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Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

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The National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS) has announced the second installment of the Adaptive Strategies Video Series. The Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) series was written and led by the Missouri Department of Mental Health and a stellar group of professionals from that state. The project has been an enormous undertaking and a true labor of love by professionals and clinicians in both Missouri (DBT series) and Louisiana (CBT series). We want to particularly highlight staff from Missouri since inadvertently not providing them appropriate credit in our original announcement. A special thank you to Dr. Sharon Robbins, Dr. Lucas Evans, Dr. Jessica Sergio, and Dr. Brandy Baczwaski for their incredible contributions to this body of work currently positioned to make a significant impact on the experiences of people with I/DD nationally. We would also like to thank Dr. Angeline Stanislaus, Chief Medical Director at the Missouri Department of Mental Health, along with Jessica Bax, Director of the Missouri Division of Developmental Disabilities, and Valerie Huhn, Director of the Missouri Department of Mental Health, for their leadership and support of this project.

We would also be remiss not to take a moment to mention the team from Louisiana who led the work on the first Adaptive Strategies series, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). We would like to thank Julie Foster-Hagan, Assistant Secretary at the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities at the Louisiana Department of Health for her leadership and support. We are also incredibly grateful to Dr. Brandi Kelly and Dr. Tab Bounds for their innovative vision and immense contributions to this project.

Despite long-held beliefs that people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) may not benefit from mental health treatment, we know that people with I/DD can successfully utilize integrated medical, mental, and behavioral healthcare (Ervin, Williams, and Merrick, 2014). NASDDDS is pleased to announce the second installment of its Adaptive Strategies video series featuring specific interventions and treatments highlighting modifications and adaptations for people with I/DD.

People with I/DD experience behavioral and physical health issues at rates higher than the general population and can benefit from the same evidence-based interventions that are used for people without I/DD. This second installment in the video series, developed in collaboration with Louisiana’s Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, will focus on modifying Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for people with I/DD.

Check out the video series here!

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is hosting a series of public comment webinars to provide an overview of how it proposes to implement performance-based contracting for residential services effective January 1, 2025. Additional proposed changes to the Consolidated, Community Living, and Person/Family-Directed Support Waivers that are not related to performance-based contracting will also be covered.

The proposed changes have not been published yet. As soon as they are available to review, we will share the document with our members. We will also reconvene our Performance-Based Contracting Committee in order to develop our comments. We encourage our members to submit comments to ODP, and share your thoughts with us as well to include in our response.

Sessions will be held for specific stakeholder groups. Preregistration is required. To register, follow the registration link under the session that best defines your role. Registered participants will have the opportunity to provide verbal comments on the waiver amendment during the session.

Registration Link

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has updated ODPANN 24-015: Implementing Changes to Remote Supports and Assistive Technology in the November Waiver Amendments. The original release of the communication was missing the guidance for implementing changes to assistive technology. Please note: this has been corrected with this update. All new information is included in red. Please use this version of the communication going forward.

  • ATTACHMENT A – Remote Supports Services HCSIS Guidance
  • ATTACHMENT B – AAW Report Support Service HCSIS Guidance
  • ATTACHMENT C – Remote Supports or Assistive Technology Decision Tree

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To celebrate the diversity of individuals with autism, the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) encourages you to be active participants within your home and communities! Throughout Autism Acceptance Month, ODP will be holding autism trainings throughout the month of April. You are invited to join these trainings, as they discuss what autism is, how to teach skills, address risk, and apply best practices. These trainings will be recorded and posted to MyODP in May 2024.

The attached documents offer tips for embracing autism in your community and a full listing of ODP autism trainings in April!

Training Schedule:

  • Empowering Autistic Individuals: The Vital Role of Teaching Skills
    Friday, Apr 19, 2024 10:00 AM
  • Supporting Autism and Beyond
    Friday, Apr 26, 2024 10:00 AM
  • Exploring the Complexities of Autism
    Monday, Apr 29, 2024 11:00 AM

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared the attached communication, ODPANN 24-035: Action Required in Preparation for Enterprise Case Management (ECM). This communication is to request providers’ assistance in updating their contact information and service information to ensure accuracy in the Home and Community-Based Services System (HCSIS) and in PROMISe™ prior to the Enterprise Case Management (ECM) transition. Please review the announcement for additional information and detail.

ATTACHMENTS:

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The 2024 Virtual Dual Diagnosis Conference, titled “Full Diagnosis: Impact of Trauma, Physical Health, and Metabolic Health,” will take place on Saturday and Sunday, May 22 and 23, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Hosted by The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Developmental Programs, and Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the conference features nationally recognized speakers who will explore various perspectives on these crucial issues. Featured speakers include Dale Adair, MD, FAPA, Syard Evans, PhD, Beth Barol, Stacy Nonnemacher, Self Advocates United as 1, Brandi Kelly, PhD, and Dan Dubovsky. Registration for the conference is open.

If you have any questions, please contact RCPA COO and Director of Mental Health, Jim Sharp.

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Photo by Mathew Schwartz on Unsplash

On Monday, April 8, 2024, there will be an eclipse event and parts of Pennsylvania will have a view of a total solar eclipse. The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is reminding everyone that it is not safe to directly view an eclipse with the unprotected eye. Severe eye damage or blindness can occur. It is only safe to view an eclipse through specialized eye protection for solar viewing. Regular sunglasses, even if they are very dark, will not protect your eyes. Viewing any part of the bright sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the lenses will instantly cause severe eye injury.

When considering any outdoor activities during the eclipse, be aware that some individuals may not understand the risk for eye damage and blindness by looking at the sun without protect eyewear or may be at risk to remove their protective eyewear.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has created a website with information about safe eclipse viewing.

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College of Direct Support Webinar — Discover How DirectCourse Can Revolutionize Your Organization
April 18, 2024
10:00 am
Register

This webinar is for providers within the state of PA who oversee a workforce that provides services and supports to individuals with disabilities in their home and/or employment setting. Discover how, through DirectCourse, you can educate and empower Direct Support Professionals (DSP) to do their best work for the individuals they support in your community.

What DirectCourse Offers:

  • Foundational Training: Perfect for newcomers to the field.
  • Compliance Training: Content that meets regulatory standards.
  • Skill-building Modules: For those seeking to elevate their expertise.
  • Advanced Content: Tailored for seasoned professionals.
  • Specialty Training: For targeted projects and circumstances.
  • Leadership Training: For those at the helm of policy and practice design.
  • Career Path Options: For those looking to advance in the field of Direct Support Professionals.

Our Commitments:

  • Up-to-Date Training: Our online training curricula align with the latest research.
  • Strong Partnerships: We value our bonds with content developers from university partners.
  • Skill-Based Training: Our content is rooted in specific skills and competencies, ensuring clear on-the-job training.
  • Building Connections: We foster connections between families, providers, board members, supervisors, and everyone in the support industry.

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Photo by Markus Winkler from Pexels

With close to 400 members, the priorities of RCPA leadership are to maintain the quality standards of membership communication, along with advocacy at the state and federal levels. To continue to serve our members effectively and efficiently, it has become imperative that RCPA leadership include a Chief Operating Officer (COO) position. We are pleased to announce that RCPA policy staff member Jim Sharp will start as the COO — and remain Director of Mental Health — effective Monday, April 8, 2024.

Jim has been with RCPA for five years. He has more than 35 years of cross-systems advocacy with organizational and strategic planning experience. He previously worked for RCPA member Merakey, and has served in several key positions, including Chief Juvenile Probation Officer at the Philadelphia Family Court, Admissions Director at George Junior Republic, and he began his career at Montgomery County Juvenile Probation. He holds a Master of Administration, and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Shippensburg University.

This COO role will provide management, leadership, and vision to ensure that RCPA continues to meet its short-term and long-term goals and objectives, by creating policies and a company culture that strengthens operational efficiency and quality of services. Jim Sharp demonstrates a depth of knowledge regarding RCPA’s mission, vision, and values. Please join me in congratulating Jim in his new role.

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