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Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

The Bureau of Autism Services is conducting a preliminary survey to help inform the design of services for individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who are transitioning out of high school, including those who may have had juvenile justice contact or psychiatric hospitalizations. The survey is designed to be completed by individuals with ASD and their families and caregivers. Surveys should be completed by Friday, December 4. Any questions about this survey can be sent via email to the Bureau of Autism Services.

Provider Transformation Series
ANCOR and the US Office of Disability Employment Policy are offering a technical assistance series, Virtual Provider Transformation Technical Assistance. This is a six-month program that will feature webinars every three weeks from December 2015 through March 2016. Webinar topics to assist agencies transitioning to community integrated employment services include: Leadership, Strategic Planning, Operations Focus, Workforce Focus, Customer Focus, and Measuring Results. Registration deadline is Monday, November 30, 2015.

L&I State Plan
RCPA has been asked by the executive director of the Senate Labor & Industry (L&I) Committee to provide recommendations related to workforce development for the state’s Department of L&I Unified State Plan, required by the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act. Please share your suggestions with Linda Drummond by Sunday, November 22.

ODP Updates
The Office of Developmental Programs has released the following information:

Based on the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act enacted in 2014, the state’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) is required to write its own stand-alone annual state plan, “Vocational Rehabilitation Services Portion of the Combined State Plan.” This is a four-year workforce development strategy. The combined state plan will be available for public comment in January of 2016.

SCO Committee Clarification
The December 10, 2015, 9:00-11:00 am SCO Committee meeting is for RCPA’s Supports Coordination Organizations that are ODP funded. It is not for Service Coordination under the OLTL waivers.

Benjamin Lawsuit
A class action lawsuit filed against the state in 2009, Benjamin v. Department of Public Welfare, with a settlement agreement finalized in 2014, focuses on transitioning 80 individuals from state centers to the community by June 30, 2015. Since these transfers were not accomplished, an independent reviewer has been retained by the settlement parties to address the reasons and seek recommendations.

Home Care Rule
Linda Drummond, RCPA director, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Division, is working with the PA State Independent Living Council and Temple’s Institute on Disabilities, to determine the impact of the new US Department of Labor’s Home Care Rule on providers. Please share any questions, issues, or recommendations regarding this rule with Linda Drummond, for inclusion with the document being developed for the Department of Human Services, on areas of concern impacting service providers on implementation of this rule. This may be impacting LifeSharing/Shared Living, Participant Directed, and Companionship services.