Please assist the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) in sharing the February 2025 Virtual Events Calendar from Self Advocates United as 1 (SAU1)

Secretary Val Arkoosh and leadership from the Department of Human Services (DHS) will host a webinar to discuss the proposed 2025-26 budget for the department. The briefing will take place at 10 a.m. on Friday, February 7. If you are unable to attend, the briefing will be recorded and available for viewing afterwards on DHS’ Youtube channel.

Click here to register for the briefing. All who plan to attend must register individually. A link for the webinar will be sent Thursday evening. We encourage you to submit questions ahead of the briefing so we can prepare as much information as possible. We will follow up on any questions that we are unable to answer during the webinar.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) requests your assistance sharing the attached communication, ODPANN 25-017 Listening Sessions for Renewal of the Adult Autism Waiver (AAW) effective July 1, 2026, to all interested persons. The purpose of this communication is to announce that ODP will be holding two webinars to give all stakeholders and interested persons the opportunity to voice ideas for updating and improving the AAW. ODP will take this opportunity to listen to stakeholders and use this input for the AAW 2026 renewal process.

Please review the announcement for additional information and details.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) requests your assistance sharing the attached communication, ODPANN 25-016 Newly Released Updates to Certified Investigator (CI) Recertification. The purpose of this communication is to announce the release of new requirements for CI Recertification and a revised timeline for access to the CI Recertification exam.

Please review the announcement for additional information and details.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) requests your assistance sharing the attached communication, ODPANN 25-014 Provider Qualification Process. The purpose of this communication is to share that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) require a statewide process to ensure providers are qualified to render services to waiver-funded individuals. The Provider Qualification Process described in this announcement outlines the steps the Assigned Administrative Entity (AE) and provider must follow to meet these requirements, and the steps Supports Coordinators (SCs) take to transition individuals if needed. This communication does not describe the qualification process for SC organizations.

Please review the announcement for additional information and details.

Attached is the latest edition of the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) Technology Taskforce Newsletter: Technology Today. Technology promotes inclusion, diversity, and participation and offers better support for individuals with disabilities, family members, and providers. We understand accessibility is key and strive to support individuals with disabilities, family members, and providers with resources, events, and other important updates in the assistive technology world. The hope is that you will learn something new and pass it along to others.

This 11’th edition of ODP Tech Taskforce's newsletter helps us start out the new year with some valuable assistive technology resources, sensory friendly opportunities, exciting upcoming events in the supportive technology world, and even a personal story of an individual who demonstrates how assistive technology can make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities. 

The Office of Developmental Programs requests your assistance sharing the attached communication, ODPANN 25-011 Registration for March Certified Investigator (CI) Forum Now Open. The purpose of this announcement is to communicate to the above entities that Temple University Harrisburg Certified Investigator Program and the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) will be facilitating Forums for CIs and others involved in the incident investigation process, and to announce the posting of Q & A Documents from past CI Forums on myODP. 

Please review the announcement for additional information and details.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) requests your assistance sharing the attached communication, ODPANN 25-013 Qualification Process for New Intellectual Disability Autism Provider Applicants UPDATE and its attachments: Attachment 1 - New Provider Qualification Approval Template,  Attachment 2 - New Provider Qualification - Additional Information Needed Template, and Attachment 3 - New Provider Qualification Not Approved Template version. The purpose of this update is to communicate that ODP Announcement 25-013 will obsolete ODP Announcement 24-002 Qualification Process for ID/A Provider Applicants. There are no other changes to this communication.

Please review the announcement and its attachments for additional information and details.

The Office of Developmental Programs requests your assistance sharing the attached communication, ODPANN 25-012: Updates to the Individual Support Plan (ISP) Bulletin Attachments. The purpose of this announcement is to announce the release of the ISP Manual that includes changes due to the January 1, 2025 amendments to the Consolidated, Community Living and Person/Family Directed Support waivers. The Individual Support Plan Signature Form (DP 1032) is also updated.

Please review the announcement for additional information and details.

These trainings are intended for staff within Pennsylvania County Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities (MH/ID) Program Offices and Community Health Choice Managed Care Organizations. They are free to attend and funded by the Pennsylvania Office of Developmental Programs and Office of Long-Term Living through the American Rescue Plan Act.

Accelerating Technology Solutions will cover implementation strategies, funding opportunities, criteria and strategies for organizational change, and emerging technology solutions for people with disabilities and family members. Technology solutions include remote supports and monitoring, assistive technology, and mainstream technology.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) requests your assistance sharing the attached communication, ODPANN 25-010: Medication Administration 2022 Student Courses Extension, Fillable Forms Now Available, and Course Reset Information. The purpose of this announcement is to notify Trainers of the following:

• To notify Trainers that the 2022 student courses deadline has been extended to February 28, 2025 due to system issues experienced after January 13th, 2025.
• To inform trainers that fillable forms are now available on the Trainer Resources page.
• To provide guidance on the number of attempts permitted for each Medication Administration course before requesting a course reset from the Helpdesk.

Please review the announcement for additional information and details.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) requests your assistance sharing the attached communication, ODPANN 25-008 ODP Provides Written Notice of Provider Requalification Requirements. The purpose of this communication is to inform all waiver providers and vendors whose last digit of their Master Provider Index (MPI) number is 3, 4, or 5, as well as new providers who enrolled in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, that they must submit their qualification documentation to their Assigned AE and/or ODP’s Bureau of Supports for Autism and Special Populations (BSASP). This documentation is due between February 1, 2025, through March 31, 2025. 

Please review the announcement for additional information and details.

Below are the PA Family Network workshop and support groups for February 2025. Thank you for sharing these important workshops and Good Life Groups with your network!

Register for upcoming events at www.pafamilynetwork.org/events.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) requests your assistance sharing the attached communication, ODPANN 25-007 The Office of Developmental Programs Announces the Opening of the 2024 National Core Indicators® State of the Workforce Survey Portal and its attachment: 2024 NCI®-IDD State of The Workforce Survey. The purpose of this communication is to inform providers that the 2024 National Core Indicators® Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (NCI®-IDD) State of the Workforce (SoTW) survey portal will open on February 10, 2025. 

Please review the announcement for additional information and details.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) requests your assistance distributing the attached communication, ODPANN 25-006: Quality Management (QM) Recertification for Office of Developmental Programs’ QM Certificate Holders. The announcement advises QM certification holders who achieved certification/recertification in 2023 that they must recertify by December 31, 2025. 

Additional information on the process to follow is included in the announcement. 

The Office of Developmental Programs’ (ODP) requests your assistance sharing the February 2025 training and events calendar. Please share widely.

Summary

• RSV activity is rising rapidly in Pennsylvania, especially among children under age five and adults aged 65 and older.
• RSV is a leading cause of severe respiratory illness, responsible for 60,000-120,000 hospitalizations and 6,000-10,000 deaths annually among adults 65 years and older in the US.
• RSV vaccines (which are not annual) are recommended for pregnant people (32-36 weeks gestation), adults 60-74 years with certain health risks, and for everyone 75 and older.
• RSV vaccines demonstrate moderate to high efficacy in reducing morbidity and mortality especially in older adults.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends all babies be protected from severe RSV by vaccinating pregnant individuals at 32-36 weeks gestational age or administering a long-acting monoclonal antibody to infants aged < 8 months entering their first RSV season and for those aged 8–19 months at increased risk for severe RSV infection.

Recommendations: