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Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

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PA ABLE Turns 5!

Please join PATF in celebrating the fifth anniversary of the PA ABLE Savings Program.

PA ABLE helps Pennsylvanians with disabilities and their families save safely.

Since the first PA ABLE accounts opened five years ago, Pennsylvanians have saved nearly $72 million for current and future expenses, including assistive technology, education, housing, transportation, health care, financial management, and more.

The program provides a tax-free way to save without affecting eligibility for critical means-tested benefits such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) (up to $100,000) or Medical Assistance.

Learn how to set up an ABLE account here.

“Having the ability to save through the ABLE program provides an opportunity for people with disabilities to escape the cycle of poverty that is so often their reality. The ABLE program can make it possible for people with disabilities to be empowered to have greater control over their financial future.”
– Susan Tachau, PATF CEO

This month, our CEO, Susan Tachau, joined PA Treasurer Stacy Garrity, Senator Lisa Baker (R-20), Sherri Landis of The ARC of PA, and other disability advocates in Harrisburg to mark PA ABLE’s fifth anniversary. Read the full News Release.

PATF’s Financial Capability Resources

April is Financial Capability Month so now is a great time to check out our interactive and accessible financial education website. The website is a companion to our book, Cents and Sensibility: A Guide to Money Management. Explore our financial education resources.

Financial education is the key for living independently and access to this information is crucial. With these financial capability tools, people have a solid foundation for success.

In recognition of our financial education work, we were awarded the Non-Profit Organization of the Year 2021 Excellence in Financial Literacy Education (EIFLE) Award.

Planning for the Future

PATF’s Board of Directors adopted a three-year Strategic Plan Framework, placing equal focus on our four programs: financial loans, information and assistance, financial education, and advocacy.

Additionally, PATF is working on succession planning as CEO Susan Tachau will be transitioning to a new role as Innovations Officer at PATF in September.

PATF has also launched a DEI+A initiative, which includes an internal audit, recommendations for individual and organizational growth, and learning sessions on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility.

Smart Homes Made Simple Webinar Draws International Attention

In 2021, we published Smart Homes Made Simple: Your Guide to Smart Home Technology and launched Smart Homes Made Simple to help the disability community learn about mainstream smart home devices and how they can be financed. In March of this year, PATF hosted a smart home webinar, Real Life Stories: Using Smart Home Technology for Independence, with more than 500 attendees from around the world!

Upcoming Events

The Center for Independent Living of Central PA is hosting a free Youth-Adult Wheelchair Basketball Clinic on Saturday, May 14. PATF’s Outreach Director, Wendy Davis, will be there and can talk more about how PATF can help people with purchasing adapted sports equipment. Learn more about this event.

Disability Pride PA kicks off Disability Pride Philadelphia Week with a flag-raising at City Hall on Monday, June 6 at 3:00 pm. The parade takes place on Saturday, June 11. Get more details.

The Technology Enhancing Capabilities Virtual Conference will be held on Wednesday, June 22. PATF CEO Susan Tachau will be joined by Michael Anderson, Alexa Brill, and George Russo, as they discuss how they use smart home technology to live safer and with greater independence. Additional information.

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ODP Announcement 22-044 serves to clarify that ridesharing services, such as Lyft, Uber, or other similar transportation services, may be reimbursed through the public transportation service. Public transportation services are provided to or purchased for an individual to promote self-determination and enable an individual to gain access to employment, services, and activities specified in the Individual Support Plan (ISP). Public transportation may be purchased by an OHCDS or by an FMS organization for individuals who self-direct services. In addition, public transportation vendors may enroll directly with the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP).

For individuals receiving residential services (Residential Habilitation, Life Sharing, or Supported Living), transportation services may only be used to enable an individual to get to his or her competitive, integrated job. If the individual is using public transportation for other needs, such as community activities, volunteering, visiting family or friends, etc., the cost of this service is included in the rate paid to providers of Residential Habilitation, Life Sharing, and Supported Living.

The cost of ridesharing services, such as Uber, Lyft, or similar public transportation options, can be reimbursed through the Transportation service. If the Transportation service is under consideration by the individual and their ISP team, the team must determine if using a ridesharing service is a cost-effective, beneficial, and practical transportation option for the individual.

The team must consider other options available through the transportation service, including publicly available bus passes, rail service, taxi service, and Transportation Trip to ensure the most cost-effective, beneficial, and practical use of the service.

Please see the full announcement for more details about the use of these services.

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ODP Announcement 22-045 announces that the renewals of the Consolidated, Community Living, and P/FDS waivers were submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on April 1, 2022. CMS requires Medicaid waivers to be renewed every five years. The submitted waivers included revisions made as a result of over 500 public comments received from individuals and self-advocates, families, agencies, and organizations. Each full waiver application, as well as the Record of Change document that contains the substantive changes made as a result of public comment, is available online.

It is anticipated that the waiver renewals will be approved and effective July 1, 2022. The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) will inform all stakeholders when the waiver renewals have been approved. The approved versions will be made available online at that time.

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In 2021, the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) disseminated The Best Practice Standards for Behavioral Support. They also hosted several Virtual Office Hours (VOHs) for Behavioral Specialists, Administrative Entities (AEs), Supports Coordination Organizations, and Residential Providers. As a follow-up to these efforts, they have created a hub on MyODP that captures all things Behavioral Supports-related to the standards. Check it out and visit often, as ODP intends to update, and they have some additional resources in the works to upload in the future, including FAQs and Sample BSPs.

ODP intends to host additional sessions with providers and AEs to talk about the standards, but in the meantime, they are interested in hearing from those of you who have reviewed the standards or attended a VOH in the past year. Please take a moment to complete this brief survey.

If you have any questions or comments about this communication, feel free to email ODP directly.

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