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Physical Disabilities & Aging

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Due to the PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) Order of Selection (OOS) operations memorandum, effective April 1, 2025, the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) is providing guidance to the following entities regarding the referral of participants to OVR:

    1. Managed Care Organizations (MCO);
    2. Service Coordinators (SC);
    3. Service Coordination Entities (SCE); and
    4. Service Providers.

OVR recognizes three (3) disability categories:

    1. Non-Significant Disability (NSD);
    2. Significant Disability (SD); and
    3. Most Significant Disability (MSD).

The April 1, 2025, OOS is a wait-listing of customers who fall within the NSD and SD categories. Customers who are determined by OVR to fall within the MSD category will continue to receive OVR-funded services. Due to this being a partial OOS closure, OLTL participants who are requesting employment services/supports must continue to be referred to OVR for determination of eligibility.

Page three of the OLTL Employment and Employment Related Services Bulletin indicates that during a full OOS closure, “a participant who has not been referred to OVR may receive OLTL Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) employment services without a referral to OVR.”

Due to the current OOS being a partial closure and not a full closure, participants still need to be referred to OVR for evaluation of eligibility for services. As detailed in the 1915 (c) waiver and page two of the Employment Services Bulletin, participants do not need to be referred to OVR for Benefits Counseling Services.

MCOs and SCs should continue to monitor cases referred to OVR as detailed on page three of the Employment Services Bulletin, which states, “Prior to adding one of the OLTL HCBS employment services to a participant’s Person-Centered Services Plan (PCSP), the SC must determine the status of the participant’s case with OVR.” Additionally, SCs should continue to follow the guidance on page two of the Employment Services Bulletin, which states, “If OVR has not made an eligibility determination within 120 days of a referral being sent, then OVR services are considered to not be available to the participant, and OLTL employment services may be provided under an OLTL HCBS program.”

Please refer any questions to Randall Loss electronically.

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The team at Greenspace Health are hosting a timely and insightful panel to explore the evolving role of Measurement-Based Care (MBC) in accreditation and clinical practice. The session, Measurement-Based Care & CARF Accreditation: Driving Quality Through Measurable Outcomes, brings together an exceptional group of experts to discuss how organizations can leverage MBC to improve outcomes, align with accreditation standards, and elevate care quality across their services. The webinar will be held May 15 at 1:00 pm EDT. Register here.

Speakers include:

  • Michael Johnson, Senior Managing Director of Behavioral Health at CARF;
  • Dr. Kimberly Gordon-Achebe, Medical Director of Mobile Response and Stabilization Services at iMind Behavioral Health, a CARF accredited organization leveraging MBC;
  • Dr. James Boswell, Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Training at the University at Albany; and
  • Host: Jeremy Weisz, CEO and Co-Founder at Greenspace Health.

Whether you’re preparing for CARF accreditation, already using MBC, or exploring how to integrate it into your practice, this webinar will offer actionable insights, real-world strategies, and guidance on meeting CARF’s updated 2025 standards which now require ongoing progress measurement.

If you are unable to participate live, you can still register to receive the recording and resources after the session.

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Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

UPMC has issued a message to providers of personal care services regarding electronic visit verification (EVV) procedures. Effective May 1, 2025, all manual adjustments to EVV timesheets will require the participant’s signature and date of service. The full UPMC announcement can be viewed here.

If you have any questions, contact Fady Sahhar, Director, PD&A Division.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared an important announcement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding an expanded recall on the SmartDrive Speed Control Dial by Max Mobility/Permobil due to the motor being unresponsive to the user.

Summary:

  • Max Mobility/Permobil has expanded the recall of the Speed Control Dial, a wired control option for the SmartDrive MX2+ Power Assist Device, due to safety and performance concerns.
  • This frame-mounted Speed Control Dial can be easily mounted to a wheelchair to allow for close access and easy pressing.
  • The recall was originally initiated on December 20, 2024, and has been expanded to address recalled products that may have been inadvertently comingled with redesigned product and shipped after December 20, 2024.
  • Those impacted by the expansion of the recall will be contacted with additional instructions.
  • This recall, as expanded, impacts all Speed Control Dials manufactured and distributed between the dates of August 17, 2023, through March 10, 2025.
  • As of March 27, 2025, Max Mobility/Permobil has received 781 complaints associated with the Speed Control Dial. As of March 27, 2025, five (5) serious injuries have been reported for this issue.
  • The reported serious injuries include a fractured hip, fractured tibia, fractured malleolus bone, broken ribs, and a concussion.

Background:

Max Mobility/Permobil Brand – (model number: MX2-3DCK/MX2-3DC): The frame-mounted Speed Control is easily mounted to a wheelchair to allow for close access and easy pressing. The Speed Control Dial can be used to deactivate the SmartDrive motor, as well as provide a means of actively powering the motor.

Recommendations:

To reduce the likelihood of a hazardous situation, discontinue use of the Speed Control Dial and utilize an alternate wired controller (Switch Control buttons or Switch Control with mono jack and mechanical switch) or wearable controller (compatible Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch Wear OS app).

If you have purchased a Speed Control Dial(s) with the above model numbers, you will need to request replacement Speed Control Dial units.

Refer to the FDA Original Press Release for instructions on requesting a replacement and additional information.

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Part 1: Motivational Interviewing in Pediatric Therapy
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
11:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT; 10:00 am – 11:00 am CDT;
9:00 am – 10:00 am MDT; 8:00 am – 9:00 am PDT
Register Here

Part 2: Beyond Motivational Interviewing: Additional Strategies to Improve Engagement in Pediatric Therapy
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
11:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT; 10:00 am – 11:00 am CDT;
9:00 am – 10:00 am MDT; 8:00 am – 9:00 am PDT
Register Here

Presenter Bios:

Alison Heinekamp, MOT, OTR/L, CBIS
Alison Heinekamp is an Occupational Therapist and certified brain injury specialist. She currently works as an inpatient occupational therapist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center practicing in the areas of neurology/neurosurgery and pulmonology. Ali serves on the disorders of consciousness subcommittee of the Ohio Brain Injury Program. She has presented both locally and nationally on topics related to best occupational therapy practices in pediatric brain injury and motivational interviewing in pediatrics.

Heather Blackburn, PT, MPT, CBIS
Heather Blackburn is a pediatric physical therapist who specializes in neuro-rehabilitation, serial casting, and treating children with cerebral palsy and acquired brain injuries. She has presented at OPTA, OPC, Ohio Brain Injury Association, APTA Peds Annual Conference, and AACPDM Annual Conferences on her evidence-based practice work in the areas of serial casting, pediatric brain injury treatment, and aquatic therapy. She is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist and the leader of the Moderate-Severe Brain Injury Translational Research and Clinical Knowledge Team at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Heather holds a Masters in Physical Therapy from Ohio University and was LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities) certified through Ohio State University.

Objectives: Following this course, the learner will be able to:

PART 1

  • Define self-management and describe motivational interviewing (MI) skills;
  • Apply MI strategies to facilitate meaningful conversations with patients and/or caregivers to maximize collaboration; and
  • Apply MI strategies to improve participation in therapy sessions to maximize outcomes.

PART 2

  • Describe the clinician’s role in improving child/adolescent’s participation with collaborative goal setting; and
  • Identify strategies to improve patient engagement with therapy evaluations, treatment sessions, and home exercise programs.

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

Level: Beginner-Intermediate

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.

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The meeting documents from the April 2, 2025 Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Subcommittee meeting are now available. These documents include agenda and PowerPoint presentations. The meeting transcript will be sent separately when it is released. You can view the meeting documents below:

The next LTSS Subcommittee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 7, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm, in person at the Keystone Building in the Forest Room at 400 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120, and as a webinar, from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. To register for the webinar, please use this webinar registration link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the webinar.

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