Everyone should be able to choose a support broker!

Comment period on Community Health Choices (CHC) waiver is now open and we need your voice.

A support broker is a trained, professional ally who supports people who want to direct their own Home and Community-Based services (HCBS). Currently, people on three of the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) waivers can choose to use a broker. If you think support brokers should be available to more people, you are encouraged to comment.

While the Office of Long Term Living (OLTL) has not yet implemented support broker services in the CHC waiver, they did include reference to brokers in the administrative section of the waiver, which provides us with an opportunity to advocate for its implementation.

OLTL is now proposing to eliminate all references to support broker services in the amendments to the CHC waiver. Learn more about proposed changes to the CHC waiver.

The elimination of support broker services from the CHC waiver is not a done deal. OLTL is required to open waiver amendments to public comments and is doing so with these amendments. You can help by commenting.

Submit Your Comments

Those who would like to comment, have three options:

1. Complete this online form. The Institute on Disabilities at Temple University will forward all comments to OLTL by the 8/24/2020 at 5 p.m. deadline, or

2. Email comments to: RA-waiverstandard@pa.gov. Use “CHC 2021 Waiver Amendment” in subject line, or

3. If individualized assistance to comment is needed, time has been scheduled to discuss and submit comments via Zoom.

CHC Comment Day is August 19, 2020

Assistance will be available from 12 noon to 2 p.m.

Register for CHC Comment Day (registration is required)

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.


This project is supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council; in part by grant #1901PASCDD-02, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

Values Into Action logo  Pennsylvania Health Law Project logo with outline of the state

PDS Virtual Forum August 12, 2020

Wednesday August 12, 2020, 11 AM – 1:30 PM

  • Supports Coordinators are encouraged to attend this virtual lunch and learn format
  • Great for busy common law employers, family members and people with disabilities

Facilitators:

  • Jamie Ray-Leonetti, Institute on Disabilities at Temple University
  • Marian Frattarola-Saulino, Values Into Action
  • Gladys Stefany, Certified Independent Supports Broker

Accommodation requests must be made by August 5. Please email Jamie at jamie.ray-leonetti@temple.edu or indicate in the form below.

Please register for access to the webinar link:

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Values Into Action logo

Institute on Disabilities logo

HCBS Lunch and Learn for Family Members and Professionals July 29

A Lunch and Learn for family members and professionals interested in taking a deeper look into the HCBS Final Rule.

July 29 from 12 Noon to 1 p.m.

Speaker: Rose Warman Vice President, Achieva Support Compliance and Temple HCBS Final Rule Family Trainer

Moderator: Jamie Ray-Leonetti, Associate Director of Policy, Institute on Disabilities at Temple University

Contact Jamie at jamie.ray-leonetti@temple.edu to request accommodations, or indicate in the registration form.

Please register below:

Institute on Disabilities logo    Pennsylvania Health Law Project logo with outline of the state

This project is supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council; in part by grant #1801PABSDD, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

PDS Webinar: Self-Direction and the CHC Waiver July 27

Monday July 27, 2020,10 AM – 11 AM

Speaker: Attorney David Gates, PA Health Law Project
Moderator: Jamie Ray-Leonetti, Institute on Disabilities at Temple University
About: Person-Directed Services online event for service coordinators and people using the Community-Health Choices (CHC) Waiver in Pennsylvania

Please request any reasonable accommodations by emailing Jamie at jamie.ray-leonetti@temple.edu by July 21, 2020.

Please register for access to the webinar link:

Institute on Disabilities logo Pennsylvania Health Law Project logo with outline of the stateThis project is supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council; in part by grant #1901PASCDD-02, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

Be the Boss!

Are you a person with a disability who would like to take charge of your everyday life? Do you have questions about managing and directing your own services?

Please join us for a Zoom webinar on May 1, 2019 at 10 AM Eastern Time.

Register for Be the Boss: An Overview of Self-Directed Services

This event is provided by the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University and the Pennsylvania Health Law Project, and funded by a grant from the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council.

Spring 2019 Mini Course/Lecture Series on Disabilities

Monday April 15, 2019
Tuesday April 16, 2019

Two workshops presented by David Pitonyak, Director of Imagine.

April 15: The Importance of Belonging
9:30 AM – 4 PM (Check in begins 8:30 AM. Lunch on your own.)

April 16: One Day the World Will Be A Perfect Place: Toolbox for Change
9:30 AM – 4 PM (Check in begins 8:30 AM. Lunch on your own.)

Register for the Spring 2019 Miniseries

Mini Course Lecture December in Two Locations

Out of the Shadows: The Disability Civil Rights Movement from No Pity to Me Too

Presented by Joseph Shapiro, National Public Radio News Investigations Correspondent, creator of NPR’s Abused and Betrayed series and author of No Pity: People with Disabilities Forging a New Civil Rights Movement.Joseph Shapiro

Dates/Locations:
Tuesday December 4, Pittsburgh
Wednesday December 5, Philadelphia

Event is free, but registration is required.
Register for Pittsburgh Lecture – December 4
Register for Philadelphia Lecture – December 5

Event details