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Policy Areas

A publication ceremony is scheduled for 12:00 pm today, May 31, for Aging Our Way, PA. This is Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth-wide 10-year strategic plan for aging. The development of this plan involved more than 19,000 Pennsylvanians and was developed in partnership with more than 20 state agencies. To view the publication ceremony, visit the livestream link.

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Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay

What is PRIDE Month?
June 1 marks the beginning of (LGBTQIA+) PRIDE Month, a time to recognize and celebrate LGBTQIA+ individuals in our communities. Pride Month commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York and celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and the fight for equal rights. The Stonewall Uprising began on June 28, 1969, when police raided the Stonewall Inn, a prominent gay bar in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. The protests that followed are credited with a shift in LGBTQ+ activism in the US and is why PRIDE week is celebrated in June. In many cities across the nation, the celebration is now a month-long series of events. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.

Today, celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia, and concerts. LGBTQ+ Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world. Memorials are also held during this month for those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS.

What does PRIDE Stand for?
“Pride” is not an acronym, but the LGBTQIA+ community comprises several identities related to sexual orientation and gender identity. Here are the definitions to know:

  • L: Lesbian
  • G: Gay
  • B: Bisexual
  • T: Transgender
  • Q: Queer, or sometimes questioning
  • I:  Intersex
  • A: Asexual
  • +: Encompasses other identities under the rainbow umbrella

Why Recognize PRIDE Month?
According to a recent Gallup poll, over 20% of Gen Z adults in the US identify as LGBTQ+. This has more than doubled in the last twelve years. This growing population is represented in both the current workforce and the client populations we serve.

Visit here for ideas on how to recognize and celebrate LGBTQIA+ individuals this month.

Treating Facial Motion Disorders
Wednesday, June 5, 2024
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT; 11:00 am – 12:00 pm CDT;
10:00 am – 11:00 am MDT; 9:00 am – 10:00 am PDT
Register

Tami Konieczny, MS, OTR/L, BCP
Speaker Bio:
Tami Konieczny is an occupational therapist, board certified in pediatrics, and a clinical supervisor for the past 25 years at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She specializes in the treatment of children with brain injury, facial motion disorders, amplified pain, burns, limb deficiency, and scar management. She has presented nationally and internationally on a variety of topics, including facial motion disorders. She co-authored a book chapter on pediatric upper extremity limb deficiency and has research publications related to facial motion disorders, amplified pain, and quality improvement.

Objectives: At the end of this session, the learner will:

  • Identify and define anatomical structures involved in facial expression;
  • Identify primary causes of facial paralysis;
  • Identify functional impairments related to facial paralysis;
  • Review standardized assessment tools used with this population;
  • Review methods of evaluation and tracking progress; and
  • Review treatment approaches.

Audience: This webinar is intended for all interested members of the rehabilitation team.

Level: 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.

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared a reissue of ODPANN 24-039, which highlights the proposed performance-based contracting waiver amendments and rates. It was brought to ODP’s attention that there were several items that needed clarification within the original document. All changes are in red. Please only use this version going forward.

The reissue has updated the links for submitting comments. All other information remains consistent with the original ODP Announcement.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared ODPANN 24-051. The purpose of this communication is to announce the release of the ISP Manual that includes information from the Consolidated, Community Living, and Person/Family Directed Support waiver amendments that were effective on November 1, 2023. View the announcement and documents below for instructions and details:

Preparing for Performance-Based Contracting and Becoming a Data Driven Provider
Friday, June 7, 2024
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Register Here

The transition to Performance-Based Contracting for Intellectual/Developmental Disability providers in PA is quickly approaching. RCPA would like to provide our members with resources to assist you in preparing for this systemic change.

Please join us for a discussion with Rob Labatch, President and CEO of Hope Enterprises, Inc., and Scott Bachik, CEO of The BI Collaborative, regarding how to create the infrastructure necessary to be efficient, optimize quality, and drive cost and revenue improvements critical for Performance-Based Contracting.