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Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

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The Office of Developmental Programs is issuing this Health Alert to bring awareness of a recall affecting certain Philips Respironics Ventilators, BiPAP, and CPAP machines due to potential health risks. The Food and Drug Administration recently issued a Safety Communication regarding this: Certain Philips Respironics Ventilators, BiPAP, and CPAP Machines Recalled Due to Potential Health Risks: FDA Safety Communication | FDA.  In their communication, the FDA provides guidance for people who use the affected devices and their caregivers. 

The devices involved are listed here.

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Photo by MChe Lee on Unsplash

Gov. Tom Wolf signed Senate Bill 664 into law on June 30, 2021, now known as Act 66 of 2021, that permits students with disabilities who graduated during the 2020–21 school year and turned age 21 during the 2020–21 school year to attend school during the 2021–22 school year and receive services as outlined on their most recent Individualized Education Program (IEP) with all the protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Parents have the power to decide if their children should repeat their final year to help catch up on learning loss due to the pandemic. The new law gives parents the final say in the decision, not just the school and teachers. However, the decision to repeat a grade level or remain an additional year must be made by July 15, 2021.

As you know, the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) requires Person/Family Directed Services (P/FDS) waiver capacity to be reserved by counties for high school graduates who are not eligible to continue their education through the next year. This year is unique since these students are now eligible to choose to continue for an additional year. However, the choice to repeat a grade or remain an additional year under Act 66 of 2021 does not preclude the person from enrollment in P/FDS. Every student slated for a 2021 graduation at age 21, must be offered enrollment in the P/FDS waiver, if they are not enrolled in another waiver, regardless of whether they exercise their right to continue for an additional year under Act 66. A graduate may choose to repeat their final year of high school and enroll in P/FDS. The P/FDS waiver can be used to support the assessed needs that the high school is not required to provide.

ODP expects that Supports Coordinators are immediately communicating this information to all individuals and families that were identified as 2021 graduates and assuring them that the determination to repeat a year of school will not impact their eligibility for or current enrollment in the P/FDS waiver.

Please note: Act 66 applies to students enrolled in any of the following school entities in Pennsylvania during the 2020–21 school year: a school district, intermediate unit, career and technical education center, charter school, cyber charter school, regional charter school, nonpublic school, approved private schools, and chartered schools for the deaf and blind.

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2020 and 2021 have been stressful and traumatic for some communities, yet transformative and motivating for others. This year at the PA Community Alliance Summit, we will discuss and explore the theme of “Recover, Rebuild, and Reform,” covering topics such as:

  • What does it look like in your community to recover?
  • How can we rebuild communities to move forward?
  • What reform is needed to improve the community system?

This summit is a day of networking, discovering alliances, and collaboration building among diverse organizations throughout Pennsylvania led by and/or supporting populations who experience marginalization and oppression.

Click Here For More Details & To Register!

American Sign Language (ASL) and captioning will be included in this summit.

This event is supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council; in part by grant number 2001PASCDD-02, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is still in discussions with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the ID/A waiver amendments. As a result, the webinar originally scheduled for July 26, 2021 from 10:00 am–11:30 am will be postponed. ODP will be releasing a communication in the next week providing information regarding the delay in the waiver amendments and when the rescheduled event will occur.  You will need to reregister for this event.

For questions please email ODP Outreach.

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RCPA has been notified that a proposal was recently delivered to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) and the designated standing committees of the PA House and Senate for review.

Specifically, the Department of Human Services (DHS), under the authority of section 403.1(a)(6) of the Human Services Code (code) (62 P.S. § 403.1(a)(6)), proposes to amend §1101.51 (relating to ongoing responsibilities of providers). The proposed rulemaking will amend §1101.51 by rescinding subsection (c)(3), which prohibits providers from leasing or renting space, shelves, or equipment within a provider’s office to another provider or from allowing the paid or unpaid staff of a provider to be placed in another provider’s office (i.e. co-location).

The proposal can be viewed on IRRC’s website. The proposal was also published in the June 26, 2021 edition of the PA Bulletin.

The rulemaking has a 30-day public comment period that closes on July 26, 2021. If IRRC has any comments on the proposal, they must be submitted to DHS by August 25, 2021. Below are instructions for submitting comments to DHS.

Interested persons are invited to submit written comments, suggestions, or objections regarding this proposed rulemaking to the Department of Human Services, Office of Medical Assistance Programs, c/o Regulations Coordinator, Room 515, Health and Welfare Building, Harrisburg, PA 17120, within 30 calendar days after the date of publication of this proposed rulemaking in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. Reference Regulation No. 14-549 when submitting comments.

Persons with a disability who require an auxiliary aid or service may submit comments by using the Pennsylvania Hamilton Relay Service at (800) 654-5984 (TDD users) or (800) 654-5988 (voice users). Please note that any comments submitted to the Department will be shared with IRRC and the committees and will be posted to IRRC’s website.

If you have any questions, please contact Jack Phillips, Director of Government Affairs.

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The Clinical Advisory Team at IntellectAbility has created a bulletin to help supporters recognize early signs of depression, anxiety, and loneliness in people. As we know, the incidence of these conditions is higher due to recent events, and they often present differently in people with disabilities. You can freely download and share this document with staff and families as well as use it for in-service training purposes. Here’s the download link: Depression, Anxiety and Loneliness in People with IDD – IntellectAbility.

With much appreciation for the work you do,
Craig Escude, MD
——————————
Craig Escude, MD, FAAFP, FAADM
President
IntellectAbility
——————————

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Message From Relias: 

Relias, in partnership with ANCOR, is excited to share the second edition of our DSP Survey Report with you. The 2021 DSP Survey Report dives deeper into themes uncovered in the 2019 survey, while also taking into consideration the impacts COVID-19 had on DSPs and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) services.

The 2021 DSP Survey Report highlights feedback from 679 direct support professionals (DSPs) across 43 states on job satisfaction, supervision, career advancement opportunities, and appreciation and recognition. Using this data, organizational leaders in IDD services can inform policies for better working conditions that will increase DSP satisfaction and, ultimately, positively affect the individuals whom DSPs serve.

In the report you’ll learn:

  • Overall trends and insights on DSP job satisfaction.
  • The difficulties DSPs faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The impact appreciation and recognition have on overall DSP job satisfaction, in addition to the ways DSPs want to be recognized.
  • The benefits of creating career advancement programs and how they can help retain DSPs.

Download Your Copy

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Friendly nurse cares for an elderly woman in a nursing home.

During one week in September, the human services field sets aside time to acknowledge the important work of direct support professionals. National Direct Support Professional (DSP) Recognition Week is often celebrated through employee luncheons, award events, raffles, and more. While these efforts are very admirable and certainly make DSPs feel appreciated, the systemic issues affecting this essential workforce also demand longer-lasting initiatives that make a more deep-rooted impact on DSPs — beyond just the one week.

To help facilitate this need, the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) and CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership are partnering once again to share programs that have far-reaching effects on DSPs and aim to confront the most critical concerns, such as turnover, retention, wages, benefits, and professional development.


Similar to our 2020 National DSP Recognition Week Campaign, NADSP and CQL are seeking out detailed examples of organizational initiatives that provide solutions to these types of topics:​

  • Improving recruitment
  • Reducing turnover
  • Increasing wages
  • Implementing professional development
  • Promoting career advancement
  • Soliciting DSP feedback
  • Including DSPs in organizational leadership
  • Responding to DSP needs

During 2021 National DSP Recognition Week, which takes place from September 12–18, 2021, NADSP and CQL will share these programs on our websites and social media. Our hope is to help other organizations replicate your best practices and elevate the status of DSPs around the country.

Submit Your DSP Program

After clicking the ‘Take Survey’ link below, you will be directed to a survey for submitting your organization-wide program that positively impacts DSPs. You can submit multiple entries, but please only submit one program per survey. Before submitting your program, please be sure that you can answer “Yes” to the following questions:

  • Is this a specific program or initiative? (vs. a mission/vision statement)
  • Does your initiative/program have a long-lasting impact?
  • Has there been a positive effect on the lives/work of DSPs?
  • Are you able to provide DSP testimonials/quotes about that impact?
  • Could other organizations replicate your efforts?

Take The Survey Here

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