of business on August 12.
Please contact Jim Sharp with questions, thoughts, or concerns.
When Governor Wolf signed the FY 19/20 budget at the end of June, it included $2.5 Million for the Parent Pathways initiative, led by the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Department of Education (PDE). The Parent Pathways initiative is funded as a component of the DHS Cash Grants appropriation of $18.287 Million in FY 19/20.
Parent Pathways seeks to establish community-specific comprehensive models to support access to, and success in, post-secondary education and training for single parents. Specifically, the departments propose to invest in holistic models that address the needs of parents and children together and successfully leverage partnerships to offer sustainable solutions to the multiple barriers often facing families experiencing economic challenges.
Removing barriers to education empowers parents to pursue the skills needed for enriching, family-sustaining careers. Single parents, in particular, often face significant challenges around finances, housing, and child care that prevent them from accessing and successfully completing programs that could lift their family out of poverty, while also finding fulfillment in a meaningful career. Overcoming these barriers is often challenging for single-parent families on their own, but a network of support envisioned through the Parent Pathways model will create bridges to a life out of poverty that will shape families’ trajectories for years to come.
Next Steps
The departments are continuing to receive input on the initiative, explore our options for distributing the $2.5M implementation funding, and are developing a competitive Request for Application (RFA) to award Parent Pathway models later this calendar year. As previously shared, it is the plan to award grants in two phases for Parent Pathway models – 1) planning and development technical assistance and 2) implementation.
Prior to the release of the RFA, the departments will hold informational webinars for the public with more detailed information. In the meantime, we encourage interested parties to work with community partners, education institutions, and housing support entities to explore community-specific strategies to address the goals of Parent Pathways and meet the needs of single parents and their families in pursuit of post-secondary education.
Please visit this website for updates on the initiative and various resources available to assist you in community engagement and development. Contact Jim Sharp, RCPA Children’s Division Director, with questions.
The Department of Human Services (DHS) has submitted the Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) final-form regulation. The Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) plans to meet and act on this regulation at a public meeting on Thursday, August 15, 2019, at 10:00 am. The agenda and any changes to the time or date of the meeting will be posted on the IRRC website.
Please note that any comments should be submitted to DHS prior to the 48-hour blackout period, which begins on Tuesday, August 13 at 10:00 am. Please provide IRRC with a copy of any comments submitted. Additionally, please copy RCPA Children’s Division Director, Jim Sharp, on any comments submitted to DHS by close of business on August 12.
The RCPA Children’s IBHS Work Group will provide a substantive review in advance of the public hearing. Please contact Jim Sharp with questions, thoughts, or concerns.
Attention Child Care Providers: New Clearance Required
A federal requirement under the reauthorization of the Child Care Developmental Block Grant (CCDBG) means a new clearance – the National Crime Information Center/National Sex Offender Registry (referred to as the NSOR clearance).
The following individuals must complete the NSOR verification certificate by July 1, 2020:
The clearance is in addition to the currently required clearances of Child Abuse History Clearance (CY113), Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Checks for Employment (SPA-164) or Volunteers (SPA-164A), and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Fingerprinting.
The NSOR will verify that a check of the National Sex Offenders Registry was conducted and whether the individual can or cannot work for a regulated child care provider. There is no fee for the NSOR clearance.
By late summer/early fall 2019, there will be a paper application process for the NSOR clearance, and in late fall there will be an electronic process in place at keepkidssafe.pa.gov.
By July 1, 2020, all existing staff and household members must have a completed NSOR clearance. See the printable one-pager to share with staff and partners. Contact RCPA Children’s Division Director Jim Sharp with questions.
Prev