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Policy Areas

IPRC Webinar Transition Readiness: Strategies to Prepare Pediatric Patients and Their Families for the Next Steps
Thursday, April 6, 2023
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT; 11:00 am – 12:00 pm CDT;
10:00 am – 11:00 am MDT; 9:00 am – 10:00 am PDT
REGISTER

Speakers and Panelists:
Carrie Cuomo, DNP, CPNP
Julie H. Corder, RN, MSN, CNP
Tim Flynn, PT
Kara M. Pickering, MA, CCC-SLP

Speaker Bios:

Carrie Cuomo
Carrie Cuomo, DNP, CPNP, is the Director of Advanced Practice Registered Nurse services in the Pediatric Institute at Cleveland Clinic. She is a clinical provider in the Department of Pediatric Hospital Medicine at Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Cuomo holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Case Western Reserve University, a Master’s Degree from The University of Akron, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree from The University of Akron. She has experience in teaching, nursing leadership, and clinical practice. She was a fellow in the Duke Johnson and Johnson Nurse Leadership program 2014–2015 and 2020–2021. Dr. Cuomo is a member of the National Association of Pediatric Nurses Practitioners and Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurses. She is a Co-Investigator on the Project IMPACTT grant sponsored by HRSA. She serves on the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Council and the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Preceptor Council. Dr. Cuomo’s professional interests are in the area of pediatric to adult transition.

Julie H. Corder
Julie H. Corder is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in the Pediatric Complex Care Clinic at the Cleveland Clinic. This multidisciplinary program cares for pediatric patients with multiple chronic conditions with a dependence on technology. A primary interest and passion for Julie is developing processes to ensure high level care for this population throughout their lifespan as they transition from pediatric to adult care. Julie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from The University of Akron, a Master’s Degree in Nursing from Case Western Reserve University, and was a fellow in the Duke Johnson and Johnson Nurse Leadership program from 2020–2021. Julie is a member of the National Association of Pediatric Nurses Practitioners. She is a Co-Investigator on the Project IMPACTT grant sponsored by HRSA. She serves on the Advanced Practice Credentialing and Privileging Committee for the Cleveland Clinic.

Objectives:
At the end of this session, the learner will:

  • Define the (6) core elements of transition and review how they can be incorporated into practice;
  • Identify tools available to assist providers and examine ways to incorporate them into clinical workflow;
  • Explore one organization’s process to enhance care and assist with the transition of care for young adults to adult providers; and
  • Discuss tools to utilize with clients and families to support transition of services.

Audience: This webinar is intended for all members of the rehabilitation team, including medical staff, nurses, 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.

REGISTER

RCPA congratulates the following RCPA members for being listed among the 2023 Health Care Power 100. This list details individuals who are “framing, influencing and trying to change the conversation around one of Pennsylvania’s most crucial economic sectors, including public officials, hospital and health care executives, nonprofit leaders, union heads, academics and others.” City & State staff recognized the following individuals:

  • Diane S. Hupp of UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh;
  • Jill Bowen of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services;
  • Tom McGough of UPMC;
  • Michelle Trupp of Reading Hospital at Tower Health;
  • Paul DeAngelo of Mission Autism Clinics; and
  • Jennifer Taubert of Johnson & Johnson.

See the full 2023 Health Care Power 100 here.

RCPA invites members to participate in the Coalition for the Mental Health Safety Net meeting on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm. You can register for the meeting here.

The Coalition will also be meeting on the following dates:

  • Wednesday, June 7, 2023 / 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
  • Wednesday, July 12, 2023 / 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

The Coalition is open to all stakeholder groups, and we encourage members to participate in these efforts of joint advocacy in protecting and preserving our mental health service delivery system. If you would like to join the coalition or have any questions, please contact Jim Sharp.

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is inviting leadership professionals from Administrative Entities (AEs), Support Coordination Organizations (SCOs), Providers of Supported Employment Services and Day Habilitation, and Providers of Community Participation Support (CPS) to attend a 1-day Employment Symposium. The Symposium will be held regionally across the Commonwealth on April 25, May 4, and May 12 from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm with a boxed lunch provided.

The goals of the Regional Employment Symposium are to:

  1. Provide a platform for networking, information/resource sharing, and best practices for employer engagement;
  2. Identify strategies for engaging employers on the benefits of hiring people with disabilities using a dual-customer approach; and
  3. Initiate an improvement process by creating goals and best practices to reach and increase employment rates for people with disabilities.

Agenda:

10:00 am – 10:30 am
Opening Remarks by Kristin Ahrens, ODP Deputy Secretary, and Ryan Hyde, Executive Director for the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR)

10:30 am – 11:30 am
Panel discussion featuring an individual from that region with lived employment experience, along with their support team that got them to competitive integrated employment.

11:30 am – 12:00 pm
Small group discussions to network, share experiences of engaging in community integrated employment, resources, and tools.

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Lunch

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Keynote address: Cultivating Relationships With Employers, by Stephen Martynuska. Stephen is a consultant from Sheetz, Inc.

2:00 pm – 2:45 pm
Small group discussion with the opportunity to report out to the larger group on takeaways from the day, as well as sharing resources and tools for engaging employers.

2:45 pm – 3:00 pm
Closing remarks/wrap-up by Kristin Ahrens and Ryan Hyde.


Please register for the location nearest you. Only register for one session. You must complete a Demographics Form before selecting the session you wish to attend, and please identify any dietary restrictions or allergies on your Demographics Form. You must also indicate if you need accommodation(s) as addressed by the Americans With Disabilities Act. Reasonable efforts will be made to meet the need.

Date Venue Registration Closes
April 25, 2023
10:00 am – 3:00 pm
PaTTAN Central
6340 Flank Road
Harrisburg, PA 17112
April 18, 2023
May 4, 2023
10:00 am – 3:00 pm
PaTTAN West
3190 William Pitt Way
Pittsburgh, PA 15238
April 28, 2023
May 12, 2023
10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Bucks County Community College
275 Swamp Road
Newtown, PA 18940
May 6, 2023

There is a limited number of seats at each location, and they will be filled on a first come, first served basis. In addition to your initial registration confirmation, you will receive an email with specific instructions about the location of the symposium one week prior to your scheduled event.

As a reminder, please be respectful of others. If you are not feeling well the day of the event, do not attend. Attendees are encouraged to wear a mask and maintain respectful distance from others so that everyone can participate and feel comfortable.

The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has released the transition plans that outline how the Appendix K flexibilities will be phased out on May 11, 2023, with the end of the Public Health Emergency. The transition plans apply to the Community HealthChoices (CHC) Waiver, OBRA Waiver, and Act 150 program.

Since March 6, 2020, the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has been operating under an Appendix K Emergency Preparedness and Response amendment that was approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Appendix K allowed temporary changes to the CHC Waiver, OBRA waiver, and Act 150 waiver in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.

Effective May 11, 2023, OLTL is discontinuing the emergency flexibilities noted in the attached guidance and is returning to pre-emergency operations. Providers should make any changes that are necessary to resume normal operations and be in compliance by May 11, 2023. Service Coordinators have been instructed to work with participants and providers to ensure a seamless transition to normal operations.

The transition plans have been updated to reflect the new expiration date for the flexibilities. In addition, as a general note, resuming pre-emergency waiver operations means the following:

  • All assessments, including the comprehensive needs assessments and reassessments, must be conducted face-to-face;
  • Service Coordinators must monitor participants and Individual Services Plans (ISPs) through face-to-face contacts; and
  • ISP meetings and development must be conducted face-to-face.

Questions about this information should be directed to the OLTL Provider Helpline at 800-932-0939.

Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash

Through the Lens of Autism: Exploring Priority Areas and Building Support for Everyday Challenges

Through research and experience, we have learned that implementing the right tools can help us be better supporters for people on the autism spectrum. But what are those tools? How do you know what the needs are so you can begin to gather effective resources? This year’s Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) training needs survey asked you to share the top areas of need that people on the autism spectrum experience. As a response to the survey, this seminar will provide a deeper look into a variety of priority areas, including communication, mental health, online safety, and family systems that impact everyday life. We will invite you to join in the conversation and share your experiences, successes, and resources. Together we will expand our understanding of key challenges that people are facing and brainstorm multiple ways to provide effective and meaningful supports.

Please join ODP on one of the dates listed below:
Wednesday, April 12, 2023, from 9:30 am – 1:30 pm
Monday, April 24, 2023, from 11:30 am – 3:30 pm

How to Register:

Visit MyODP and log in to your account. If you do not have an account, you can create one for free. Complete the demographics form. Select the “Microsoft Teams” link for the date you wish to attend and enter your name and email to register. An email confirmation will be sent.

If you have questions, please contact ODP via email with subject line “ASD Seminar.”

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved the Office of Long-Term Living’s (OLTL) OBRA Waiver Amendment. Changes in the approved OBRA Waiver Amendment include:

  • Revised the Benefits Counseling service definition;
  • Amended the responsibilities of the Fiscal/Employer Agent;
  • Updated Appendix H Quality Improvement Strategy to the current process; and
  • Removed performance measure AA-6, as the data in AA-6 is being collected by AA-5.

The current approved OBRA Waiver document can be viewed here. If you have any questions, please contact the OLTL Bureau of Policy Development and Communications Management at (717) 857-3280.