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Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

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RCPA members will now receive a discount on services from Streamline. Streamline Healthcare Solutions is a trusted EHR and MCO solution partner in building innovative technology solutions for the human services and health care delivery marketspace. Developed specifically for this market, their cloud-based, single platform and intelligent technology is unlike any other. From value-based care to evidence-based practices to population health management, human services is changing, and the Streamline SmartCare Platform’s open architecture and sophisticated data integration & analytics enable human services organizations to meet tomorrow’s needs today.

For further information, please contact Streamline’s PA Regional Sales Manager Matt Mercer via email or 313-283-9456.

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City & State PA is a premier multi-media news firm that dedicates its coverage to Pennsylvania’s state and local government, political, and advocacy news. City & State PA annually cite among their Power 100 rankings those in the nonprofit field for their achievements and contributions. This year, several RCPA members and stakeholder partners have been recognized for their efforts in their field and those they serve. Included in the list are:

  • Jill Bowen, Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services;
  • Colleen McNichol, President and CEO, Child Guidance Resource Center;
  • Marco Giordano, CEO, Resources for Human Development;
  • Mike Smith, President and CEO, Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania;
  • Gordon May, President and CEO, CONCERN 4 Kids;
  • Sherri Landis , Executive Director The Arc of Pa; and
  • Representative Frank Ferry Pa House of Representative 142nd Districts.

RCPA congratulates these members and partners for their recognition in this year’s Power 100 Nonprofit Leaders. You can view the full article here.

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ODP Announcement 22-111 reminds providers that any regulation that requires completion of 24 hours of training related to job skills and knowledge each year, as well as any regulations that require the provision of training that encompasses the six areas required by regulation, are in full effect. Providers must comply with these requirements.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) recognizes that providers may still be struggling to meet the 24-hour training requirements due to the prevalence of infectious or communicable diseases and continued workforce insufficiency; as such, the following guidance will be applied for training years that end in calendar year 2023:

  • Any training provided that is specific to the mitigation of risk related to infectious and communicable disease may be counted towards the 24-hour training requirements required by regulation. Such training includes, but is not necessarily limited to:
    • Social distancing;
    • Personal protective equipment use (donning, doffing, fit testing);
    • Contact tracing and notifications;
    • Mask, face covering, or face shield use;
    • Cleaning and disinfection practices;
    • Screening for signs and symptoms of infectious disease;
    • Reporting procedures related to signs and symptoms of infectious disease;
    • Notification processes due to infectious reportable infectious disease;
    • Characteristics and methods of transmission of infectious disease;
    • COVID-19 transmission risk by pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals;
    • Safe and healthy work practices and infection control measures;
    • Supporting individuals to engage in mask wearing, social distancing, etc.;
    • Vaccine safety, efficacy, and access;
    • Set up and use of technology in providing remote service delivery or supporting individuals to connect with friends and family;
    • Remote monitoring;
    • Use of the Supports Coordinator Check-In for Well-Being Tool;
    • Engaging in meaningful conversations during check-ins;
    • SC Individual transition guide;
    • Transition discussion and resources video; and
    • Reviewing Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and state or local guidelines and trends.
  • Any component of a department-approved Medication Administration Course.

Licensed Providers may self-assess regulatory compliance using ODP’s Inspection Scoresheets or Provider Self-Assessment Forms. If a provider identifies areas of noncompliance while completing a self-assessment, provided those noncompliance areas have been corrected, licensing staff will not identify those areas as noncompliant. Violations identified and subsequently corrected through the self-assessment process will not be cited on a Licensing Inspection Summary.

Please contact the appropriate ODP Regional Program Office or the Department’s Regulatory Administration Unit with any questions about this guidance.

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Photo by CDC on Unsplash

Updated (bivalent) boosters became available September 2, 2022. Prior to September 2022, the available boosters were original, monovalent boosters. The CDC recommends that people ages 5 years and older receive one updated (bivalent) booster if it has been at least 2 months since their last COVID-19 vaccine dose, whether that was:

  • Their final primary series dose, or
  • An original (monovalent) booster.

People who have gotten more than one original (monovalent) booster are also recommended to get an updated (bivalent) booster.

Boosters are an important part of protecting yourself from getting seriously ill or dying from COVID-19. The CDC has developed a tool to determine when or if you (or your child) can get one or more COVID-19 boosters. This tool can be accessed here.

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Message from Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF):

As we celebrate Assistive Technology (AT) Awareness Month, Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation would like to take this opportunity to amplify the message that AT can help people with disabilities live with more independence, safety, productivity, and with an improved quality of life.

We are committed to helping people with disabilities and older Pennsylvanians with information and assistance, financial education, and financing opportunities so they can acquire the AT devices and resources they need.

We are proud and grateful to receive Governor Tom Wolf’s proclamation declaring November Assistive Technology Awareness Month in Pennsylvania. The Governor’s proclamation states:

“Whereas, Pennsylvanians with disabilities of all ages may need assistive technology devices and services to live independently and productively, as well as to participate fully in affairs of their communities…and assistive technology devices and services allow people to work, attend school, play, and live in the community of their choice…”

“Whereas, Pennsylvania is a leader in the development and implementation of assistive technology programs for its citizens with disabilities and older residents, through assistance from organizations such as the Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation, providing valuable information and assistance, financial education, and the financing for the purchase of assistive technology and services.”

“Therefore, I, Tom Wolf, Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, do hereby proclaim November 2022, as Assistive Technology Awareness Month. I encourage all Pennsylvanians to become aware of the many ways in which assistive technologies contribute to the health, happiness, and independence of our family, friends, and neighbors.”

Our CEO Ben Laudermilch shares the proclamation was created thanks to steadfast advocacy: “For decades, PATF has pushed for bipartisan support at the state level for funding to help people with disabilities and older adults live independent lives. The Governor’s proclamation recognizes the efforts of disability advocates and raises awareness about life-changing assistive technologies and services,” says Ben.

Funding Resources for AT

Last year, we celebrated the proclamation by hosting an AT Photo Contest: Show Us Your Tech. This year, we’ve published our new, third edition of Funding Your Assistive Technology.

Assistive technology empowers people with disabilities to do the things they want to do. However, one of the leading obstacles for obtaining AT is finding the money to pay for it.

We have compiled a collection of 70 funding options for assistive technology devices and services called Funding Your Assistive Technology.

DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE

Top 5 Funding Resources for AT for Kids With Disabilities

When someone contacts us for help funding their assistive technology (AT), one of the first things we ask is whether or not they are enrolled in a Home and Community-Based (HCBS) waiver.

For many people with disabilities, waivers are a major source of funding for AT.

Read the full blog.

How to Access Funding for Sports Equipment

All people, including people with disabilities, should have the opportunity, if they choose, to play sports.

We describe assistive technology (AT) as any device that helps a person with a disability do the things they want to do. This includes adaptive sports equipment that helps you play sports safely with more freedom.

But how do you access adaptive sports equipment to play sports when you have a disability?

We recently talked to Keith Newerla, a wheelchair user who runs the adaptive sports program at Magee Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia.

Click the link to read the full blog.

PATF can help you get the adaptive sports equipment you want by extending a no-interest loan through our Mini-Loan program.

We also offer low-interest loans that can cover the cost of assistive technology for things like home modifications, adapted vehicles, eye-gaze systems, and more!

APPLY FOR A LOAN

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The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) has released a Request for Applications (RFA) for the Long-Term Care Quality Investment Pilot, which will distribute approximately $11.7 million in federal funds to long-term care facilities, including skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), personal care homes (PCHs), assisted living facilities (ALFs), and intermediate care facilities (ICFs) for the purpose of building resilience. These funds are designed to be invested in key areas such as workforce development and retention, infection prevention control, emergency preparedness, and improvements to facility infrastructure.

Please note the following:

  • Facilities must be enrolled in the LTC RISE program’s quality improvement projects in order to be considered eligible for funding.
  • Facilities in Philadelphia are not eligible for this funding.

DOH encourages facilities to apply for this opportunity. The application deadline is 1:30 pm on December 31, 2022. Additional details and information can be found by here.

Questions about this funding opportunity should be addressed by submitting questions through the formal procurement process, which is detailed in the RFA.

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Through a partnership of the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP), the Research and Training Center on Community Living at the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration, and the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR), the Moving Mountains Award recognizes organizations using leading practices in direct support workforce development that result in improved outcomes for people with disabilities. Organizations applying for the award are required to demonstrate how their workforce practices and philosophy align with the key principles of NADSP. These principles are:

  • All direct support professionals benefit from access to well-constructed educational experiences (e.g., competency-based trainings, continuing and higher education) and lifelong learning.
  • Certifying highly-qualified workers incentivizes continuing education, increased compensation, and access to career pathways for direct support professionals, thereby improving retention.
  • Values-based and ethical decision making can be learned and infused into daily practice.
  • Strengthening relationships and partnerships between direct support professionals, self-advocates, and other advocacy groups and families improves the quality of support.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2023 Moving Mountains Award. The winning organization(s) will be honored and will share their initiatives during the ANCOR Annual Conference on April 24–26, 2023, in Chicago. Winners will be notified in advance. Applications are due on Friday, December 2, 2022, by 11:59 pm CST via electronic submission. 

If you have questions regarding the completion of the application, please email the Moving Mountains Coordinators. To learn more about the awards, visit here. For information on previous award winners, visit the Moving Mountains Award Past Winners page.

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