On Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Secretary Val Arkoosh joined ODP providers and professionals for its Multi-Year Program Growth Strategy Forum. Secretary Arkoosh addressed the audience to reiterate Governor Shapiro's strategy for eventually ending the waiting list for services. At DHS, our mission is to help all Pennsylvanians
The Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council (PADDC) is celebrating Inclusive Schools Week by highlighting programs, activities, and resources that strengthen inclusive education. Inclusive Schools Week, December 2 through 6, 2024, celebrates the progress that schools have made in providing a supportive and quality education to an increasingly diverse student population, including students who
All Pennsylvanians experience challenges during the winter as the cold temperatures, snow and ice affect our daily lives and activities. Families with a loved one with a disability often have even more concerns from the change in season. The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) Supporting Families Leadership Team used the Integrated Supports
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is pleased to announce that Jenn Newell joined ODP as the Director of the Bureau of Financial Management and Program Support. Jenn Newell has built a career in public service, with nearly 25 years in various roles focused on supporting individuals with substance use disorders. She
For November’s Move Your Way® spotlight, The Office of Developmental Programs visited SPIN in Philadelphia to take a peek at their fitness program. SPIN is a provider agency that also contains a community fitness facility called SPIN Community & Fitness. Click the video above to take a look at SPIN's fitness programs.
Diabetes is a complex disease that is challenging to manage on a daily basis. Did you know that persons with an intellectual or developmental disability are estimated to be 2-3 times more likely to develop diabetes compared to the general population? Some tools for communicating about diabetes management may include: “Easy read”
Thursday, November 21, 2024 | 3:00-4:00 p.m. ET The lack of available accessible housing options can impact the independence and autonomy of a person with disabilities more than almost anything else, limiting choice and isolating people with disabilities in geographic pockets in cities, towns, and all across the U.S. Home modifications, including
Last week, CADES of Swarthmore celebrated its first cohort of support professionals completing NADSP credentialing through the NADSP E-Badge Academy. Their first class included twenty-one direct support professionals (DSPs) and four front-line supervisors (FLS). Every team member who started the program finished it in just four months with the support of peer
The National Collaborative for Supporting Families invites you to register for the Supporting Families Best Practices Training Series. The next available session, held via Zoom, is on November 21 from 2 PM to 3:30 PM EST* and will discuss respite for families. The Best Practice Series introduces and elevates innovative services, supports and policies directly
Early bird registration is now open for the 9th Annual Charting the LifeCourse Showcase April 28 through May 1, 2025. The Showcase, hosted by LifeCourse Nexus of the University of Missouri Kansas City (UKMC) Institute for Human Development, is an annual celebration of Charting the LifeCourse (CtLC) principals where participants from across
