The Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services (BBVS) is offering a training overview of the wide range of supports and services that they provide to individuals who are blind or have a vision impairment. Additionally, the training will also highlight how individuals with vision loss can connect to BBVS’s resources, as well as the process for receiving services. Register here to attend.
Who should attend?
All Interested Stakeholders
Date and Time:
May 22, 2026
10:00 am – 11:00 am
The Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) has released an advisory regarding a multi-country cluster of Hantavirus cases linked to an international cruise ship expedition. The outbreak has been connected to the Andes virus strain, which is notable because it is the only known hantavirus capable of limited person-to-person transmission under close, prolonged exposure conditions. As of May 11, 2026, nine cases and three deaths have been reported internationally. At this time, PA DOH reports no known Pennsylvania residents connected to the outbreak.
Hantavirus infections remain extremely rare in the United States and particularly in Pennsylvania, where only two cases have been reported since 2010. Most infections are associated with exposure to rodent urine, droppings, saliva, or nesting materials in enclosed or poorly ventilated areas.
Providers and organizations should be aware of symptoms consistent with Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), including fever, fatigue, muscle aches, cough, and shortness of breath, particularly when there is a known history of rodent exposure or close contact with a symptomatic individual linked to the Andes virus strain. Early symptoms may resemble influenza or COVID-19.
The Department of Health is advising healthcare providers to immediately report suspected cases to local public health authorities or the PA Department of Health at 877-PA-HEALTH.
RCPA encourages members to review the PA-HAN advisory and fact sheet for additional clinical guidance, infection control recommendations, and environmental cleaning protocols related to rodent exposure and prevention.
The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), in partnership with other Department of Human Services Program Offices and Executive Branch agencies, has issued OMHSAS-26-03: Rescission of Joint Class One Bulletins. The purpose of this is to rescind bulletins that do not align with current policies, practices, or procedures that were jointly issued by Program Offices/Departments in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This bulletin is also classified as ODP Bulletin 00-26-02, OCDEL-26-01, OCYF 00-26-01, and OIM 00-26-01.
If you any questions, please contact your RCPA Policy Director.
Family-Centered Care: One Organization’s Revolutionary Approach to Include Families in All Aspects of Care
Monday, June 15, 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
We appreciate your patience with rescheduling this event. All previous registrants have been automatically registered for the June 15 session; no additional registration is required. We apologize if you are no longer able to attend. The webinar will be recorded and archived on the IPRC website.
Donna Provenzano, Director of Family-Centered Care
Donna Provenzano is the Director of Family-Centered Care at Children’s Specialized Hospital. She has thirty-nine years of experience in working with children, adolescents, young adults, and their families at Children’s Specialized. Donna serves on several hospital leadership committees and councils and provides administrative and operational management of Family-Centered Care and Volunteers. She supervises and partners with Family Faculty staff and coordinates with the Family Advisory Council. Donna has presented both nationally and internationally on Patient- and Family-Centered Care. Under Donna’s leadership, her department received the IPFCC Family-Centered Care Partnership Award for Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) in 2022. Donna has received additional leadership certifications from the Harvard Business School. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Therapeutic Recreation from Ithaca College.
Linda Waddell, Family Faculty Manager
Linda Waddell is the Family Faculty Manager at Children’s Specialized Hospital. She has been employed at the hospital as a Family Faculty since June of 2008 and a member of the Children’s Specialized Hospital’s Family Advisory Council since 2014. On behalf of the hospital, Linda has presented with her team on Patient- and Family-Centered Care at regional, national, and international conferences. Most recently, Linda was a member of a panel that presented at the 2024 RISE Summit “Addressing Social Determinants of Health (SDOH): A Look into Children’s Specialized Hospital’s Program in NJ and Beyond.” Linda participates in various hospital committees and is also a member of the IPRC Steering Committee, where she provides a family member’s perspective for discussions and decision-making.
Linda was the 2019 recipient of the Lester Z. Lieberman Humanism in Healthcare Award and received the IPFCC 30th Anniversary 2022 Partnership Award on Social Determinants of Health. Linda received her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Kean University. Linda’s first experience with Children’s Specialized Hospital began in 1999, receiving multiple services for her newborn, medically fragile baby. She became an expert in the experience of pediatric rehabilitation through caring for her daughter with medical complications.
Family Faculty at Children’s Specialized Hospital are paid positions held by parents and family members whose children have received or are still receiving services at Children’s Specialized Hospital Inpatient, Outpatient, or Long-Term Care sites. Their own day-to-day experiences provide a unique perspective, understanding, and empathy for families going through similar situations. Family Faculty partner with staff and families to build a respectful and understanding relationship by listening, providing insights, and encouraging positive communication between staff and families.
Objectives: At the end of this session, the learner will identify strategies to:
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.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that they will be conducting a national listening session on Section 1915(c)(11). This listening session has been scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at 1:30 pm.
Section 1915(c)(11) was created under Section 71121 of Public Law 119 21, known as HR 1 or the Working Families Tax Cut (WFTC) legislation. Effective July 2028, this new authority provides states with another option for providing home and community-based services (HCBS) in Medicaid. Use this link to learn more.
CMS is interested in gathering input on how Section 1915(c)(11) can best support states, strengthen HCBS, improve participant experience, enhance program integrity, and advance integration and quality across Medicaid programs. CMS seeks to hear directly from stakeholders about opportunities, challenges, implementation considerations, and lived experiences to inform future guidance, tools/resources, and training.
This session is for listening only; beyond making brief introductory comments, CMS staff will not engage in discussion or respond to comments. Participants are invited to share their experiences, perspectives, and recommendations related to Section 1915(c)(11), including:
Those interested in participating in this listening session should register here.
PLEASE NOTE: This hearing has been rescheduled to May 20, 2026, at 2:00 pm in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing will be open to the public and will be livestreamed online here. If you have any questions concerning this hearing, please contact Annabelle Huffman with the Committee staff.
Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, recently announced an upcoming hearing: Examining the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, MACRA, and Opportunities for Payment Reforms.
This hearing will examine efforts under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) to reform Medicare physician payment and explore current challenges in the Medicare physician fee schedule (MPFS).
Chairmen Guthrie and Griffith cited that “Despite efforts in MACRA to move past annual ‘doc fixes’ and enhance seniors’ quality of care, we have continued to see physician payment instability in the Medicare program. This uncertainty, in addition to other regulatory burdens, creates challenges for providers and, ultimately, the beneficiaries they serve. This hearing will examine these long-standing challenges and help identify solutions to stabilize physician payment and protect seniors’ access to care.”
The Shapiro Administration has announced it will pay for critical drug testing supplies after the Trump Administration reversed course on allowing federal funding to be used for the test strips. The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) will now pay for drug testing strips using opioid settlement dollars awarded to the Commonwealth as a result of a multistate investigation of opioid manufacturers and distributors. Read the full press release.
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:
Register for the webinar here. Please contact RCPA Policy Specialist Emma Sharp with any questions.
