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HARRISBURG, PA — A bipartisan group of Pennsylvania lawmakers joined members of the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association (RCPA), the Commonwealth’s largest health and human services trade association, at a press conference at the state Capitol in support of vital disability and human service programs. These programs serve millions of Pennsylvanians annually and play a transformative role in their lives.

At the March 26 press conference, RCPA and lawmakers pushed for continued funding and improved payment models, including Medicaid capitation, as well as decreasing administrative burden in the safety net system, as part of any final 2025/26 budget adopted by the General Assembly. These initiatives will help improve services and make the system work better for everyone. They also highlighted the need to invest in the workforce, ensuring strong support for licensed clinicians, direct support professionals, counselors, case managers and support/service coordinators, and peers.

Richard S. Edley, PhD, President and CEO of RCPA, spoke on behalf of members and those who rely on health and human services. Fady Sahhar, MBA, PhD, RCPA Director of Physical Disabilities & Aging, also communicated the need for Medicaid preservation and continued funding.

Richard S. Edley, PhD, President & CEO Fady Sahhar, MBA, PhD, Director of PD&A

RCPA members also raised their voices to stress the importance of not only maintaining but improving the systems in place. Speakers included Melva Fair, an RCPA Board Member and CEO of Community Living and Support Services (CLASS), and Annie Smith, Director of Early Intervention at RCPA member Strawberry Fields. Also in attendance were RCPA Board Members Susan Coyle of Chartiers Center and Gretchen Kelly of PLEA.

Melva Fair Annie Smith Susan Coyle and Gretchen Kelly

Representatives from both sides of the aisle in the House and Senate spoke in agreement with RCPA’s message, voicing continued support for vital services in Pennsylvania.

Representative Doyle Heffley Representative Joseph Hohenstein Senator Tim Kearney

Last but not least, RCPA thanks everyone who attended this year’s Capitol Day. Your support and presence made this year one of our most successful press conferences to date!

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Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

CARF International requests feedback on their newly released standards for disorders of consciousness. These standards were created with input from the field, and CARF is interested in feedback from providers and other stakeholders. You are invited to share within your network including with families/caregivers and those with lived experience.

Questions can be directed to:
Terrence Carolan, MSPT, MBA
Managing Director | Medical Rehabilitation and Aging Services
CARF International

Provide Feedback Here

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared communication ODPANN 25-033 to announce that new live case study sessions for the Administrative Review (AR) Course are now available.

All entities that complete investigations are required to conduct the AR process as outlined in the AR Manual. This course is offered as an opportunity to support entities to complete high-quality ARs that help mitigate risks to individuals receiving services.

There are two parts to the course:
Part 1: The Online Module, which includes three (3) units and a quiz; and
Part 2: A live case study session held on Zoom.

The AR course page can be accessed by visiting AR Training and logging into MyODP.

The online module is a prerequisite to the virtual case study session. Once the online module, including all three units and the quiz, are successfully completed, registration will be available for the virtual case study session. Registration is accessed from the same course page. Registration for the case study sessions is currently scheduled for Wednesday, June 11 (1:00 pm – 4:00 pm) and Wednesday, August 13 (9:00 am – 12:00 pm).

Please view the communication for additional information and details.

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Photo by Unseen Studio on Unsplash

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared that registration for the Certified Investigator (CI) Initial Certification Course is now open. Classes available are for the May – August 2025 CI Initial Certification Course classes (also known as cohorts). Register now at MyODP’s website, and review communication ODPANN 25-031 for registration information and additional details.

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Harrisburg, USA - May 24, 2017: Pennsylvania capitol interior dome colorful ceiling in city with American Flags

Join RCPA for our 2025 Capitol Day, which will be held Wednesday, March 26. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to advocate for yourselves and those you serve by meeting with legislators directly! We will hold a press conference in the Main Rotunda between 10:00 am – 11:00 am. The following legislators and leaders in the Health and Human Services arena will be speaking:

  • Richard S. Edley, PhD, President/CEO, RCPA;
  • Fady Sahhar, MBA, PhD, Director, Physical Disabilities & Aging Division, RCPA;
  • Melva Fair, CEO, Community Living and Support Services;
  • Annie Smith, Director of Early Intervention, Strawberry Fields;
  • Representative Doyle Heffley (R-Carbon);
  • Representative Joseph Hohenstein (D-Philadelphia);
  • Senator Michele Brooks (R-Crawford/Lawrence/Mercer); and
  • Senator Tim Kearney (D-Delaware).

If you haven’t done so yet, you can register for our Capitol Day press conference by contacting Christine Tartaglione. Please let us know if additional staff or colleagues within your organization are planning to attend Capitol Day with you.

RCPA requests that members schedule appointments with their Senate and House legislators directly to discuss the state budget, legislation, and regulations after our press conference. If you have scheduled meetings, please contact Jack Phillips with details, as we can provide some level of coordination. RCPA will provide policy specific materials at the rally, including the RCPA 2025 Legislative Priorities.

As an additional resource, members can visit the Pennsylvania Capitol website to locate parking and view maps of the building. If you have questions regarding our 2025 Capitol Day, please contact Jack Phillips.

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Photo by Markus Winkler from Pexels

Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association (RCPA) has reached a new milestone of more than 400 members! Since its inception eleven years ago, the association has continued to steadily grow. We are excited about the success of the association, not just in terms of the number of members, but also the team we have put together to support this increase.

“Our ability to reach this milestone is a direct result of several factors: our advocacy and work, but also our members recommending RCPA membership to other agencies and organizations,” Richard S. Edley, PhD, President and CEO, shared. “To be clear, this isn’t just about numbers. We strategically set out to be large and diverse, so we can be a strong voice on behalf of our members. Having members and staff in every district in PA, across a range of health and human services and touching so many individuals and families, is meaningful and impactful.”

Do you know an organization that would benefit from RCPA membership? Please contact Tieanna Lloyd, Membership Services/Business Partnerships Manager. The RCPA Board of Directors and Staff thank all of you for your continued support of the association!

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