The Pennsylvania Link to Aging and Disability Resources − Berks-Lancaster-Lebanon Service Area partner network − is your "no wrong door" system: a shared statewide approach for Long-Term Services and Supports … for all populations regardless of age, income or ability … including all payers, federal, state, local and private.
Sponsorship Opportunities for Golf Tournament!ExtraGive: Thank you for your support!Education Resources Training This Month
A big thank you to all who supported our work through ExtraGive! $8,950 was raised with 110 donors which will go to our programs and advocacy to empower people with disabilities.
ACL invites you to a webinar in our series on strengthening advocacy in the Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Settings Rule, Getting the Services You Need from the Waiver , on Wednesday, December 14, 2022.
The HCBS Settings Rule can improve community-based services and supports for people with disabilities and older adults for decades to come. This webinar will provide insight into one of the main strategies stakeholders can use to get the promise of the Rule into everyday life: influencing the services that are included in the waiver application.
The webinar will highlight why you should pay attention to the waiver application and what is in an application, with a focus on appendix C – Services. It will also look at what states have to put into the application and highlight best practices for commenting on your state’s waiver application.
Live captioning will be provided. A video replay and transcript will be made available following the event on ACL’s HCBS Settings Rule webpage.
Speakers: Jill Jacobs, Commissioner, Administration on Disabilities, ACL Nancy Thaler, Senior Advisor, ACL Laura Miller, Managing Attorney, Equip for Equality Contact Erin Shea with any questions.
Abilities in Motion Announces New Location in Northeast Reading
Abilities in Motion (AIM) is thrilled to announce the purchase of a new headquarters located at 755 Hiesters Lane in Northeast Reading, Pennsylvania. On the company’s future home, AIM’s Executive Director, Stephanie Quigley said, “We are thrilled to be moving to an area of the city where we can expand operations and bring new, innovative resources to the community. Our focus will be on making cutting-edge technology available to people with disabilities.” The new building will allow us to expand our services in new and innovative ways. Our new, fully accessible building will feature substantially greater space for onsite programming, future expansion, and exciting community partnerships. Construction is planned to start next month with the goal of moving to the new facility in 2023. This new location will also include a 2400-square-foot technology space for persons with disabilities to engage and experiment with computers, smart home devices, adaptive technology, home gaming consoles, virtual reality systems, STEM opportunities and more. Our new building will also offer a café space to showcase state-of-the-art accessible technology options in the kitchen. Our aspirations for this next chapter at AIM are rooted in our continuous commitment and service to the disability community. We will continue to provide more information about our plans for expansion and relocation throughout the transition. For more information, please stay tuned to our social channels!
The Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM) is a federal interagency council that coordinates funding and provides expertise on human services transportation for people with disabilities, older adults, and individuals of low income. Last week, the council adopted the 2023-2026 CCAM Strategic Plan . The plan prioritizes expanding safe access to transit and providing affordable mobility options. The plan also sets a framework for collaboration among CCAM grantees at all levels and across jurisdictions.
The Federal Transit Administration will be hosting a webinar on the CCAM Strategic Plan Wednesday, November 30, from 2:00 to 3:30 pm ET.
During the webinar, FTA will discuss:
The importance of transportation coordination,
How the Strategic Plan was developed,
The Strategic Plan’s impact on CCAM grantees and stakeholders,
Next steps for implementation and avenues for public involvement, and
Just Released!Cents & Sensibility: A Guide to Money Management(7th Edition), and Educator Companion Manual (2nd Edition) We are excited to share that we have released two brand new editions of our fully accessible financial education guides – Cents and Sensibility: A Guide to Money Management, 7th Edition and theEducator Companion Manual, 2nd Edition. We published Cents and Sensibility (left in photo above) to address the financial education needs of people with disabilities, while providing comprehensive strategies, activities, and resources for anyone who wants to have control over their money. The book provides the tools people need to make informed financial decisions and tackles financial topics like how to save for the future without losing benefits that impact individuals with disabilities. Download the Free Guide Our Educator Companion Manual, 2nd Edition,(right in photo above) aligns with chapters from Cents and Sensibility, and provides educators and instructors with strategies for addressing the unique financial education needs of students with disabilities. Each section in the Manual includes topic objectives, key terms, and essential questions, which provide guidance for teaching the lessons included in Cents and Sensibility. The Educator Companion Manual helps anyone taking on an educator’s role to engage all students in financial education. The Manual includes financial education topics such as earning, saving, credit, and decision making. The instructional materials correlate with the National Standards for Financial Education and Pennsylvania Academics Standards. Download the Free Manual CEO Ben Laudermilch says PATF’s education efforts can help anyone make better decisions when it comes to money matters. “If you want to have more control over your personal finances and financial future, our curriculum is a one-of-a-kind resource that can provide you with insights into organizing your money, borrowing money, and saving it safely. People with disabilities have distinct financial needs and our mission – with this education program – is to help close the wide knowledge gap that keeps this underserved community from fully meeting their goals,” said Ben. PATF helps Pennsylvanians of all ages, all disabilities and health conditions, all income levels, and all communities and cultural backgrounds. We offer information about acquiring assistive technology (AT), funding resources, financial education, and financial loan programs. For more information, call 484-674-0506 or visit www.patf.us. Check out our Financial Education Website StudyMoney.usStudyMoney.us is a companion website to Cents and Sensibility: A Guide to Money Management. This website is designed to help people with disabilities, their families, and advocates learn about managing money. In addition to the information covered in Cents and Sensibility, the website also includes interactive versions of all the activities with end-of-topic quizzes. Visit
Money Talks: A Webinar Series on Financial Empowerment for People with Disabilities Learn about money, get answers to your money questions, and find ways to make sound money choices. Go to the webinar seriesComing in 2023! Parents and professionals are helping PATF create the Family Guide for families to be able to help their children learn about managing their money and gain lifelong financial skills to make informed decisions about money. Our goal is for children to live in a world where they will have equal access to financial services and products offered by banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions. Support Our Work Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1998, that provides financing opportunities, education, and advocacy for people with disabilities and older Pennsylvanians, helping them to acquire assistive technology devices and services that improve the quality of their lives. Donate
Smart Homes Made Simple: Your Guide to Smart Home Technology, 2nd Edition We are excited to announce the release of the brand new edition of our guide, Smart Homes Made Simple: Your Guide to Smart Home Technology, 2nd Edition. This guide was written to help people with disabilities, older adults, and their families learn to successfully integrate smart home technology into their homes and their lives. “Smart home technology is one of the best resources for people with disabilities so they can live safely and more independently in a home of their own. These devices also help people perform everyday activities, thrive in employment, school, and in their communities,” says PATF’s CEO, Ben Laudermilch. Smart home technology can help with:· Connecting with friends and family· Turning on and off the lights· Setting reminders and alarms· Checking in with a caregiver· Locking and unlocking the door· Using telehealth services and health monitoring· Changing the TV channel or turning on music· And more! We hope this new edition of our guide will help you explore smart home technology, develop a framework to choose your technology, and build a team who can support you in achieving your goals. In addition to the digital version in English (508-compliant PDF), the guide is also available as a printed booklet. You can request a printed copy of the latest edition of our guide at https://patf.us/contact/. Download the GuideWhat’s inside: · What Is Smart Home Technology and How Can It Help? · Determining Your Goals and Preparing for a Smart Home · Choosing Your Smart Home Technology · Developing a Funding Strategy· Setting Up Your Smart Home Technology · Maintaining and Troubleshooting Your Smart Home Technology · Security and PrivacyThis project is supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council; in part by grant number 2001PASCDD-02 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), 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.Also available:Self-Assessment Tool Not sure where to begin with smart home technology? This self-assessment is a good starting point as you consider what smart home technology might work for you This tool is useful for individuals with disabilities, family members, and support team members. Download the Self-Assessment Check out the Website! Go to our Smart Homes Made Simple website: SmartHomesMadeSimple.org Our great website provides an interactive experience where users can explore how smart home technology can help and which types of devices might work for them. Próximamente ¡2nda edición en español! Hogares Inteligentes de Forma Sencilla: Guía para la tecnología de hogar inteligente, 1era edición · Spanish digital (508-compliant PDF) Descargar 1era edición New Video About Smart Home Technology Garland and Caroline Tell Us About Their Smart Home Devices In this brief, captioned video, Garland (on the left) and Caroline (on the right) talk about the smart home devices they both use as people with hearing loss. Garland and Caroline are using total communication, which is the practice of simultaneously incorporating all means of communication, including speech, sign language, fingerspelling, lipreading, gesture, amplification, writing, gesture, and pictures. Watch the VideoAbout Pennsylvania Assistive Technology FoundationPennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF), founded in 1998, is a statewide non-profit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and Alternative Financing Program under the Federal Assistive Technology Act. PATF provides financing opportunities, education, and advocacy for people with disabilities and older Pennsylvanians, helping them to acquire assistive technology devices and services that improve the quality of their lives. Contact PATF at (484) 674-0506 or patf@patf.us. To learn more, visit www.patf.us. Support Our Work
Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility Webinar on Newly Adopted Strategic Plan The Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM) is a federal interagency council that coordinates funding and provides expertise on human services transportation for people with disabilities, older adults, and individuals of low income. Last week, the council adopted the 2023-2026 CCAM Strategic Plan . The plan prioritizes expanding safe access to transit and providing affordable mobility options. The plan also sets a framework for collaboration among CCAM grantees at all levels and across jurisdictions.The Federal Transit Administration will be hosting a webinar on the CCAM Strategic Plan Wednesday, November 30, from 2:00 to 3:30 pm ET.During the webinar, FTA will discuss:The importance of transportation coordination,How the Strategic Plan was developed,The Strategic Plan’s impact on CCAM grantees and stakeholders,Next steps for implementation and avenues for public involvement, andQuestions and comments from participants.Register for the webinar.
The link to the webinar will be sent to you within 48 hours
COST: $10** 2.5 Social Work CEUs Available*
Description The goal of this training course is to offer a broad understanding of the characteristics of the normal stages of cognitive development in young adults; and discuss the challenges they face apart from having physical disabilities. This training will explain the role of the professional, the parent, and the caregiver, and provide effective communication strategies and principles of practice to help diminish conflict, open dialogs, and help with problem solving.
Objectives Define physical disabilities and describe self-identity & self-concept in adolescentsDiscuss the challenges faced by young adults, apart from their physical disabilitiesExplain the normal stages of cognitive and brain development in young adultsElucidate the role of the parent(s) and caregiver(s)Understand the use of effective communication strategies
Target Audience This training is for professionals who provide care to young adults and especially to those who provide care to young adults living with paralysis, This training can be very useful for nurses, social workers, case managers, housing service coordinators, nursing home administrators, personal care home administrators, aging and mental health workers, as well as for family members who are caregivers.
**Special Discount Code**The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation is committed to providing opportunities to individuals with paralysis. In keeping with their mission, webinar scholarships are available for those living with paralysis, their family members and caregivers. If you or a family member is living with paralysis, please enter the following code at check-out to receive a scholarship.
Code: SupermanCEUs*
“NASW-PA Chapter is a co-sponsor of this workshop. NASW has been designated as a pre-approved provider of professional continuing education for social workers (Section 47.36), Marriage and Family Therapist (Section 48.36) and Professional Counselors (Section 49.36) by the PA State Board of Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists and Professional Counselors.”Monday December12REGISTER NOW
For a full list of upcoming webinars, please click the button below:Webinar InformationPennCares can bring this training to your area. We provide training services across the state of Pennsylvania. Call or email us for pricing information. Don’t see a topic you are looking for? Call or email us as we can customize your staffing needs. Contact dallen@penncares.org or 717-632-5552, Ext. 4101
Call With Surgeon General: Increasing Bivalent Vaccination of Older Adults and People With Disabilities Tuesday, November 8, 2022 | 12-1 PM ET Register here The HHS Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs (IEA) and the Administration for Community Living (ACL) invite you to join a webinar with Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and other subject matter experts on how we can work together to accelerate vaccination of people with disabilities, older adults, and others who are at greatest risk of serious illness from COVID-19.
Staying up to date on vaccinations is the most important thing we all can do to protect ourselves from serious illness due to COVID-19, and it’s particularly crucial for older adults and people with disabilities. This webinar will address the questions and common misunderstandings that prevent many people from getting their updated shots.
Dr. Murthy will share the latest information about COVID-19 and what people need to know about staying up to date with their vaccines to protect themselves from serious illness.
You’ll also hear from boots-on-the-ground organizations in Connecticut about how the aging and disability networks partnered – with each other and with local public health systems – to get shots into the arms of older adults and people with disabilities. They’ll also share lessons learned and successful strategies that can be employed in other communities.
In addition, Dr. Meg Sullivan, Chief Medical Officer for the HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), will talk about what people need to do if they have symptoms.
Agenda: Welcome: Marvin Figueroa, Director, IEA Vaccine update: Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General How the aging and disability networks can accelerate vaccination: Alison Barkoff, Acting ACL Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging Walter Glomb, Director, Connecticut Council on Developmental Disabilities Beverly Kidder, Vice President of Community Programs, Agency on Aging of South Central Connecticut What to do if you have symptoms: Dr. Meg Sullivan, Chief Medical Officer, ASPR Q&A If you have a question you would like to submit for the panelists, we encourage you to submit it in advance through the Zoom registration link. The webinar will include live captioning and ASL. If you need additional accommodations to participate, please indicate your requirements when registering for the webinar.
Just Released!Cents & Sensibility: A Guide to Money Management(7th Edition), and Educator Companion Manual (2nd Edition) We are excited to share that we have released two brand new editions of our fully accessible financial education guides – 
Smart Homes Made Simple: Your Guide to Smart Home Technology, 2nd Edition We are excited to announce the release of the brand new edition of our guide, 
What’s inside: · What Is Smart Home Technology and How Can It Help? · Determining Your Goals and Preparing for a Smart Home · Choosing Your Smart Home Technology · Developing a Funding Strategy· Setting Up Your Smart Home Technology · Maintaining and Troubleshooting Your Smart Home Technology · Security and Privacy This project is supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council; in part by grant number 2001PASCDD-02 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), 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. 
Understanding the Cognitive Stages of Development in Young Adults with Physical Disabilities
For a full list of upcoming webinars,
Berks - Lancaster - Lebanon LINK Service Area 
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