The Pennsylvania Lifesharing Coalition held their annual conference this week. The ODP Policy Division provided new materials for supports coordination, individuals, and families. Please share these resources throughout your agencies.
Two Virtual Office Hours (VOH) for Trainers, Primary Contacts, and/or Agency Administrators are available on Thursday, October 23, 2025. If interested in joining, please click on the registration link available on your Med Admin Trainer Dashboard.
Registration is only available for Trainers, Primary Contacts, and/or Agency Administrators. Please only register for one session, listed below:
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared the communication, ODPANN 25-092: Medication Administration (MedAdmin) Training Program – Agency/Entity/Role Designation/Verification Form Update and its accompanying attachment.
The purpose of this communication is to announce that an updated Agency/Entity/Role Designation/Verification Form is now available. Please review the announcement for additional information and detail.
Monday, October 27, 2025, 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
At the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) – Central
About This Event
Join the PA APSE Day on Employment at Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) – Central on Monday, October 27, for a day filled with learning and networking opportunities. This event aims to bring together professionals in the field to discuss employment strategies and best practices. Don’t miss out on this chance to connect with like-minded individuals and enhance your knowledge in the area of employment. Attendees must register.
Agenda
10:00 am to 11:30 am – Statewide Updates
11:30 am to 12:00 pm – Round Table Conversation and resource sharing (please come with resources to share with colleagues if you can)
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm – Lunch and networking/resources continued. This is included for free to attendees (if, after you register, you cannot make it, please let us know).
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm – Collaboration between Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services (BJJS) and OVR
2:00 pm to 3:00 pm – Youth Workforce Development Panel
For more information, please contact APSE directly.
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared communication ODPANN 25-093: Incident Management (IM) Rebalancing Initiative Phase 1: IM Guidance. The purpose of this announcement is to provide updated guidance related to the ODP IM Rebalancing Initiative.
The guidelines are organized into seven separate topics covering the following:
Please direct any questions or feedback to Tim Sohosky, RCPA IDD Division Director.
Elevating Pennsylvania’s Providers: The Future of AI for Documentation & Compliance in BH and IDD
October 29, 2025
1:00 pm ET
Register Here
Pennsylvania’s behavioral health and IDD providers face increasing demands for accuracy, compliance, and efficiency — all while staff are overextended and burnout is rising. Traditional documentation tools are no longer enough.
This webinar, presented in partnership with RCPA, will showcase how Pennsylvania providers are embracing organizational AI to strengthen clinical documentation, improve compliance, and reduce administrative burden across every program and service line. Ross Young and Michelle Montowski of Clinically AI will showcase how their organization is supporting RCPA members through adoption cohorts, creating a statewide movement to elevate documentation quality, reduce risk exposure, and give staff back valuable time for care.
Participants will learn how to:
This webinar is primarily for:
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has finalized the new quarterly Supports Coordination Organization’s (SCO) Performance-Based Contracting (PBC) Measures data reports, which will be available in DocuShare no later than October 10, 2025.
Updated reporting includes:
ODP will send a follow-up notification once the reports are posted. Please ensure that designated staff within your organization have access to DocuShare and are prepared to retrieve and review these reports.
Please contact your ODP Regional Office with any questions.
November 19, 2025
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Register Here
Understanding Neuroplasticity and Recent Advancements in Enhancing Supports
The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) and the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) invite you to register for the 2025 Dual Diagnosis Conference to be hosted virtually on November 19. Join us for this one-day virtual conference to gain a better understanding of neuroplasticity and recent advancements in enhancing supports for individuals with intellectual disabilities. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required.
Speakers for the day include:
Dr. Ken Martz
Ken Martz, PsyD, MBA, is a licensed psychologist, bestselling author, and expert in emotional development. He has worked in the treatment and management of addiction for the past 30 years across settings including outpatient, residential, and hospital settings. He was formerly the Special Assistant to the Secretary for the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Policy Director in Substance Use Disorders of the Governor’s Policy Office. Dr. Martz will start the day with an overview of neuroplasticity.
Dr. Brandi Kelly
Brandi Kelly, PhD, is the Clinical Director for Louisiana’s OCDD. She received her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Louisiana State University in 1998 and a post-doctoral master’s degree in clinical psychopharmacology from Alliant University in 2002. She has worked extensively in community- and residential-based programs providing support planning, staff training, and behavioral health services to individuals with developmental disabilities, and she has published research on assessment and treatment of behavioral and mental health concerns of individuals with developmental disabilities. Dr. Kelly’s presentation will provide a clinical focus on how to use neuroplasticity data.
Dr. Calliope Holingue
Calliope Holingue, MPH, PhD, is a research faculty member at the Center for Autism Services, Science, and Innovation at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. A psychiatric epidemiologist by training, she has a joint academic appointment as an assistant professor at the Department of Mental Health at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Holingue will share current research and developments related to neuroplasticity.
The day will conclude with a Q&A session with all three of our speakers.
Topic: Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) — An Overview and Practical Application
Note: This training satisfies the basic autism training requirement for Residential Performance-Based Contracting (PBC). Please see more details below on Continuing Education (CE) Credits. This training is an approved alternative to the SPeCTRUM offered on MyODP.
Over the years, the prevalence of autism has increased, Pennsylvania’s service delivery system for individuals with autism has expanded, and best practices to provide quality supports have emerged. To support the individual needs of each person with autism across the lifespan, an understanding of core characteristics must be established. It is also important to learn how the individual’s presentation of autism may change across settings and situations. This training will provide attendees with an in-depth presentation on core characteristics of autism and the impact of the characteristics on daily life, routines, and activities. A review of common terms and basic principles used to change behavior, teach new skills, and develop practical application of best practices will be included. Opportunity for discussion and engagement will occur throughout the training in the virtual setting.
Who should attend?
Where and when will sessions be held?
You must register separately for each session.
Continuing Education Units (CEU):
This training satisfies the basic autism training requirement for Residential Performance-Based Contracting measures CN-DD/Bx.01.1S and CN-DD/Bx.01.1CE for all Direct Support Professionals (DSP), Frontline Supervisors (FLS), and program managers. This training also fulfills 6100 ongoing training requirements.
To receive a training certificate, attendees must attend both virtual sessions.
Please contact the Bureau of Supports for Autism and Special Populations (BSASP) Training inbox with questions.
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