ISAC Annual Report for 2021 is Now Published
2021
Registration Still Open for 2021 Virtual PA Psychostimulant Symposium
There is still time to register for the 2021 virtual Psychostimulant Symposium. With the increase in stimulant and polysubstance use in the commonwealth, the symposium, which is being held December 1–2, will serve as a platform to learn the dangers associated with the misuse of psychostimulants while discovering tactics for preventing widespread psychostimulant use disorder, protecting individuals and communities, and providing effective treatment. Attendance is free, but registration is required.
More information, including registration, is available here. Questions about the symposium should be emailed here.
Foothold Technology Presents “Change Management” Webinar on November 2, 2021
RCPA Workforce Survey Closes Today — Monday, October 18, 2021
RCPA will close the workforce survey at close of business today, Monday, October 18, 2021. The survey, which is open to all Human Service Providers in Pennsylvania, covers workforce issues for a diverse range of programs, including Mental Health, IDD/Autism, Brain Injury, Drug & Alcohol, and Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRF). The survey responses seek to gather data related to hiring, retention, vacancy rates, pay structures, vaccinations, and COVID-19 impacts on programs as well as access to care associated with the pandemic.
We thank you for your time in completing this survey. We will begin the survey analysis of the survey outcomes and will complete a report for distribution to our General Assembly, state stakeholders, members and participants.
Please complete the survey here. If you have any questions, please contact RCPA Director of Children’s Services Jim Sharp.
Congratulations to PATF’s Susan Tachau for Receiving 2021 Ned Gramlich Lifetime Achievement Award!
Reminder: Save the Date for ADRD Virtual Forum 2021
Inside Aging — October 2021 Newsletter
“Together for Mental Health” — 2021 Mental Illness Awareness Week is Here
PATC is Coming Up Next Week! Register Today!
2021 Pennsylvania Autism Training Conference
#PATCIntegrate2021
October 5 – October 7, 2021
Watch this short promo video
REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
Full admission is $10.00 for professionals and allows access to all conference sessions over all three days. Admission is cost-free for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
To register, go to this link and fill out the registration form. Payment can be made by credit card or check. Payment instructions can be found at the bottom of the registration form. For additional information about the conference, and access to resources, personal stories, and other features during the conference, please visit this page on MyODP.
Please see the flyer for additional information.
General questions can be sent here.
Questions about registration?
Email | Telephone: 610.494.8044
ANCOR Issues Findings From 2021 State of America’s Direct Support Workforce Crisis Survey
Message from ANCOR:
New research finds COVID-19 pandemic further decimating a direct care workforce in crisis.
Like you, we have long understood that the direct support workforce crisis our community has grappled with for years can be traced directly to long-standing underinvestment in community-based I/DD services. We have also long suspected—though couldn’t say for certain—that the onset of new pressures and hazards wrought by the pandemic has significantly exacerbated challenges related to recruitment and retention. 
Unfortunately, we now have stark evidence to confirm what we believed was true: the direct support workforce crisis has been made much, much worse by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is a key takeaway from ANCOR’s newest research, which we published this morning.
The State of America’s Direct Support Workforce Crisis 2021 summarizes the findings of ANCOR’s survey of providers, which we fielded for a five-week period beginning in August 2021. The survey, which followed up on our 2020 research, garnered 449 responses and sought to understand the human and financial impact of the direct support workforce crisis. The survey measured the same dimensions we asked about in 2020, along with additional measures targeted specifically to the impact of COVID-19 on DSP hiring and retention.
Key findings from ANCOR’s 2021 State of America’s Direct Support Workforce Crisis survey include that:
- 77% of providers are turning away new referrals, a 16.7% increase since the beginning of the pandemic.
- 58% of providers are discontinuing programs and services, a 70.6% increase since the beginning of the pandemic.
- 81% of providers are struggling to achieve quality standards, a 17.4% increase since the beginning of the pandemic.
- Nearly 3 in 10 providers report spending at least $500,000 annually on costs associated with high turnover and vacancy rates.
- 92% of providers report that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to complicate their ability to recruit and retain qualified direct support professionals.
To say the least, these results are troubling. But for those of us committed to moving beyond the direct care workforce crisis once and for all, it is imperative that we understand the true impacts of the crisis and the ways in which it is colliding with the COVID-19 pandemic. For these reasons, we invite you to download The State of America’s Direct Support Workforce Crisis 2021 and read lead author Lydia Dawson’s analysis today.
Download the State of America’s Direct Support Workforce 2021 issue brief today.
