Negotiations on Budget Reconciliation Package Continue on Capitol Hill
ANCOR Stateside Report: June 13, 2022
Long COVID, Variants, and Surges: Ongoing Impacts to People with Disabilities — Free Webinar on June 16
Thursday, June 16, 2022, 11:00 am EDT
REGISTER
This multi-part conversation includes perspectives from the disability community, medical doctors, as well as Allegheny and Philadelphia county health departments. This event is sponsored by the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University, the LEND Center of Pittsburgh Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Mayor’s Commission for People with Disabilities in the Office of the Mayor, and the Department of Public Health City of Philadelphia, as well as the Allegheny County Health Department.
AGENDA
11:00 am — Welcome
11:10 am — People in the disability community will share their lived experience with COVID and specific challenges of these times.
11:30 am — Medical doctors will discuss current information about COVID and specific impacts to individuals with disabilities. They will also share new information about something called “Long COVID,” which is COVID symptoms that last beyond a few weeks.
12:00 pm — Department of Health professionals from Philadelphia and Allegheny Counties will give us status/statistics of COVID, what the counties are doing now, how they are assuring accessibility of resources, and how people can stay safe during a surge.
12:30 pm — Home and Community-Based Service (HCBS) policy gaps revealed by COVID will be discussed, including what we can do to close the gaps.
Visit here for more information.
With Fines for Non-Compliance Now a Possibility, DDAP Issues Reminder on Recovery House Regulations
In 2017, Governor Wolf signed Senate Bill 446 into law as Act 59, which gave the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) the power and duty to license drug and alcohol recovery houses that receive referrals from state agencies or state-funded facilities or receive federal or state funding. That legislation gave DDAP the authority to take enforcement action and issue fines against operators of unlicensed recovery houses that receive public funding. Last December, DDAP announced that it had published regulations for the licensure program for drug and alcohol recovery houses was accepting applications. Those regulations stated that the provision for issuance of fines would not take effect until 180 days after they were published.
Thursday, June 9, marked 180 days after publication of the regulations. View Information Bulletin 01-22 for requirements for recovery house licensure.
DDAP’s goal is to continue working with recovery houses to attain licensure and will not be looking to penalize houses that are actively working through that process. DDAP and the Single County Authorities (SCAs) share a common goal of causing the least amount of disruption to the lives of individuals in recovery and are hopeful that more houses will continue to submit applications and increase the capacity of licensed recovery houses in Pennsylvania.
To that point, SCAs may continue to act on existing contracts with recovery houses regardless of licensure status through June 30, 2022. Beginning July 1, 2022, SCAs may not execute new contracts with unlicensed houses. For existing contracts that run beyond July 1, SCAs can no longer pay unlicensed houses and should be looking to transition residents to licensed houses and other living arrangements unless the house shows a timely, good faith effort to apply for licensure.
More information on the recovery house application process can be found on the DDAP website. DDAP is also offering a free one-day training workshop designed to answer the various questions associated with the application process. Participation in the workshop results in a decrease in the amount of time it takes to approve applications, resulting in the license being issued sooner to those applicants who participate. To register for the workshop, please email or call 717-783-8675.
RCPA Member KenCrest President/CEO Marian Baldini Receives Biomedical Sciences Graduate Recognition Award
RCPA Member KenCrest President and CEO Marian Baldini recently received a Biomedical Sciences Graduate Recognition Award from Drexel’s College of Medicine’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies. She is first non-PhD graduate they have honored with this award. Congratulations Marian!
MITC Shares New DSP Training Video
Message from MITC:
Alex is a DSP working for an agency managing HCBS and Group Home programs. Learn how workforce management & EHR software supports Alex and delivers greater across-the-board operational effectiveness.
Watch the new training video “Day in the Life of a DSP.”
Need a written copy? Download the ebook.
Join us for a webinar on Thursday, July 14, at 2:00 pm ET to learn how the right software can help your staff. Register here.
You can also email for more information.
RCPA Member Use of Electronic Systems Survey
RCPA is looking to gather information regarding your organization’s experience with electronic data systems and is requesting your assistance. This short survey asks questions regarding systems used for Time, Attendance, and Payroll; Electronic Health Records; Service Data Collection; Medication Management; and Billing services. Our goal is that, with your responses, we will be able to provide your colleagues with this helpful information!
RCPA will only share de-identified, aggregate data with members. We will not release any individual data unless given explicit permission to do so.
Please complete the survey here.
PA ADAPT Protests ‘Predatory’ Guardianship Practices in Pennsylvania
Register Today for the 2022 HCBS Conference!
You are invited to join ADvancing States for the 2022 Home and Community-Based Services Conference on August 14–18, 2022! Register before July 1 to secure a discounted Early Bird rate.
The Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Conference is ADvancing States’ annual national conference gathering leaders and policy makers in the aging and disabilities field. Every year, the HCBS Conference offers unparalleled learning and networking opportunities for our attendees.
The 2022 HCBS Conference will be a hybrid event, so if you are not able to join us in person, we hope you will join us virtually. Visit here to learn more about the event.
Lodging
We are thrilled to be at the beautiful Marriott Marquis Hotel in Washington, D.C. for this year’s conference. After registering for the conference, attendees will receive a link to reserve rooms at the Marriott Marquis in our conference blocks. Members will be able to reserve rooms at a government lodging rate of $172 per night. If you have any questions, please contact us via email.
Sponsorship and Exhibitors
Whether you have been an HCBS sponsor or exhibitor before or are new to the HCBS conference, we would love to have you join us this year! Sign up now to put your brand in front of a targeted audience of professionals working to improve LTSS systems and programs throughout the country.
Showcase your products and services with branded items, sponsored activities, and your virtual and in-person exhibit booths. Network with key influencers and industry leaders at your exhibit booth, over dinner, or on the conference app!
Visit here or contact Gabe Passos to learn more about sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities.
Learn more about the HCBS Conference.
If you have any questions about the conference or registration, please contact via email.
Long-Term Care Facilities Eligible for Department of Health Therapeutics Network for COVID
Message from the Department of Health (PA DOH):
With the recent rise in COVID-19 case counts across the Commonwealth and the country, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) wants long-term care facilities (LTCFs) to be aware of the multiple ways to access lifesaving COVID-19 treatment and preventive products.
We distribute the following outpatient therapeutics directly to LTCFs that enroll in the PA DOH network:
- Treatment: Oral antivirals (Paxlovid & Lagevrio);
- Treatment: Monoclonal antibodies (Bebtelovimab); and
- Preventive: Monoclonal antibodies for pre-exposure prophylaxis (Evusheld).
Stocking therapeutics on-site can help eligible patients access preventive protection and receive timely treatment, which must be initiated within a matter of days from symptom onset. Most patients who test positive for COVID-19 are eligible for treatment.
The one-page guide for LTCFs covers how to enroll in the PA DOH therapeutics network. The first step is to complete our therapeutics enrollment form. You will receive additional instructions after form submission. To enroll, your facility will need a pharmacy license and/or a licensed medical director to take responsibility. If you do not have either of these, please reference the guide for alternative options to access COVID-19 therapeutics.
In addition to reviewing the guide, we appreciate you sharing it with other relevant LTCF stakeholders.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email. Thank you for all that you do to protect vulnerable residents across the Commonwealth. We appreciate your partnership in the fight against COVID-19.
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