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Tags Posts tagged with "Focus Group"

Focus Group

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is hosting a series of discussion boards and focus groups focused on 1-person licensed residential homes. The discussion boards will be online forums open for 48 hours, allowing participants to log in and out at their convenience throughout the two-day period. Total participation time is expected to be about 2 – 3 hours, and the forums will be semi-anonymous (participants will be identified only by first name). Focus groups will follow the discussion boards and will be scheduled at a later date.

ODP continues to seek participants for the DSP and family stakeholder group. Interested individuals should submit their name, agency (if applicable), and contact information to ODP’s Executive Assistant Jordan Kembel electronically.

Stakeholder Groups & Dates

DSP Group

Discussion Board Dates: December 4 – 5, 2025
ODP is seeking DSPs who:

  • Support individuals in 1-person homes and can share their experiences, successes, and challenges;
  • Have helped individuals transition from 1-person to 2+ person homes; and
  • Support individuals with significant behavioral support needs in 2+ person homes.

Family Group

Discussion Board Dates: December 11 – 12, 2025
ODP is seeking family members who have a loved one living in a 1-person licensed home and are willing to share their perspectives and experiences.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is hosting a series of discussion boards and focus groups focused on 1-person licensed residential homes. These sessions are designed to gather input from a variety of stakeholder perspectives, including providers, direct support professionals (DSP), family members, and self-advocates.

The discussion boards will be online forums open for 48 hours, allowing participants to log in and out at their convenience throughout the two-day period. Total participation time is expected to be about 2 – 3 hours, and the forums will be semi-anonymous (participants will be identified only by first name).

Focus groups will follow the discussion boards and will be scheduled at a later date.

How to Participate
Interested individuals should submit their name, agency, and contact information to Tim Sohosky no later than October 20, 2025. Agencies may designate representatives for more than one stakeholder group.

Stakeholder Groups & Dates

Provider Group
Discussion Board Dates: December 1 – 2, 2025
ODP seeks provider representatives who can share insights on:

  • Factors contributing to individuals being supported in 1-person licensed homes;
  • Approaches to successfully supporting individuals with significant behavioral needs in 2+ person homes;
  • Successes and challenges in managing 1-person homes; and
  • Strategies for introducing roommates and supporting transitions to multi-person homes.

ODP aims for balanced representation across agency roles (program, executive, clinical), geographic regions (urban/rural), and provider size (small, medium, large).

DSP Group
Discussion Board Dates: December 4 – 5, 2025
ODP is seeking DSPs who:

  • Support individuals in 1-person homes and can speak to their experiences, successes, and challenges;
  • Have helped individuals transition from 1-person to 2+ person homes; and
  • Support individuals with significant behavioral support needs in 2+ person homes.

Family Group
Discussion Board Dates: December 11 – 12, 2025
ODP is seeking family members who have a loved one living in a 1-person licensed home and are willing to share their perspectives and experiences.

Self-Advocate Group
Focus Group (Virtual): Date TBD
ODP is seeking self-advocates who:

  • Currently live in a 1-person licensed home, OR
  • Have transitioned into or out of a 1-person home from a 2+ person setting.

For questions or to submit interest, please contact Tim Sohosky by October 20, 2025.

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Young Girl Talking With Counselor At Home

RCPA is eager to support our partner, Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children (PPC), with Casey Family Programs as they look to facilitate community engagement sessions aimed at elevating the lived experiences of those parents and caregivers who have been involved with the Child Welfare System. The purpose would be to learn what policies and practices can focus on primary prevention, family support, and reduction of out-of-home placement. PPC is looking to identify providers who have access to parents and caregivers with a history of formal involvement with the child welfare system through either a referral, in-home services, or placement. The parent or caregiver cannot have current involvement with a county child welfare agency.

The focus group would be coordinated between the provider and PPC and would take approximately 2 hours. Parents and caregivers will be compensated for their time.

We hope our members can support PPC efforts in engaging potential parents in this initiative. If interested, or if you have any questions, contact Policy Director Rachael Miller or RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp.

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Please help the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Family Health find out what is needed to support transition age youth with special health care needs/disabilities. The Bureau is working with PEAL to outreach to families and will be asking questions about transition planning, bullying, safe relationships, and reproductive health and sexuality.

A $25 Gift Card will be provided per family. We are looking for young adults (12–21) to participate by themselves and also for young adults to participate with their family member to support communication. You can view the flyer for more details here.

Registration for Youth Only
If you are younger than 18, please ask your parent/guardian to register with you.
REGISTER

Registration for Youth Attending with Parent/Family Caregiver
REGISTER

You will need to fill out a form to receive your $25 gift card. If you are ages 12–17 and participating alone in the focus group, you will need parent signatures to receive a gift card and a release form to participate. The links to complete the forms below. Please save and send to Mary Hartley, whose contact information is also below.

If you need any accommodations, support, or have questions, please contact Mary Hartley via email or call (412) 281-4404, ext. 208. We are happy to help!

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