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Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

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Registration for the August Virtual Office Hour (VOH) sessions are now available for Trainers, Primary Contacts, and/or Agency Administrators. If interested in joining, please select the registration link available on the Med Admin Trainer Dashboard. VOH for the August 21, 2025, sessions are listed below.

  • 10:00 am – 11:00 am
  • 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

If you are unable to attend, the next VOH session will be September 18.

RCPA is proud to be at the forefront of developments in health and human services, and we strive to present information covering a wide variety of aspects within the industry. At our 2025 Annual Conference Strive to Thrive, attendees will expand their knowledge of topics impacting their consumers, providers, insurance, IT teams, compliance, and more! Register today to reserve your seat, and view the Registration Brochure for complete details.

For your convenience, we have compiled the list of workshops by topic, highlighting just how much we plan to cover during our stay at the Hershey Lodge! Please note that some workshops may discuss more than one set of topics. Use this as a guide, see what interests you, and make sure you register today!

AI, Data, and Technology:

  • W16 | Organizational and Individual Benefits of Becoming Technology First
  • W24 | AI in Action: Empowering Better Care and Financial Health
  • W32 | Technology First: A Journey, Not Just a Destination
  • W38 | Using Video Monitoring Effectively to Promote Safety
  • W48 | Technology, Human Capacity, and an “Everyday Life” in Employment
  • W51 | Best Practices in Implementing Artificial Intelligence in Behavioral Healthcare
  • W56 | Beyond Metrics: Leading With Connection in a Data-Driven World
  •  W63 | Empowering Independence: Transforming Lives With Remote Support — A Provider’s Journey Through Person-Centered and Agency Perspectives

Autism and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities:

  • W18 | Growing Through Connection: Managers Leading With Heart, Building Relationship-Driven I/DD Services
  • W26 | Solving the DSP Hiring Crisis: Strategies for Recruitment and Retention Success
  • W29 | Life Sharing for Children With Medically Complex Conditions
  • W35 | Dual Diagnosis Treatment Team: An Integrated Community Treatment Model for Dually Diagnosed Individuals
  • W37 | Innovations in Family Engagement to Improve Experience and Outcomes
  • W47 | Health Equity for People With IDD in the Community
  • W54 | From Recognition to Intervention: Addressing Anxiety-Related Challenges in Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities
  • W59 | Independence and Wellness Through Employment

Behavioral, Children’s, and School-Based Health:

  • W05 | Research to Practice: Using an Evidence-Based Digital Tool to Improve Executive Function Among Students
  • W07 | Care Navigator: Helping the Community Transition Home After Inpatient Hospitalization
  • W08 | The Final Rule on 42 CFR Part 8: One Opioid Treatment Program’s Adjustments to the New Regulations and Q&A
  • W12 | Whether We Realize It or Not, FASD Affects Us All
  • W14 | The Power of Peers and Partnership: Response to Substance Use Crisis
  • W20 | Enhancing CCBHC Effectiveness: Four Essential Tools for Success
  • W22 | Quality Improvement Strategies to Adopt State-Wide Policy Change in Substance Use Disorder Treatment
  • W28 | Staff Experience of Safety in a Civilian Crisis Response Program
  • W40 | Janus: A Reimagining of Mental Health Housing and Support
  • W55 | Where Did All the Meth Come From? Strategies and Tactics for Dealing With the Next Epidemic
  • W61 | Understanding Peer Support From a Clinical Perspective
  • W62 | Transformative Triage: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Crisis Intervention and Client-Centered Care
  • W64 | Moving Beyond Training: Strategy-Based Approaches to Decreasing Behavior Incidents

Brain Injury:

  • W44 | The Cutting Edge of the Neuroscience of Music: Clinical Applications in Neurorehabilitation
  • W52 | A Review and Discussion About the Funding Available for Brain Injury Services in PA
  • W60 | Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy (CRT): Developing Tools to Empower Individuals With TBI Throughout the Rehabilitation Process

DHS Offices and Items:

  • W01 | Office Of Developmental Programs Policy Updates and Forecast for 2026
  • W23 | PA Navigate: Connecting Pennsylvanians to Needed Social Services
  • W31 | Updates and Discussion With the Office of Long-Term Living
  • W42 | Behavioral Health Treatment in Pennsylvania: Where We Are, Where We Are Going
  • P01 | State of the State

Ethics:

  • W50 and W58 | Imposter! Ethical Practice, Competence, and Being a “Good Enough” Practitioner Parts I Part II

Financial Management, Medicaid, and Value-Based Purchasing:

  • W02 | How To Survive a Payer Billing Audit — Straight From an Auditor’s Mouth
  • W27 | The Benefits of Measurement-Based Care and Its Economic Impact on Return on Investment
  • W34 | Expanding Revenue Beyond Medicaid: New Funding Strategies for I/DD Providers
  • W46 | Building Centralized Procurement for Decentralized Behavioral Health Organizations

Government and Advocacy:

  • W39 | Building Sustainable Community Advisory Councils for Impactful Legislative Advocacy
  • P02 | National Outlook: The Turbulent Landscape of 2025/26

Suicide Prevention:

  • W10 | A Systemic Focus for Treating Homicide-Suicide Behaviors

Trauma-Informed Care and Wellness:

  • W13 | Addressing Healthcare and Transportation Barriers for Vulnerable Populations
  • W19 | Creating a Trauma-Informed Workplace in a Tri-Pillared Organization
  • W43 | Trauma-Informed Care Works: Striving and Thriving in a Forensic Program

Workplace Culture, Leadership, and Management:

  • W03 and W11 | Leadership and Emotional Intelligence Parts I and II
  • W04 | Thriving Through Performance Development
  • W06 | Building a Team-Based Culture: Not Your Average Team Approach
  • W09 | The Role of Culture in Merger & Acquisition Strategy and Success
  • W15 | Promoting Staff Engagement and Growth Culture
  • W17 | Empowering Change Through Leadership, Workforce Development, and Innovation
  • W21 | Turning Internal Communications Objectives Into Action
  • W25 | The Shift of Trust: Reduce Turnover and Create a Culture of Collaboration
  • W30 | Leveraging a Multidisciplinary Team in the Development and Delivery of Treatment Outcomes
  • W33 | Whole Brain Living: Reflective Reacting as a Means of Achieving a Wiser Result
  • W36 | Generative Listening: A Transformative Approach to Developing Inclusive Leadership
  • W41 | Leadership Gold – How to Be a Leader Worth Following
  • W45 | Use of Self: Integrating Awareness, Recognition, and Mindfulness Into Everyday Practices at Your Organization or Agency
  • W49 | Mastering Difficult Conversations to Build Thriving Cultures
  • W53 | Empowering Neurodivergent Professionals: Supporting Disability Disclosure and Workplace Success
  • W57 | Future-Proofing Leadership: Succession Planning for Health & Human Services
  • K01 | Building Organizational Culture and High Performing Healthy Teams
  • K02 | Applying Resilience and Mindfulness to Enhance Leadership
  • K03 | The EEOC is NOT Messing Around: Harassment Prevention in 2025 and Beyond
  • K04 | Rediscovering You: How to Reconnect, Recharge, and Rise
View the Registration Brochure for a full listing of each day’s workshops and events as well as how to register!

Today is your last chance to take advantage of early bird registration rates for the RCPA 2025 Annual Conference Strive to ThriveRegister today to reserve your seat and guarantee your access to:
  • Over sixty workshops that tackle the latest in technology, workplace culture, and health care initiatives;
  • National keynote and plenary speakers who will discuss issues ranging from the federal landscape to personal well-being;
  • Networking opportunities in Connections Hall, featuring over 90 exhibitors with the latest industry products and services (as well as some exciting game prizes!); and
  • Opportunities to connect with RCPA staff and other industry leaders to discuss all that is happening in health and human services.
View the Registration Brochure to see a full listing of events, workshops, and activities. Additionally, by registering today, you will be able to access the mobile app prior to the conference, gaining the ability to view webinar recordings, create your personalized schedule, and make early connections with sponsors and exhibitors.
Early bird registration ends TODAY! Register here!
Opportunities for sponsorships and advertising are still available to organizations that are interested, but EXHIBIT BOOTHS ARE OFFICIALLY SOLD OUT! We are grateful to all our sponsors, exhibitors, and advertisers who help make the conference happen. Contact Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator, for more details.
View our sponsors and exhibitors at our Conference website!

Performance-Based Contracting (PBC) Information Session for Supports Coordination Organizations (SCOs)

This webinar series will provide details on specific performance standards for Performance-Based Contracting (PBC) for Supports Coordination Organizations (SCO). Each session will cover the required reporting, data source, data collection, and guidance for each performance standard. These sessions will each be unique in content and build upon one another. SCO staff are encouraged to attend all four sessions. All sessions will be recorded and made available on MyODP’s website.

Registration
Select the sessions below you wish to register for. You will have to register for each session individually. SCOs are encouraged to attend all sessions.
Note: Registration information for session one was released earlier this week. If you previously registered for this session, you do not need to reregister.

Virtual Office Hours

Virtual Office Hours (VOH) for SCOs to speak with the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) leadership about PBC. Questions and concerns related to the summit materials and rollout will be addressed.

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From Data to Decisions: Optimizing EHR Success Through Data Governance and Change Management
Free RCPA Members-Only Webinar

Thursday, August 21, 2025
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Register Here

Effective data governance and organizational change management (OCM) are critical for the long-term success and maintenance of your EHR system. These processes ensure data integrity, streamline system changes, and enhance overall project outcomes. In this session, we will detail how agencies can leverage OCM to assure these positive outcomes for your agency as well as overall effectiveness of your EHR initiative.

Presenters:

  • Theresa Yera, BA, MA, Senior Director of EHR, Strategy and Customer Success
  • Tina Kirkpatrick, BA, Senior Director of EHR, Strategy and Customer Success
  • Aaron Rogers, MRT, ATP, Electronic Health Record Administrator, Partners for Quality

Objectives: Following this course, the learner will:

  • Explain the importance of data governance and organizational change management;
  • Discover the phases of EHR maintenance required for effective data governance; and
  • Examine data accuracy for funding success.

Certificates of attendance are available to RCPA members who attend this webinar; anyone interested in a certificate should contact Cathy Barrick. To apply for CEs, you will need to register for the RCPA Annual Conference Strive to Thrive and indicate you attended the webinar in your CE packet, which will be made available on the mobile app.

Contact Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator, for details, or visit the RCPA Conference website for information on workshops, sponsors, exhibitors, and more!

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) will be hosting four regional employment symposiums. ODP’s Employment Symposiums will build connections between local employers, individuals and families, and service providers. Through panel discussions, presentations, and networking opportunities, attendees will learn how hiring employees with disabilities benefits everyone!

Please join ODP for one of the dates below. Registration information will be available in the coming weeks.

  • Central Region:
    Thursday, 9/11/2025, 9:00 am – 1:30 pm
    PaTTAN Central, 6340 Flank Drive, #600, Harrisburg, PA 17112
  • Northeast Region:
    Monday, 9/22/2025, 9:00 am – 1:30 pm
    Colonial IU 20, 6 Danforth Drive, Easton, PA 18045
  • Southeast Region:
    Friday, 10/17/2025, 9:00 am – 1:30 pm
    PaTTAN East, 333 Technology Drive, Malvern, PA 19355
  • West Region:
    Wednesday, 10/22/2025, 9:00 am – 1:30 pm
    PaTTAN West, 3190 William Pitt Way, Pittsburgh, PA 15238