The House Energy & Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on June 24, 2025, regarding the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget. The hearing will begin at 10:00 am, and Secretary of HHS Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is expected to serve as witness and provide testimony on the President’s proposed budget.
The hearing is open to the public and will be livestreamed online using the link above.
For the WGAL In Focus: Traumatic Brain Injuries episode, Susan Shapiro interviewed PA State Senator Tim Kearney, RCPA President & CEO Richard Edley, Jack Poplar from Success Rehabilitation, Inc. and Ellie Lacasse, mother of a child with a TBI. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services office of Long Term Living released its 2025 Home and Community Based Services rate and wage study, saying that residential rehabilitation, which traumatic brain injury care falls under, is underfunded by 44%. Guests described in detail the challenges faced by these individuals and their family members.
Advocates are calling for an increase, fearing that the system will collapse, leaving tens of thousands without critical care.
View the interview here.
This spring, the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) celebrated Physical Fitness & Sports month with Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA). May was Physical Fitness & Sports month, and to celebrate, ODP visited SOPA’s Central Spring Sectional competition at Saint Francis University. Athletes competed in six sports including aquatics, athletics (track and field), basketball, golf, and tennis.
How Can You Move Your Way?
Anything that gets your heart beating faster counts. And it all adds up. Find what works for you! Walking, dancing, gardening, swimming, and stretching are just a few suggestions for weekly movement. Adults need a mix of physical activity to stay healthy. Moderate-intensity aerobic activity at least 150 minutes a week, and muscle-strengthening activity at least two days a week. Do activities that make your muscles work harder than usual.
Kids and teens ages 6 to 17 need at least 60 minutes every day. Most of it can be moderate-intensity aerobic activity. At least three days a week, encourage them to step it up to vigorous intensity. As a part of their 60 minutes, they also need muscle-strengthening at least three days a week and bone-strengthening three days a week.
What’s Your Move?
Do you have a weekly movement routine or are you just getting started? Share your story with us!
Send an email with subject line “Move Your Way” and ODP may feature your story on MyODP News Online! Please be sure to fill out the Department of Human Services (DHS) Media Release Form to send with your story!
OMHSAS is announcing the publication of OMHSAS-25-03 Administration of Psychotropic Medication to Individuals Over Objection in State Mental Hospitals, updating the procedures for determining when to administer psychotropic medications over objection in the State Mental Hospitals through the establishment of an additional appeals process.
OMHSAS-25-03 supersedes 99-85-10 Administration of Psychotropic Medication to Protesting Patients, meaning that 99-85-10 remains in effect, but OMHSAS-25-03 takes precedence over it.
**Importantly, 99-85-10 applies to both state mental hospitals and community providers, but OMHSAS-25-03 applies only to state mental hospitals.**
OMHSAS-25-03 and forms may be found at the links provided below:
Please submit any questions regarding this bulletin via email.
Aurora Kripa, COO and CEO-elect of KenCrest, has been named a 2025 Corporate Leadership Honoree by the Philadelphia Business Journal. This award recognizes top business leaders outside of the CEO role for their leadership and commitment to the business community. The Philadelphia Business Journal will honor her at the Corporate Leadership Awards celebration on July 10 and feature her in a special edition of the journal on July 11.
Aurora started with KenCrest in 2018 as a consultant and quickly stepped up as the Chief Human Resources Officer in 2019, and later as Chief Operating Officer. She brought over 15 years of experience in strategic planning and operational oversight in the human services industry to the role. Before joining KenCrest, Aurora served as the first Chief Executive Officer of JEVS at Home. She established this JEVS subsidiary with remarkable growth; it served 900 individuals with $32 million in revenue, employing 1,200 staff in only six months. As the Chief Operating Officer at KenCrest, Aurora leads operational performance, growth and innovation in all services. A dynamic, person-centered and results-oriented leader, she inspires teamwork and moves with determination, tackling the most complex challenges.
She holds a dual Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Italian from Temple University, a Master of Business Administration from LaSalle University, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania. She is fluent in three languages—English, Albanian, and Italian. Aurora has been recognized for her contributions to public service and leadership. She was honored with Billy Penn’s “Who’s Next” in Public Service Award in 2018, SmartCEO’s Future 50 Award in 2017, and the 2016 Cornerstone Award.
The Information Sharing and Advisory Committee (ISAC) has released additional meeting materials and data updates after its June 17 meeting. The following documents were provided by ISAC:
Updates from ODP
Please contact Tim Sohosky for any follow-up or inquiries related to this update.
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared ODPANN 25-057, which includes a new version of the Medication Administration Agency/Entity/Role Designation/Verification form. New and recertifying trainers will be required to have this form filled out by an agency administrator and/or primary contact. Agency Administrator and Primary Contact Roles and Responsibilities have also been included with this communication. The form will then be uploaded into the MedAdmin system before beginning the Train-the-Trainer (TtT) course. Primary contacts should review the TtT Course Prerequisites Med Admin document with staff before they register to confirm all requirements are met.
Please see the announcement and attachments included in ODPANN 25-057 for further information and detail.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced, along with 54 other attorneys general, a $7.4 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma and owners, the Sackler family, regarding the company’s manufacturing and distribution of opioids that fueled a nationwide addiction epidemic.
The settlement resolves pending litigation against Purdue and the Sacklers, with those entities acknowledging their role in contributing to the epidemic with rampant production and aggressive marketing of opioids for decades.
The settlement also ends the Sacklers’ ownership of Purdue and their ability to sell opioids in the United States.
Pennsylvania is estimated to receive as much as $200 million from the settlement — over a period of 15 years — depending on how many municipalities sign off on the settlement terms.
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