RCPA has been informed that the Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania (DRN), acting on behalf of their clients, has reached a settlement with the Department of Human Services (DHS).
ABA Settlement and Service Expansion
Draft TSS Training Bulletin for ABA
The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) sent members of the OMHSAS Planning Council’s Children’s Committee the draft Training and Supervision Requirements for Therapeutic Staff Support (TSS) Workers bulletin, noting that the document is being distributed for public comment. Public comment on this bulletin is being accepted until Monday, January 11, 2016. RCPA has requested an extension of the period for stakeholder review and comment, given the extremely short time allotted by OMHSAS. OMHSAS is asking that comments be submitted via email.
RCPA will submit comments and will inform members if the time period for review and comment is extended by OMHSAS. In addition to sending your comments to OMHSAS, please also forward them to Connell O’Brien, director, RCPA Children’s Division.
Save the Date: PLEA ACT Spring Training
Save the Date: PLEA ACT Spring Training, Fri-Sat, March 18-19, 2016 in Pittsburgh, PA. Stay tuned: further information (CEU credits, venue, hotel accommodations) will be forthcoming in early 2016!
Clinton’s Autism Plan
Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has released her “Plan to Support Children, Youth, and Adults Living with Autism and Their Families.” This autism initiative would include screening, diagnosis, treatment, services, support for families and caregivers, and an increase in research funding.
The plan was released on January 5, with a conference call featuring state Senator Bob Casey, who is a member of the Congressional Autism Caucus. He emphasized the daily challenges for individuals with autism and their families:
- The need for tools and supports to help lead a full life;
- Implementation by each state of the ABLE Act to offer funding options for enhancing daily living;
- Development of a study on autism in adults; and
- Development of an awareness campaign to emphasize the need for early screening and interventions.
State Continues Children’s Health Program
Bill approved, extends coverage after Dec. 31
Youth-Young Adult Peer and Psych Rehab Service Development Input
As previously reported, the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) is conducting work groups to develop recommendations for the development of youth-young adult peer support services and for youth-young adult psychiatric rehabilitation services. RCPA is participating in both work groups through the involvement of the Directors of the Children’s Division and the Mental Health Division. In January, RCPA will be scheduling a focused conference call with members providing Medicaid-funded peer support service, psychiatric rehabilitation services, and adolescent-young adult mental health services. The purpose of the conference call will be to review the status of the OMHSAS work groups and to gather input from the field with regard to service design, the development of service, supervision and program description standards/regulatory changes, and to better understand the operational and clinical care, cost, and compliance implications for these services.
Survey Request: Designing Services for Individuals Transitioning from High School
The Bureau of Autism Services (BAS) is conducting a preliminary survey to help inform the design of services for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who are transitioning out of high school, including those who may have had justice intersections or psychiatric hospitalizations. This survey is designed to be completed by professionals with or without experience supporting individuals with ASD ages 18-25. BAS is asking for feedback on both surveys by Friday, January 1.
BAS has developed two versions of this survey; one for individuals and families, and another to be completed by professionals. The professionals survey can be completed here. Any questions about these surveys can be directed to the Bureau of Autism Services via email.
Provider Revalidation Webinar
Time is running out; the deadline for revalidating is Thursday, March 24, 2016. Numerous RCPA members have already gone through this process, but it appears that large numbers of providers have not yet done so. A special provider revalidation webinar will be held by RCPA on Wednesday, January 6 at 10:00 am. Jamie Buchenauer, from the Department of Human Services, will be presenting the webcast.
OCDEL Seeks Comment on Child Care Development Block Grant and Expulsion Reduction Plan
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) and Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) are inviting providers and others to review and provide comments on its draft State Plan for the Child Care Development Block Grant.
To submit comments, download and complete the response form by Friday, January 8, 2016, and email or mail to:
The Office of Child Development and Early Learning
Attn: State Plan
333 Market Street
Sixth Floor
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17126
The Child Care Development Block Grant is one of the primary federal funding sources for monitoring regulated child care programs, child care subsidy through Child Care Works, and child care quality improvement through Keystone STARS. Pennsylvania’s plan, once finalized, will address how the state will implement new requirements imposed by the reauthorization over the next three federal fiscal years. Key features of the plan include:
- Supporting child development by providing greater opportunities for stable, quality child care.
- Exploring payment rates to providers serving children receiving Child Care Works, to ensure equal access, and compensation for providers that is closer to the market rate.
- Improving health and safety requirements for child care providers through child care regulations and inspections.
- Reaffirming professional development requirements for providers participating in Keystone STARS.
The Office of Child Development and Early Learning has also posted and begun accepting public comment on a policy announcement, Reduction of Expulsion and Suspension in Early Childhood Programs in Pennsylvania. OCDEL will hold a webinar to review the public comments received to date and give the stakeholder community a final opportunity to provide feedback. OCDEL will also accept additional comments via email until Monday, January 18, 2016, at which time the public comment period will be closed.
State Board of PT Issues Draft Rulemakings: Comments Requested
Pursuant to Executive Order 1996-1, the State Board of Physical Therapy (PT) has requested member comments and suggestions on two draft rulemakings.
The first draft rulemaking, 16A-6518-Foreign Trained Evaluation, would amend the board’s regulations so that a foreign-trained applicant would be required to submit an evaluation showing that the applicant’s training was equivalent to what is required in a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) — the accrediting body for United States programs — rather than program contents specified in the regulations.
The second draft rulemaking, 16A-6519-Student in Master’s Program Statement of Policy, is for a statement of policy that would make clear that, for purposes of the exception to the licensure requirement for physical therapy students, the term “Board-approved School” includes all physical therapy programs at a school that has a program accredited by CAPTE, as CAPTE accredits only pre-licensure programs.
The State Board of PT welcomes comments on these draft rulemakings. Comments are due by Friday, January 15, 2016, and should be submitted via email. Please specify rulemaking 16A-6518 (foreign-trained applicant evaluation) or 16A-6519 (student in master’s program) as appropriate on your comments.
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