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Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

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Learning Collaborative for Professionals Supporting People with Disabilities who are Parents

Date:   Thursday, June 4, 2026
Time:  10:00 am – 10:45 am

Description: The Office of Developmental Programs is pleased to share an upcoming opportunity for professionals across systems to engage in a new Learning Collaborative focused on supporting people with disabilities who are parents—or who are planning to become parents. This Learning Collaborative will bring together professionals from across state and local systems, including providers, supports coordination organizations, administrative entities, and partners in early childhood, behavioral health, and child-serving systems. Participants will engage as regional or local teams to explore effective practices, share resources, and strengthen cross-system collaboration.

Through a series of interactive sessions, the collaborative will focus on:

  • Identifying practical strategies and best practices to support parents with disabilities;
  • Promoting informed choice, supported decision-making, and rights-based approaches;
  • Navigating complex situations with clarity around roles, responsibilities, and system requirements;
  • Connecting individuals and families to a broader network of support and resources; and
  • Building sustainable relationships across agencies and communities.

The Learning Collaborative is designed as a community of practice, emphasizing shared learning, discussion, and real-world application. While it will not provide regulatory guidance, it will highlight key questions and opportunities to inform ongoing system improvement.

Audience: All Interested Stakeholders

After Hours with Policy from the Office of Development Programs (ODP): How Can I Share my Ideas of Make a Suggestion About an ODP Policy? What is Public Comment?

 

Date:   Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Time:  5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Description: The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) invites individuals with intellectual disabilities and/or autism (ID/A) and their families to join in a virtual discussion with members of the Division of Policy and Program Innovation. These sessions are informal, meaning the conversation will not be recorded, and rules will be set before the session starts to ensure everyone feels comfortable and safe to provide questions and comments. The session will be held through Microsoft Teams.

Please note: This event is being held only for individuals and family members; this is not an event for someone who is solely a professional.

What Will Be Covered? ODP’s policy staff is excited to engage with individuals and families about how to share a suggestion or desired change when ODP is asking for input.

The process of public comment will be explained and will include:

  • How to find out when public comment is being sought;
  • Why public comment is important;
  • What happens with the comments after they are submitted; and
  • Overall information about the public comment process.

ODP has chosen this topic for June as ODP is in the process of updating some of their waivers.

Audience: Individuals and Families

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared communication ODPANN 26-054, which announces the release of the Multi-Year Program Growth Strategy (MYPGS): Eliminating the Emergency Adult Waiting List Report 2025. The waiting list is comprised of individuals who are eligible to receive services and supports through ODP’s four home and community-based services (HCBS) waivers; however, due to insufficient waiver capacity, the state is not able to currently meet everyone’s needs. In this report, you’ll find information about ODP’s MYPGS developed to address this problem, particularly for adults on the emergency waiting list, and see the progress that has been made so far. Access the report here: 2025 Multi-Year Program Growth Strategy Report. For any questions, please submit via this email or contact Tim Sohosky, IDD Division Director or Cathy Barrick, IDD Policy Analyst.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared updates to communication ODPANN 26-050. This announcement provides technical guidance to stakeholders who participate in the FY 2026/27 Individual Support Plan (ISP) renewal process. All updated guidance appears in red. For information related to special considerations or for other questions about the ISP renewal process, please contact your respective ODP Regional Program Office.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) announces updates to the process and procedures for requesting residential fee schedule rate exceptions in the Consolidated Waiver, referred to as a Needs Exception Allowance (NEA), previously announced in 23-083.

Additional details are available in ODPANN 26‑053.

Key updates include:

  • Revised Cost Reporting Form;
  • Mandatory DP 1087 Submission;
  • Annual Submission Requirement;
  • Emergency or Transition NEA Requests;
  • Rules for Providers with an Approved NEA; and
  • Billing Requirements.

Key Dates:

  • Renewals due: June 1, 2026;
  • New form required for all requests effective: July 1, 2026;
  • Existing rates extended through: July 31, 2026; and
  • New SFY 2026–2027 rates effective: August 1, 2026.

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Title: HR 1 Eligibility Redeterminations: New Requirements, Timeline and Recommendations
Date/Time: Tuesday, May 19, 2026 | 1:00 pm ET
Registration Link

Last summer, HR 1 was passed by Congress and introduced significant changes to the Medicaid program. Among the many provisions of the bill that impact Medicaid was a directive to increase the frequency of program eligibility redeterminations for certain enrollees, from once every twelve months to once every six months.

This webinar will explore this provision of HR 1 and its potential ramifications for both states and providers, along with recommendations on how states, behavioral health organizations, and state partners can best prepare themselves for these changes, including:

  • Discussion of the new requirements, including additional guidance issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on March 6.
  • Walking through the timeline for implementation and relevant decision points that states will need to make along the way.
  • Discussion of recommendations for maintaining coverage for as many individuals as possible, while ensuring workforce and technical capacities remain strong.

Register for the webinar here. Please contact RCPA Policy Specialist Emma Sharp with any questions.

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Photo by Markus Winkler from Pexels

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) provides notification to all residential providers that Performance-Based Contracting (PBC) Residential Provider Tier Determination Letters are being sent via email on May 14, 2026. The letters will be sent to all MyPBC Portal Primary and Secondary Contacts. For questions regarding this update, please contact Tim Sohosky.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) in partnership with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) and the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) invites you to join this virtual session “How Do You Step Into Advocacy?”

This meeting will bring together individuals, families, and professionals across systems as equal partners to strengthen person- and family-centered practices.

When:
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 | 10:00 am – 11:30 am

Individuals, family members, professionals, advocates, community partners, and anyone interested in person- and family-centered practices are encouraged to attend.

Please see the flyer for additional details and a link to register.

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Image by photosforyou from Pixabay

Monday, June 1, 2026
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EDT; 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm CDT;
11:00 am – 12:00 pm MDT; 10:00 am – 11:00 am PDT
Register Here

Presenters:

Diane Ulmer, OTR/L is an Occupational Therapist and SCI Program Manager for Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals in Nebraska where she provides leadership over a continuum of care. She provides education throughout the region on the unique aspects of SCI care. She serves on the Nebraska AgrAbility Advisory Council, the IPRC Pediatric Neurogenic Bowel and Bladder Work Group, and is Vice President for the Nebraska Chapter of the United Spinal Association. Diane also facilitates a monthly SCI support group.

Lyn Sapp, MN, RN, CRRN is a Nursing Practice Specialist for the Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit at Seattle Children’s Hospital in Seattle, Washington. The rehab unit has been her home base since 1985, with additional experiences in outpatient, home care, and school nursing. After obtaining her master’s in nursing, Lyn participated in the growth and development of the inpatient unit as a manager, educator, and nurse specialist. A post-master’s certificate in pediatrics has led to further experiences in quality improvement and staff education. As a member of the Association of Rehabilitation Nursing, she has experienced enrichment through certification, presenting, learning, publishing, and networking. Lyn also serves as an active member of the IPRC Steering Committee.

Carly Rosenthal, MS, OTR/L is a pediatric occupational therapist specializing in neurorehabilitation and pelvic floor dysfunction. She currently practices at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware, where she provides inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation for children with complex diagnoses including traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, and stroke. Carly is also the primary occupational therapist within the Spinal Dysfunction Clinic at Nemours. Carly’s work focuses on maximizing independence and quality of life through evidence-based, family-centered care, with a particular interest in functional continence and neurogenic bowel and bladder management

Objectives: At the end of this session, the learner will:

  • Identify the roles of the multidisciplinary team in management of self-catheterization management of neurogenic bladder;
  • Apply evidence-based, task-specific training techniques for self-catheterization to improve outcomes, promote independence, and reduce health risks; and
  • Implement strategies and adaptations to promote success in independent self-catheterization.

Audience: This webinar is intended for all interested members of the rehabilitation team.

Level: Beginner-Intermediate

Certificate of Attendance: Certificates of attendance are available for all attendees. No CEs are provided for this course.

Complimentary webinars are a benefit of membership in IPRC/RCPA. Registration fee for non-members is $179. Not a member yet? Consider joining today.

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