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Tags Posts tagged with "PA Office of Developmental Programs"

PA Office of Developmental Programs

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With the recent increase of individuals contracting measles, Dr. Gregory Cherpes from the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has issued a health alert. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): “From January 1 to May 3, 2019, 764 individual cases of measles have been confirmed in 23 states. This is the greatest number of cases reported in the US since 1994 and since measles was declared eliminated in 2000.” Pennsylvania is among the states confirming new cases of measles.

What is Measles:
Measles is a highly contagious virus that lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person. The symptoms of measles generally appear about 7 to 14 days after a person is infected. The measles rash usually starts first as flat red spots on the face. These spots may increase in number and connect spreading down the neck and body. Small raised bumps may form on the flat red spots.

Measles symptoms typically include:

  • High fever
  • Cough
  • Runny nose
  • Red watery eyes (conjunctivitis)
  • Rash breaks out 3–5 days after symptoms begin

Are Measles Serious? 
Measles can be serious at all ages, but children less than 5 and adults over 20 are more likely to have complications. Complications include:

  • Ear infection that can result in permanent hearing loss.
  • Diarrhea requiring hospitalization.
  • Pneumonia – this is the most common cause of death in children.
  • Swelling of the brain – that may lead to brain damage.
  • Pregnant women may have their babies early and the baby’s weight may be low.
  • Of every 1,000 people who get measles 1–2 of them will die.

How do Measles Spread to Other People?

  • Infected people can spread measles to others from 4 days before through 4 days after the rash appears.
  • It can spread to others through coughing and sneezing.
  • When someone sneezes or coughs the virus can live for up to 2 hours in the air.
  • If other people breathe the contaminated air or touch the infected surface, then touch their eyes, noses, or mouths, they can become infected.
  • Up to 90% of the people close to an infected person who have not been vaccinated against measles will also become infected.

Can Measles be Prevented? 
Receiving the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccination can prevent measles. See your health care provider for more information related to the measles vaccination.

For more information, visit:

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ODP Announcement 19-053 announces the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) and the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) are relaunching the Positive Approaches Journal, written by and for professionals who provide supports and services to individuals with mental and behavioral health challenges, intellectual disabilities, autism, and other developmental disabilities.

The Positive Approaches Journal seeks to improve lives by increasing knowledge and capacity of professionals that provide supports and services to individuals currently utilizing services within the ODP and OMHSAS systems. The articles will be written using the guiding principles of Everyday Lives, Child and Adolescent Service System Program (CASSP), System of Care, and the Resilience and Recovery Movement in mind. Through case studies, articles, interviews, and related academic sources, the Positive Approaches Journal will strive to feature resources, observations, and advancements that are relevant and timely to professionals and supporters of human service systems.

The new version of the Positive Approaches Journal will include Data Discoveries, useful data presented in ways that are interesting and customizable. Data presented will be focused on a topic related to each issue theme. This “new” journal will be published quarterly and will be available in digital form online. Please submit any questions via email.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) Announcement 19-051 is intended to provide additional guidance to AEs, SCOs, and direct service providers related to the new service definitions, provider service offerings for new services, contract creation for new services, and P/FDS cap exceptions for FY 2019-2020.

ODP issued Announcement “19-030: 2019-20 Fiscal Year (FY) Renewal Guidance” on March 10, 2019.This second communication is intended to provide clarification on how new services are treated in HCSIS; P/FDS cap exceptions and the rate load.

There are three (3) Appendices with this communication. They are as follows:

  • APPENDIX A: HCSIS Behavior for New Services (Diagram);
  • APPENDIX B: Services Considered “New” in HCSIS for Fiscal Year 2019-2020; and
  • APPENDIX C: Employment Services Specialty Changes for FY 2019-2020.

The following are treated as “new” services in HCSIS:

  • When a new provider type/specialty combination is added to an existing service in HCSIS (e., for FY 2019-2020, this applies to most employment services);
  • When a previously used procedure code is end-dated then re-added to HCSIS with a different service name (e., for FY 2019-2020, this applies to the CPS services that were previously 100% community in FY 2018-2019 and Homemaker services); or
  • When a completely new procedure code is added to HCSIS (e., for FY 2019-2020, this applies to all new CPS facility services and the new Chore service).

When a service is considered “new” in HCSIS, a provider service offering needs to be created before it’s available for SC selection. Service offerings are typically created manually by providers; however, in some circumstances, the HCSIS technical vendor will automate services this time. These changes will be visible in HCSIS on May 9, 2019. Please see the ODP Announcement for details regarding this process.

Approved Individual P/FDS Cap Exceptions Will Continue: Individuals who are currently approved for a P/FDS cap exception and are still enrolled in the P/FDS waiver will continue to be exempt from the P/FDS cap for FY 2019-2020. The exception process is intended to preserve the service plan (the types and amount of service) as it existed on June 30, 2019. Individuals approved for the exception cannot have services added, expanded, or authorized that would result in exceeding their approved individual exception cap.

Cap Exceptions for Community Participation Supports (CPS) or Transportation Trip: When an ISP is projected to exceed the P/FDS cap as a direct result of rate changes to CPS services or Transportation Trip, a request for an exception can be made to ensure there is no reduction in services.

Contact Carol Ferenz, RCPA IDD Division Director, with questions.

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ODP Announcement 19-050 serves to inform all interested parties about several critical changes and upcoming dates. The June 30, 2019 deadline for the mandatory transition to online training has been extended. This extension is to allow for completion and review of upcoming changes and enhancements to the system. A new deadline will be set at a future date.

Important infrastructural changes to the Medication Administration Training Program will take place June 28, 2019 through Friday, August 9, 2019, which will cause an outage on all websites related to Medication Administration Training. The outage is scheduled to begin at 12:00 am Friday, June 28. Working on the system during this outage could cause work to be lost.

The specific sites affected are:

Please click on one of the following links for updates on this outage:

After the outage has concluded you will be able to use the above links to learn how to access the updated sites.

Students should begin the online Medication Administration Course no later than June 14, 2019. Students must successfully complete the online course and all online quizzes and exams by 5:00 pm on June 27. Anyone not finished by that time will lose access to coursework until the course re-opens on August 9, 2019. Certified trainers will be able to continue to request the paper exam and the manual links to the course during this outage. Submit your requests to this email address.

Train the Trainer classes will be offered this summer. The trainer candidate will need to finish the Train the Trainer courses prior to 5:00 pm on June 27 in order to register for July or early August classes.

For more detailed information, see ODP Announcement 19-050, referenced above.

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