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Tags Posts tagged with "Listening Session"

Listening Session

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Photo by Larry Crayton on Unsplash

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) recently launched an initiative focused on improving the outcomes that matter most: meeting the needs of children and families and keeping children safe. The goals of the initiative are to make sure that children and families have access to the support and services they need for children to grow and thrive in a safe home, reduce involvement with the child welfare system, and support successful transition out for those already involved in the child welfare system.

DHS Secretary Val Arkoosh invites you to upcoming listening sessions, where more details about the initiative will be shared. As part of these sessions, DHS will be seeking your feedback on this initiative, particularly involving actionable ideas around prevention, diversion, crisis intervention, and once involved, what is needed to successfully transition out of the child welfare system. An overview of the initiative can be found here. Please review these slides prior to the session.

Your voice matters, and your input will help shape the future of child welfare in our Commonwealth. We look forward to hearing from you and working together to support children and families across Pennsylvania.

How to Participate:

The PA Children and Families Initiative will host four public listening sessions. DHS encourages you to register for the session that corresponds to your region (see schedule below). However, if you are unable to attend your region’s designated session, you may register for another session that better fits your schedule.

There are two ways to provide feedback during the listening sessions:

  • You may submit comments using the chat function at any point during the session.
  • You may register to speak during the event. Each speaking slot is limited to two (2) minutes per participant. To maximize speaking opportunities, we ask that individuals (or organizations or providers) only sign up to speak at one (1) listening session. Speakers are also invited to contribute additional comments in the chat if two (2) minutes is not sufficient.

Speaking slots are limited and will be allocated as time allows. If you wish to speak, please indicate your interest in the registration form. After you register, you will receive an invitation to attend the session. Please note that only registered participants will be able to attend the event. Speakers will receive a confirmation email with further details.

Webinar Sessions: Please visit the link for your preferred session to register.

  • Central Region | Tuesday, September 23 | 2:00 pm [Register Here]
    • Counties Served: Adams, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Somerset, Union, York
  • Western Region | Friday, September 26 | 1:00 pm [Register Here]
    • Counties Served: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Greene, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Venango, Warren, Washington, Westmoreland
  • Southeast Region | Monday, September 29 | 2:30 pm [Register Here]
    • Counties Served: Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia
  • Northeast Region | Tuesday, September 30 | 3:30 pm [Register Here]
    • Counties Served: Bradford, Carbon, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Northampton, Pike, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wayne, Wyoming

Your feedback is essential to this initiative, and DHS looks forward to your participation!

Please contact Emma Sharp with any questions.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared ODPANN 25-017. This communication announces that ODP will be holding two webinars to give all stakeholders and interested persons the opportunity to voice ideas for updating and improving the Adult Autism Waiver (AAW). ODP will take this opportunity to listen to stakeholders and use this input for the AAW 2026 renewal process, effective July 1, 2026.

Please review the announcement for additional information and details.

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Photo by Headway on Unsplash

The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) will be hosting two public Listening Sessions to seek input from stakeholders as it prepares to apply to the Rehabilitation Services Administration for a competitive discretionary grant. The public is invited to attend and share comments. CART and ASL services will be available.

Listening Sessions

  1. Wednesday, May 11, 2022, from 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm EST
    May 11 Listening Session Zoom Registration
  2. Thursday, May 12, 2022, from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EST
    May 12 Listening Session Zoom Registration

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Grant Information

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) was issued to support innovative activities aimed at increasing Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE), as defined in section 7 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act) (Gov Regs Definitions), for youth and other individuals with disabilities.

The priority of the grant is: Subminimum Wage to Competitive Integrated Employment (SWTCIE) Innovative Model Demonstration Project. The project seeks model demonstration projects designed to develop, implement, refine, evaluate, and disseminate, for easy adoption, new or substantially improved model strategies or programs to transition individuals in subminimum wage employment into CIE in any one of the following 6 topic areas:

  1. Essential Workers;
  2. Green Job Workers;
  3. Home and Community-Based Service Workers;
  4. Arts;
  5. Transportation Industry and Related Industry Workers; or
  6. Field-Initiated: Field initiated projects will identify and implement innovative strategies that assist SWTCIE program participants to secure CIE. A field-initiated project may (1) address innovative topic areas not otherwise included in this notice or (2) combine two or more topic areas described in this notice into one application.

The purpose of this competition is to increase competitive-integrated employment opportunities for students, youth, and adults with disabilities contemplating, actively seeking, or engaged in subminimum wage employment. To achieve this purpose, projects funded under this priority will create innovative models, for dissemination and replication, to:

  1. Identify strategies for addressing challenges associated with access to CIE (e.g., transportation, support services);
  2. Provide integrated services that support CIE;
  3. Support integration into the community through CIE;
  4. Identify and coordinate wrap-around services for any individual served by the project who obtains CIE;
  5. Develop evidence-based practices and share those practices with other entities holding 14(c) certificates, State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies, local rehabilitation providers, State and local workforce agencies, and regional and local employers; and
  6. Provide entities holding section 14(c) certificates with readily accessible transformative business models for adoption.

Access the OVR Competitive Discretionary Grant Request for Information (RFI) here. The public is invited to also share written comments if unable to attend a listening session. Written comments should be submitted via email with the subject line “12 OVR SWTCIE Discretionary Grant” before 5/10/2022 at 4:00 pm.

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