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Children's Services

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Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

Good afternoon,

As you are likely aware, last week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency authorization for the first COVID-19 vaccine. Yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved its use. The below message went out from the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) earlier today; it details Pennsylvania’s current COVID-19 vaccination plan and a request for feedback.

“In recent weeks, the Department of Health has significantly ramped up efforts to prepare for a safe and efficacious vaccine rollout for Pennsylvania. During this preparation, DOH has assembled the Pennsylvania COVID-19 Interim Vaccination Plan. Please note that this is an iterative plan that will be ever evolving as we continue to learn more through our channels of partnership with the federal government. This interim plan is provided as guidance for distribution and administration of the COVID-19 vaccine throughout 66 of the 67 counties in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; it is provided by DOH and its public and private partners. Philadelphia County will receive independent federal funding and is establishing its own COVID-19 vaccination administration plan; however, the department will continue to communicate and cooperate with the public health officials of Philadelphia. The goal of this interim COVID-19 vaccination plan is to provide a transparent strategy to vaccinate all Pennsylvanians who want to be vaccinated so that they can return to everyday activities as quickly and safely as possible.

“Feedback is welcomed and essential throughout our continued administration-wide coordination and collaboration to drive a successful vaccine rollout. The administration is working to create a process and defined space where all stakeholders can send their comments and concerns.

“COVID-19 has changed the way Pennsylvanians connect and support one another. This virus does not discriminate, and what this virus has shown is how interconnected we all are. You all play significant roles in keeping Pennsylvanians safe and healthy. Our vision at the Pennsylvania Department of Health is a healthy Pennsylvania for all, and we remain laser-focused on this goal.”

The Department of Human Services (DHS) would like to be sure that you are aware of this interim plan and that you are able to provide feedback relevant to your work and the people you serve. As mentioned in DOH’s message, the administration is developing a process and centralized location for receiving ongoing stakeholder feedback. When that becomes available, we will share it, but for now, we want you to have the current plan so that you can review it. Additional updates and information will be shared as they become available.

We have reached an important milestone in our fight against COVID-19. The availability of a vaccine and the start of this process will require continued collaboration and partnership, but I am confident that this is a process through which we will navigate and succeed together. While I have hope, we must also remember that we are experiencing an incredibly difficult surge in Pennsylvania, and, as a nation, we are approaching 300,000 deaths. The vaccine will be a critical defense for our most vulnerable, our frontline workers, and, eventually, the general public. For now, we must continue to closely follow mitigation guidelines on masking, distancing, and limiting trips and contact outside the home.

Thank you for all you do. We look forward to working with you as we move forward in this critically important process.

Teresa Miller, Secretary of the Department of Human Services

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Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf announced today that more than 327,000 Pennsylvanians will gain access to high-speed Internet service through the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction.

Thirteen providers in Pennsylvania successfully bid in the auction and will provide high-speed Internet access in locations across the state that are underserved or do not have access to broadband that meets the current federal standard. The FCC will allocate $368.7 million to these providers over the next 10 years. Virtually every Pennsylvania county will benefit from the broadband build out supported by this funding.

“In the twenty-first century, reliable high-speed Internet service is a critical utility for homes and businesses alike. The lack of this technology in our communities inhibits our students and educators, businesses, the health care system, and more from truly connecting locally and globally. If we want to support our economy, give our students the tools to learn, and improve the quality of life, we must expand broadband access,” Governor Wolf said. “The current pandemic has vividly demonstrated the pressing need to expand high-speed Internet access to enable telehealth and allow students to connect with their classmates and teachers. As a result of this auction, hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians will gain this access, which is a significant step toward bridging the digital divide.”

The Rural Digital Opportunity Fund is an effort by the FCC to ensure high-speed Internet access in underserved communities. In total, the FCC will allocate $9.2 billion to 180 bidders, who will deploy high-speed broadband to more than 5.2 million unserved homes and businesses across the country.

Nearly a million Pennsylvanians lack access to reliable high-speed Internet access according to the FCC. Ensuring that all Pennsylvanians have access to high-speed Internet access is a top priority of the Wolf Administration. The governor’s Restore Pennsylvania plan, a $4.5 billion bipartisan proposal funded through a common sense severance tax, would provide funding to completely bridge the digital divide in every community in Pennsylvania. Funding would be available to support the installation of infrastructure needed to bring high-speed Internet to every corner of the commonwealth. 

View more about the plan here.

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The Office of Children, Youth, and Families (OCYF) has released a special transmittal titled “Initial and Ongoing Approval of Foster Family Homes During the COVID-19 Pandemic”. It consolidates and releases guidance to public and private children and youth social service agencies regarding the initial and ongoing approval of foster family homes during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

For further information, please visit the links below.

“Initial and Ongoing Approval of Foster Family Homes During the COVID-19 Pandemic”

Certificate of Approval

Please contact your OCYF regional office with any questions.

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A Series of Courses on the Mental Health Aspects of IDD

Registration is open for the next live virtual training course on intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) for mental health mobile crisis responders. This is one of three courses in the Mental Health Aspects of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (MHIDD) Professional Development Series offered by the Center for START Services. It is highly recommended for the following providers:

  • Mobile Crisis Responders, Clinicians, and Supervisors
  • Mental Health and/or IDD Case Managers and Service Coordinators
  • Emergency Services Clinicians

The course consists of six webinar-style sessions (75 minutes each) that teach best practices in crisis assessment, response, and disposition recommendations. Registration is $149 per person, and participants can receive University of New Hampshire continuing education units and a certificate of completion for MHIDD Mobile Crisis Response Training.

This flyer contains registration information.

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