Rehabilitation & Community Providers Association

12/02/2025

Many Philadelphia school district families with children in autistic support classes have had the same frustrating experience: As their kids have grown up, they’ve had to switch schools at least once to access support services.

The Philadelphia school district says it is working to reduce how often students with autism must switch schools to access certain support services. Yet looming school closures in the city could complicate that.

12/02/2025

The Trump administration has promised bold action toward a clearer understanding of what causes autism spectrum disorder and how it could be treated. Under the leadership of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., health officials have suggested folate deficiencies and a mother’s use of acetaminophen could be contributing factors.

But no scientific consensus exists about the cause of autism spectrum disorder. And some families are urging lawmakers to instead turn their attention to a dearth in services for adults living with profound autism.

Amid swelling political rhetoric that frames autism as a tragedy, some families are urging lawmakers to focus instead on improving supportive services for their kids. A family in Irwin says caricatures of people with autism capturing the headlines don’t show the full picture.

12/02/2025

Hundreds of Philadelphia School District special education students are not getting services they are legally entitled to receive, those on the ground in city schools say — including speech, occupational therapy, and other supports.

Amid a national shortage of speech language pathologists, some students are going completely without speech services called for in their individualized education programs for extended periods of time.

12/02/2025

Federal health officials are launching a multimillion-dollar competition to attract new ideas for how technology can transform caregiving for people with disabilities and others.

Federal health officials are launching a multimillion-dollar competition to attract new ideas for how technology can transform caregiving for people with disabilities and others.

12/02/2025

Struggling with rising health care costs for your team? Learn how to cut costs, stabilize renewals, and offer better benefits in a Dec. 4 (1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET) webinar from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. This is the same HealthCare Captive program offered by RCPA to its members and that has been taken nationally by the National Council.

Rising health care costs and unpredictable renewals continue to challenge nonprofits striving to provide quality coverage for their employees. Balancing affordability with comprehensive benefits can feel impossible — but there’s a smarter, more sustainable solution. Join us for an exclusive conv...

12/02/2025

Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council (PADDC) Spotlight December 2025 issue is now available:

Technology Guides Four Technology Guides (funded through a grant from PADDC) have recently been added to the TechOWLS website. All the guides are written in easy read format. The recently added Technology Guides are:

12/01/2025

Save the Date for Merakey's 5th Annual Dual Diagnosis Virtual Conference on February 25, 2026.

11/26/2025

Members of Council’s Committee on Licenses and Inspections voted, 5-1, to advance the legislation, which covers the Lower Northeast-based 6th District, represented by Councilmember Mike Driscoll, the bill’s sponsor.

It’s the second time City Council appeared poised to restrict mobile service providers, which are groups that operate out of vans or trucks and offer a range of assistance to people in need.

11/26/2025

Officials in Pennsylvania, which has the nation’s third-largest rural population, said their plan for the money would bolster the medical workforce, strengthen emergency services and shore up maternity and elder care in places where people often struggle to access it.

Pennsylvania has applied to the federal government for a share of a new $50 billion rural health fund. Awardees will be announced by year's end.

11/26/2025

Parents of children and young adults who receive applied behavior analysis, or ABA, worry states’ cost-saving measures will make it harder for them to get vital services. About 5% of children ages 3 to 17 on public insurance have autism spectrum disorder, compared with 2% who have private insurance, according to a CDC survey.

State Medicaid agencies are struggling to pay for an intensive therapy for children with autism — and looming federal Medicaid cuts are likely to make the problem worse.

11/26/2025

For the past 17 years, I have been working for SPIN, a non-profit organization which provides lifespan services for children and adults with intellectual, developmental, and autism spectrum disabilities in Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Lehigh, and Northampton counties. As a DSP, I know what it takes to be successful in this career, it is not an easy job. I work 24-30 hours of overtime to support myself and my family. Although I receive paid time off, when I do have time off, it can be difficult for me to “turn off” because I care so deeply about those I support. The work never ends.

A Direct Support Professional in Philadelphia argues that essential workers who provide life-changing care deserve living wages, not poverty-level pay that forces them into multiple jobs.

11/26/2025

Suddenly the simplest tasks felt overwhelming. What followed were weeks of fog, constant headaches, loss of energy, and confusion that clouded my daily life. I struggled to focus on my schoolwork, and I could no longer pursue the passion that had shaped much of my childhood: competitive gymnastics. Doctors’ appointments became routine, and as weeks turned into months, it became clear that my struggles went far deeper than a physical injury. Slower processing, memory challenges, and changes in how I learned led to further evaluations. My identity, once rooted in strength and athletic confidence, now felt shaken.

Recovering from a traumatic brain injury during COVID isolation forced me to rebuild my identity from the ground up—one small step, one photograph at a time.