Commissioners Ask for Help to Support ‘Crumbling Mental Health System’
House Panel Approves Bill Addressing Behavioral Health Patients
Nearly Two-Thirds of Family Members of COVID Patients in ICU Show Signs of PTSD: Study
OMHSAS Releases New Waiver Submission Process
DDAP Highlights Treatment Resources in Recognition of National Alcohol Awareness Month
The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) is highlighting the increased prevalence of alcohol misuse, alcohol use disorder (AUD), and available treatment options during National Alcohol Awareness Month.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA), an estimated 95,000 people die from alcohol-related causes annually, making alcohol the third-leading preventable cause of death in the United States. The NIAA also reports that less than 4 percent of people with AUD were prescribed a medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat their disorder. Additionally, DDAP data shows that treatment admissions for alcohol as the primary substance accounted for almost 33 percent of all treatment admissions across Pennsylvania last year.
Read the press release for information on treatment resources.
2022 Virtual Everyday Lives Conference — Registration is Now Open!
2022 Virtual Everyday Lives Conference
An Everyday Life in a Changing World: A Focus on Wellness and Resilience
The Pennsylvania Office of Developmental Programs invites you to register for the 2022 Virtual Everyday Lives Conference! The Everyday Lives Conference seeks to provide valuable information to individuals with an intellectual disability and/or autism, their families, and support professionals to help empower individuals to live their ideal everyday lives.
Registration
The conference is free for individuals and families and $50 for professionals. Registration allows access to all virtual conference sessions. To register online, go to the Everyday Lives website and visit the Registration tab.
Conference Lineup
The conference lineup, including presenters and presentation topics, is now available to view under the Schedule tab.
Conference Dates and Tracks
May 17, 2022
Communication and Connection
May 24–25, 2022
Community of Practice for Supporting Families
Regional Collaborative Summit
June 1, 2022
Supportive Technology
June 8–9, 2022
Dual Diagnosis
June 16, 2022
Employment
RCPA Capitol Day is Back — May 24!
RCPA will be hosting our 2022 Capitol Day on Tuesday, May 24. We will have a press conference and rally on the steps of the Capitol outside the Main Rotunda between 12:30 pm–1:30 pm. Please register here to indicate you will be attending the event.
State government impacts every RCPA member’s business and services; therefore, RCPA encourages all members to schedule as many appointments as possible with their Senate and House legislators to discuss the state budget, legislation, and regulations. During legislative meetings, members should highlight how the state budget, legislation, and regulations affect the day-to-day operations of your business and how government overreach affects services you provide to consumers. Please notify Jack Phillips of the appointments you have scheduled. RCPA staff will be available on-site to assist.
If you have questions or need assistance regarding our 2022 Capitol Day, please contact Jack Phillips. We look forward to seeing you there!
Keeping Pennsylvania’s Children Safe From Abuse and Neglect
PA ABLE Turns 5! — Message from PATF
PA ABLE Turns 5!
Please join PATF in celebrating the fifth anniversary of the PA ABLE Savings Program.
PA ABLE helps Pennsylvanians with disabilities and their families save safely.
Since the first PA ABLE accounts opened five years ago, Pennsylvanians have saved nearly $72 million for current and future expenses, including assistive technology, education, housing, transportation, health care, financial management, and more.
The program provides a tax-free way to save without affecting eligibility for critical means-tested benefits such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) (up to $100,000) or Medical Assistance.
Learn how to set up an ABLE account here.
“Having the ability to save through the ABLE program provides an opportunity for people with disabilities to escape the cycle of poverty that is so often their reality. The ABLE program can make it possible for people with disabilities to be empowered to have greater control over their financial future.”
– Susan Tachau, PATF CEO
This month, our CEO, Susan Tachau, joined PA Treasurer Stacy Garrity, Senator Lisa Baker (R-20), Sherri Landis of The ARC of PA, and other disability advocates in Harrisburg to mark PA ABLE’s fifth anniversary. Read the full News Release.
PATF’s Financial Capability Resources
April is Financial Capability Month so now is a great time to check out our interactive and accessible financial education website. The website is a companion to our book, Cents and Sensibility: A Guide to Money Management. Explore our financial education resources.
Financial education is the key for living independently and access to this information is crucial. With these financial capability tools, people have a solid foundation for success.
In recognition of our financial education work, we were awarded the Non-Profit Organization of the Year 2021 Excellence in Financial Literacy Education (EIFLE) Award.
Planning for the Future
PATF’s Board of Directors adopted a three-year Strategic Plan Framework, placing equal focus on our four programs: financial loans, information and assistance, financial education, and advocacy.
Additionally, PATF is working on succession planning as CEO Susan Tachau will be transitioning to a new role as Innovations Officer at PATF in September.
PATF has also launched a DEI+A initiative, which includes an internal audit, recommendations for individual and organizational growth, and learning sessions on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility.
Smart Homes Made Simple Webinar Draws International Attention
In 2021, we published Smart Homes Made Simple: Your Guide to Smart Home Technology and launched Smart Homes Made Simple to help the disability community learn about mainstream smart home devices and how they can be financed. In March of this year, PATF hosted a smart home webinar, Real Life Stories: Using Smart Home Technology for Independence, with more than 500 attendees from around the world!
Upcoming Events
The Center for Independent Living of Central PA is hosting a free Youth-Adult Wheelchair Basketball Clinic on Saturday, May 14. PATF’s Outreach Director, Wendy Davis, will be there and can talk more about how PATF can help people with purchasing adapted sports equipment. Learn more about this event.
Disability Pride PA kicks off Disability Pride Philadelphia Week with a flag-raising at City Hall on Monday, June 6 at 3:00 pm. The parade takes place on Saturday, June 11. Get more details.
The Technology Enhancing Capabilities Virtual Conference will be held on Wednesday, June 22. PATF CEO Susan Tachau will be joined by Michael Anderson, Alexa Brill, and George Russo, as they discuss how they use smart home technology to live safer and with greater independence. Additional information.
IPRC Webinar: Understanding an Infant Mental Health-Informed Approach to Care Delivery — June 8
Understanding an Infant Mental Health-Informed Approach to Care Delivery:
Optimizing Relational Health in Young Children With Medical and Developmental Complexity Through Safe Nurturing Environments Within the Hospital and at Home
Wednesday, June 8, 2022
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm EDT, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm CDT,
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm MDT, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm PDT
Edith Chernoff, MD
Amelia Miller, MS
Laura Kahan, M.Ed
Speaker Bios:
Edith Jacobson Chernoff, MD, is a practicing, board-certified pediatrician at La Rabida Children’s Hospital, a children’s hospital dedicated to children with chronic disease and developmental disorders, where she is medical director of outpatient services. Dr. Chernoff is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics’ section of academic pediatrics at the University of Chicago and a board-certified clinical geneticist. She is medical consultant for Early Intervention CFC#10. Her interests are in Medical Home for children with medical complexity, genetic disorders, patient and family quality of life, and patient safety/quality improvement.
Amelia Miller serves as the Premier Kids Program Lead & Infant Mental Health Specialist at La Rabida Children’s Hospital. She received her Master’s in Child Development along with a specialization in Infancy from Erikson Institute in Chicago, IL. Amelia pursued further specialization with the Infant Mental Health Certificate program at Erikson Institute, completed in 2015. She received her certification from Parent-Child Relationship Programs as a trainer of the Keys to Caregiving & NCAST Parent Child Interaction tools. Amelia also practices as a DIR practitioner and an Infant Massage Instructor.
Laura Kahan is the section chief of Infant Development in the Developmental & Rehabilitative Services Department at La Rabida Children’s Hospital in Chicago. She holds a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Development, with an Infancy Specialization, from Erikson Institute in Chicago, IL, and an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Credential from the Illinois Association for Infant Mental Health. She has been a practicing Developmental Therapist in the Illinois Early Intervention system since 2004 and is a Certified Infant Massage Instructor. Laura has over 25 years’ experience supporting underserved parents and children in Chicago.
Objectives:
At the end of the session, the learner will:
- Discuss how infant attachment affects development into adulthood and how traumatic events, including medical trauma, adversely affect brain development and the ability to interact and learn.
- Review the design of an inpatient program using a specially trained rehabilitation team and validated assessment tools to support healthy parent–child attachment to enhance child development.
- Learn how a primary care medical home for children with medical complexities embedded mental health care into the program through use of screenings and specialty sessions during and outside of primary care visits.
- Review changes made to care delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic, including successes and failures.
- Explore findings on quality of life ratings from families receiving care and discuss how these findings were used to enhance program offerings and improve family supports.
Audience: This webinar is intended for all members of the rehabilitation team, including medical staff, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, licensed psychologists, mental health professionals, and other interested professionals.
Level: Intermediate
Certificate of Attendance: Certificates of attendance are available for all attendees. No CEs are provided for this course.
Registration: Registration is complimentary for members of IPRC/RCPA. Registration fee for non-members is $179. Not a member yet? Consider joining today. Multiple registrations per organization are permitted.
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