WEEKLY NEWS DIGEST
                         January 29, 2016
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News and Coming Events!
Department of Human Services
 
On September 16, 2015, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a letter regarding the statewide transition plan submitted by the Department on April 1, 2015.  The Department has revised the statewide transition plan to address the recommendations contained in the CMS letter and provide updated information on the progress the Department has made in implementing the plan.  The proposed statewide transition plan for all nine 1915(c) Medicaid HCBS waivers is available at http://www.dhs.pa.gov/citizens/hcbswaiver.  The CMS letter is available at https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid-chip-program-information/by-topics/long-term-services-and-supports/home-and-community-based-services/downloads/pa/pa-cmia.pdf. 
 
The Department will hold a webinar to receive verbal comments on the revised proposed transition plan.  Date and time to participate in the webinar:
 
LAST CHANCE TO BE HEARD
  •           Monday, February 1, 2016 at 2pm - 4pm.
 
Dial-in information for the webinars is available by visiting www.dhs.pa.gov/citizens/hcbswaiver or by contacting the Department at 717-783-2203.
 
The Department will also accept written comments submitted to one of the following addresses:
  • Mail - Caitlin Palmer, Department of Human Services, Office of the Secretary, P.O. Box 2675, Harrisburg, PA  17105-2675.
  • Email - ra-pwhcbsfinalrulepl@pa.gov
Comments must be submitted by February 16, 2016.  Comments received by this date will be used to formulate the Statewide Transition Plan that will be submitted to CMS in March 2016. 
If you have questions regarding this email, or would like to receive a hard copy of the statewide transition plan or a copy of the statewide transition plan in an alternate format, please contact 717-783-2203. 
Persons with a disability who require an auxiliary aid or service may submit comments using the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at (800) 654-5984 (TDD users) or (800) 654-5988 (voice users).
  
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In This Issue
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Stay Connected
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
  
The Arc of Cumberland & Perry Counties
2016 A Journey through Special Education Conference
AUDIENCE
Parents, Special and General Education Professionals, Administrators, Paraprofessionals, Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Staff, Therapists, Social Workers, Advocates, and all others interested in the support and education of students with special learning needs are welcome to attend.
  
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Space will be limited to the first 250 registrants. Preregistration is required. Continental breakfast and buffet lunch will be provided. Parent scholarships are available. For information please call 717-249-2611. Please indicate your selection for each session on the registration form.
  
EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS
Individuals attending this event must arrive on time and stay the duration of the event to receive Act 48 Professional Education Hours. Act 48 is offered only to individuals who hold a valid PA Professional Educator Certificate. [5] Act 48 hours will be requested through PaTTAN for this event.
  
Click here for more information   
 
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Join us for a series of sibling storytelling workshops
For people with disabilities who are siblings, or siblings of people with disabilities
Storytellers from First Person Arts will help you craft a personal story about our first friends and enemies: our siblings!
Through guided writing exercises and other techniques, we'll uncover true tales about how disability affects family.
  • Connect with other siblings through your shared and unique experiences.
  • All participants will be invited to perform at the culminating Sib Slam storytelling performance on April 13, directed by Jen Cleary, at Christ Church Neighborhood House in Philadelphia.
  • Come alone or with a sibling.
  • Open to storytellers of all levels.
Join us for one or more Saturday workshops:
  • February 6
  • February 20
  • March 5
  • March 19
  • April 2
  • April 9
All workshops: 10 AM to Noon
  
Workshops are FREE. Registration is required. Participants must be 18 years or older. Accommodations available upon request.
  
These workshops are part of A Fierce Kind of Love, a year-long project that tells the story of Pennsylvania's Intellectual Disability Rights Movement.
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PBIS Webinar Part II: Rose Iovannone, Developing Behavior Intervention Plans
 
Developing behavior intervention plans that will be accepted by teachers and implemented with fidelity can be challenging. This session will describe a research-supported functional behavior assessment and behavior intervention plan process (FBA/BIP) that is standardized and collaborative, taking into account the values and contextual fit of the plan with all team members. The process, Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR), is a multi-step FBA/BIP model that has been subjected to two randomized controlled trials, one examining its effectiveness with students in grades K-8 and another examining its impact on Pre-K students. The process has been implemented in authentic school settings and outcome data indicate that PTR significantly improves student behavior, social skills, and academic engagement compared to students who receive typical behavior supports. Teachers implement the interventions with 80% or higher fidelity and rate the process as highly acceptable and effective. The presentation will provide an overview of the process, description of the administrator's role and a discussion of the components that enhance the effectiveness of the PTR process.
Click here for more information
  

  

  
Vision for Equality, Inc.
visionforequality @visionforequality.org
718 Arch Street, 6N
Philadelphia, PA 19106