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Physical Disabilities & Aging

RCPA is excited to share our growing list of sponsors and exhibitors who are committed to supporting our 2025 Conference Strive to Thrive! This event, which will be held September 9 – 12 at the Hershey Lodge, is a highlight for the PA health and human services fields. We would like to thank the organizations who have committed their support already; you can view them below as well as on our Conference website!

The conference is only four months away! We will soon be assigning booth numbers to exhibitors, and there are still many opportunities available for sponsorship and exhibit booths. Don’t delay! View this year’s Sponsors, Exhibitors, and Advertiser Brochure, which features detailed lists of all the ways your organization can thrive at our conference. These include networking opportunities in Connections Hall and new sponsorship items, such as the registration table!

Sign Up Now!
Sponsors, exhibitors, and advertisers who wish to be listed on the website, the mobile app, and in the conference program must submit all materials by August 20. The association looks forward to welcoming you at the conference! Space and opportunities are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis, and no reservation is considered complete without payment. If questions remain, please contact Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator.

View our sponsors and exhibitors at our Conference website!

The agenda for the May 7, 2025, Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Subcommittee meeting has been released by the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL). The meeting will take place from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm in the Forest Room in the Commonwealth Keystone Building located at 400 North Street in Harrisburg. The option to participate via webinar and remote streaming is also available.

To participate in the meeting, please refer to the information below:

This community-focused advocacy forum brings together experts and stakeholders to discuss the local impact of federal funding cuts to Medicaid, particularly on vulnerable populations and essential services.

The event will be moderated by Chip Minemyer, publisher of The Tribune-Democrat, and panelists will include RCPA Honorary Board Member Jim Cook, who serves as Executive Director of Cambria Residential Services.

The event will be held Monday, April 21, at 6:30 pm. You can view the flyer here for more details.

Treating Functional Neurologic Disorder (FND) — “Not Your Parent’s Functional Neurologic Disorder”

Tuesday, May 20, 2025
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EDT; 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm CDT;
11:00 am – 12:00 pm MDT; 10:00 am – 11:00 am PDT
Register Here

Presenter Bios:

Samuel Zachary, MOT, OTR/L
Sam is an occupational therapist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in the inpatient rehabilitation and amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome (AMPS) programs. Sam brings experience from a variety of medical-based pediatric settings, including acute care, in-patient rehabilitation, and multi-disciplinary outpatient clinics.

Over the past four years, Sam’s practice has focused on the AMPS Intensive Program and Clinic at CHOP. He is passionate about treating children and adolescents with AMPS, functional neurological disorder, or both. He brings great enthusiasm while sharing his knowledge and best practices for caring for this unique population.

Lori Kile, PTA

Lori is a physical therapist assistant at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) working in the inpatient rehabilitation and amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome (AMPS) programs. She began her career at CHOP in 1998 and has dedicated over 25 years of service to the institution. She worked in a variety of pediatric settings, including outpatient, acute care, and inpatient rehab, prior to finding her passion for treating youth and teens with Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain and Functional Neurological Disorder. Lori now specializes with these populations; she is also involved with the International FND society, where she helps to develop deliverables and build the knowledge base regarding the diagnosis. She loves to share her knowledge and lessons learned to build the skills of others and promote best practices in treatment of patients with FND.

Objectives: Following this course, the learner will:

  • Identify recent changes in the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric patients with FND.
  • Obtain a best practice framework for treating pediatric patients in the rehabilitation setting.
  • Learn about best practice for measuring outcomes with pediatric patients with FND.

Audience: This webinar is intended for all interested members of the rehabilitation team.

Level: Beginner

Certificate of Attendance: Certificates of attendance are available for all attendees. No CEs are provided for this course.

Complimentary webinars are a benefit of membership in IPRC/RCPA. Registration fee for non-members is $179. Not a member yet? Consider joining today.

Providers are reminded of the requirement to report the use of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funding. The Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) requires providers who received supplemental funding from the ARPA to report on their use of the funding by Friday, May 30, 2025. Reporting on the use of ARPA funding is critical to ensure compliance with federal requirements as the 2026 spending deadlines approach for the 10% enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) funds for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) and State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. ARPA funding disbursements subject to this reporting requirement include the initiatives listed below. Please note that you may have reported on the use of ARPA funding received in 2021, including Act 2021–24 and Strengthening the Direct Care Workforce payments; this reporting is in addition to previously reported initiatives.

  • Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Quality Improvement Funding
    • Authorized in May 2022
    • Available to HCBS providers
    • Funded by 10% enhanced FMAP funding for HCBS
    • Eligible uses include activities and expenses that expand, enhance, or strengthen HCBS, as outlined in the notice of the funding opportunity as well as the reminder notice

To complete a report, please log in to the ARPA Funding Portal, select the appropriate funding type, and then select “Create a New Funding Report.” The portal will prompt users to select a provider name (for individuals authorized to submit reports for multiple facilities or locations) and the applicable reporting period. Upon selection, review the prepopulated information and complete all required fields in the form.

For additional instructions on completing a report, please refer to the ARPA Funding Reporting Portal Business Partner Guide. For questions about registration and user access, please refer to the ARPA Portal Registration Guide. OLTL has also published a Frequently Asked Questions document and a Summary of ARPA Funding online at Long-Term Care for Providers | Department of Human Services | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Providers that received supplemental ARPA-funded payments must report to OLTL on their use of the funding so that the Commonwealth can produce documentation required by federal audits. Additionally, providers must retain detailed supporting documentation for the eligible use of supplemental ARPA-funded payments for a minimum of five (5) years from the payment date. Failure to submit a report may result in the recovery of funding through collection activities, audits, or legal action.

If you have questions regarding this message, please contact the Office of Long-Term Living via email.