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Policy Areas

Secretary Val Arkoosh and leadership from the Department of Human Services (DHS) will host a webinar to discuss the proposed 2025/26 budget for the department. The briefing will take place at 10:00 am on Friday, February 7. If you are unable to attend, the briefing will be recorded and available for viewing afterwards on DHS’ YouTube channel.

Register here for the briefing. All who plan to attend must register individually. A link for the webinar will be sent Thursday evening. You are encouraged to submit questions ahead of the briefing so staff can prepare as much information as possible. Follow up will be provided on any questions that are unable to be answered during the webinar. Hope you are able to join and look forward to the conversation!

(If the registration link above does not work, please try copying this link directly into your browser: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=QSiOQSgB1U2bbEf8Wpob3tuk6VNEbjZIvvnDA4XOB-dUNVlFUVRMQUVBMzhPWVpRNjNFODQ1OUlaTy4u)

Join RCPA as we host the 2025 Annual Conference Striving to Thrive from September 9 – 12 at the Hershey Lodge. The event is a highlight for the Pennsylvania behavioral health, brain injury, children’s, intellectual and developmental disabilities, medical rehabilitation, and physical disabilities and aging provider communities. RCPA staff and the Conference Committee are excited to release this year’s Sponsors, Exhibitors, and Advertiser Brochure, which features new opportunities to get in on the action and network with providers. Booth self-selection will also be available for exhibitors and exhibiting sponsors. In order to be considered for self-selection, a completed contract with payment must be submitted.

Network and Compete in Connections Hall
Connections Hall activities take place during the two busiest days of the conference, and many networking opportunities are available throughout the event. You’ll also be able to compete and have a chance to win “Best of Show!”

Exciting New Sponsorship Opportunities
RCPA is privileged to have the backing of the finest organizations in the field for our conference. Through the use of sponsorship circles, RCPA is able to honor all supporting organizations.

Sign Up Now!
Sponsors, exhibitors, and advertisers who wish to be listed on the website, the mobile app, and in the conference program must submit all materials by August 20.

The association looks forward to welcoming you at the conference! Space and opportunities are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis, and no reservation is considered complete without payment. If questions remain, please contact Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator.

Tomorrow, February 5, the House Human Services Committee will hold a second informational meeting on the treatment and support for Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI). The meeting will be held at 9:00 am in Room G-50 in the Irvis Office Building of the Capitol.

The hearing will include testimony to be provided by the PA Department of Health, NeuroRestorative, Woods Services, Penn State Health, and Penn State College of Medicine. Following the testimony from the panelists, they will receive questions from the members of the Committees.

The meeting will be livestreamed, which can be accessed from the Human Services website here.

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Photo by Glodi Miessi on Unsplash

The RCPA Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee invites you to join us in a celebration of Black History Month! Black History Month at work is a great opportunity to foster inclusivity, celebrate diversity, and recognize the contributions of Black individuals to history, culture, and society.

This year’s Black History Month Theme is African Americans and Labor.

Here are some ideas as you create a thoughtful and engaging program that educates, inspires, and honors the achievements of the Black community!

  • Sponsor Learning: Offer funded scholarships for team members interested in learning more about Black History. Have applicants submit an event, budget, and rationale for requested events (examples: attend a play, concert, poetry reading, or documentary).
  • Volunteer: Volunteer with Black-led charities or non-profit organizations as a team. Provide paid time off or complete during scheduled work hours if possible.
  • Support Black-owned businesses: Buy lunch from a Black-owned restaurant or purchase items for the office from a Black-owned business. Promote economic empowerment.
  • Donate to anti-racism charities: Choose an anti-racism charity to donate to as a team. Clearly communicate the choice and why.
  • Host a speaker series: Invite a speaker to discuss Black history and culture, or a social justice activist to discuss racial justice. Feature a speaker who can share stories/experiences that center around Black identity and/or how to promote diversity.
  • Host a Black author book club: Create a book club focused on Black authors and their works.
  • Host a film screening: Screen documentaries or movies to learn about Black History.
  • Black History Trivia: Host a Black History trivia event. Help your team learn more about Black history in a fun, exciting way.

The RCPA DE&I Committee would love to know how your organization is celebrating this month! Send you organization’s event summary and photos to Cindi Hobbes.

Message from ANCOR:

A second federal judge has blocked the freeze on federal spending noticed earlier in the week through a memo from OMB.

The order directs the Trump Administration not to “pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate defendants’ compliance with awards and obligations to provide federal financial assistance to the states, and defendants shall not impede the states’ access to such awards and obligations” until further arguments can be heard.

The order does not prevent the review of federal programs, only the freeze on federal spending during the review. The OMB memo was rescinded prior to the issuance of the order, but the judge expressed earlier in the week that he was not persuaded that withdrawing the memo removed the underlying harm.

A hearing is expected Monday on the previous restraining order issued earlier in the week. We’ll keep you posted as we learn more.

Lydia Dawson, JD
ANCOR | Vice President of Government Relations
571-932-5375