On July 26, 2022, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced the creation of Finding Your Way in PA, a Pennsylvania-based mobile and desktop app developed by the Center for Schools and Communities to help connect students and families experiencing homelessness with local services and resources.

“It is critically important that we remove the barriers faced by students experiencing homelessness to help them learn, grow, and thrive continuously and seamlessly, and this new app brings that assistance into the 21st century,” said Acting Secretary of Education Eric Hagarty. “Through this innovative new resource, Pennsylvanians can access free help 24 hours a day, seven days a week on a mobile phone or a desktop computer. Users without access to these devices are encouraged to visit their local library or community center for help and support.”

While using the app, users can search for and request assistance with services and resources in their current location, local communities, and throughout Pennsylvania to connect them with helpful supports. The app is available on three platforms (Web, Google Play Store & Apple App Store), features a simple design with List and Map View to find & connect to services easily, features a Chatbot that helps users find services, and lists various national crisis hotlines that can provide users with emotional support.

The app’s development was supported through the American Rescue Plan Homeless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY) Program. This program provides children and youth ​experiencing homelessness with wrap-around services and enables them to attend school and fully participate in school activities. Finding Your Way in PA supports educational stability and strives to foster positive education outcomes so that students and families experiencing housing instability can succeed in school, work, and life. Pennsylvania’s Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (Pennsylvania ECYEH) Program was established to make sure youth have access to a free and appropriate public education while removing barriers​ facing children experiencing homelessness. Its goal is to have the educational process continue as uninterrupted as possible while the children are in homeless situations.

Some of the other main objectives of Pennsylvania’s Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program are to inform local school districts of their responsibilities to ​these children and youth, to increase awareness about their needs, explain current laws and policies, and provide practical tips for working with ​these children. In this effort, Pennsylvania’s network of eight regional offices ensures that the educational needs of students experiencing homelessness are met.

To learn more about Pennsylvania’s education for children and youth experiencing homelessness initiatives visit https://ecyeh.center-school.org/.

On July 25, 2022, BSE Director Carole L. Clancy, Director sent a PennLink titled  2022-23 Special Education Compliance Monitoring Schedule to all local educational agencies (LEAs). The memo states that the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has the responsibility to ensure that all LEAs providing services, whether directly or by contractual arrangements, administer special education services and programs that are compliant with applicable state and federal laws and regulations. To fulfill this responsibility, PDE has established administrative procedures for monitoring program implementation, including evaluating the appropriateness, effectiveness, and accountability of special education services and programs.

PDE has developed the schedule for compliance monitoring for the 2022-23 school year in which 91 school districts and charter schools of varying size across the commonwealth will be monitored. The list of selected LEAs is included at the end of this Penn Link. Additional monitoring reviews, if deemed appropriate, may be designated as the school year progresses.

For the 2022-23 school year, the Cyclical Monitoring for Continuous Improvement (CMCI) process continues to be a combination of virtual and onsite components. Verification activities include digital and onsite review of student documents; studies of service delivery; and analysis of policies, procedures, and outcomes. This hybrid CMCI process will include:

• Virtual Components – Facilitated Self-Assessment submitted by the LEA, and verification of the information reported in the Facilitated Self-Assessment; Administrative and Exit Interviews; and Parent and Teacher Interviews.
• On-Site Components – Student Sample File Review and Classroom Observations.

Training for this monitoring process is designed as a series of web-based training modules. These modules will be available on the PaTTAN website and Leader Services website in late July. Relevant LEA personnel must complete the trainings and report date of completion to the chairperson by September 9, 2022.

These training modules review the current monitoring process; Facilitated Self-Assessment submission; documents to be submitted; managing web-based documentation; and provide additional resources to assist LEA personnel to prepare for the monitoring process. District superintendents, charter school chief executive officers, special education directors, and additional appropriate personnel at LEAs who will be monitored, will benefit from completing these training modules to familiarize themselves with the monitoring process.

The Chairperson assigned to each monitoring will contact the LEA for follow up. Should you have any questions regarding the 2022-23 monitoring schedule, please contact Kelli Franklin at [email protected].

On July 20, 2022, Acting Secretary of Health and Physician General Dr. Denise Johnson and Acting Secretary of Human Services Meg Snead encouraged Pennsylvanians to vaccinate their children during a visit to the Dauphin County State Health Center.

The PA Department of Health (PDH), through the Bureau of Community Health Systems, operates a network of state health centers which support public health programs throughout the commonwealth.
Following the approval by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), vaccine providers across the state are now able to provide COVID-19 vaccinations for children six months and older, as well as adults. This approval offers three-dose Pfizer vaccine for children under five years old and a two-dose Moderna vaccine for children under six years old. Both vaccines are approved for children as young as six months.
The departments note that pharmacists across the state are only allowed to provide COVID-19 vaccines to children ages three and older, so parents seeking appointments for children under three should contact their pediatrician, family doctor or other qualified physicians. Parents can also visit vaccines.gov to find a vaccine provider nearest them.

Pfizer’s vaccine requires three doses and is available for children under five and as young as six months. The vaccine uses three micrograms per shot, which is one-tenth of what is used in the Pfizer shot for adults. Children receiving the Pfizer series of shots, should receive the second dose three weeks after the first, and the third shot eight weeks after the second shot.
Moderna’s vaccine requires two doses and is available for children ages six months through five years. The second shot should be administered 28 days after the first dose. Moderna’s vaccine for children under six calls for 25 micrograms per shot, which is one-quarter of the dose given to adults.

To view the press release, which has more info on this story, click here.  

PA Department of Human Services (DHS) Acting Secretary Meg Snead, PA Department of Health (PDH) Acting Secretary Dr. Denise Johnson, and Representative Mike Schlossberg joined together today to highlight the national launch of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline that officially went live on July 16.  

People who call, text, or chat with 988 are now directly connected to the same trained, compassionate crisis response counselors that were accessible through the 10-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, now rebranded as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 

“Pennsylvanians now have a new, easier way to connect to behavioral or mental health crisis services – a historic step to increase access to life-saving support when people need it most,” said DHS Acting Secretary Snead. “988 can be used by anyone, any time, at no cost, no matter what you are experiencing. Your life matters, so please know that this service is always here to help provide the support that you or your loved ones deserve.” 

“As an OB-GYN physician, I’ve spent my career caring for people, especially during vulnerable times of their lives like the pregnancy and post-partum periods. Providing mental and emotional health assistance is just as important as taking care of a person’s physical health. I have seen firsthand how individuals and families can benefit when they receive help to address their mental and behavioral health needs. The new 988 number will make help that much easier to reach for any Pennsylvanian who is in crisis or who needs help for a loved one,” said PDH Acting Secretary Johnson.  

In 2020, the United States Congress designated the new 988 dialing code to connected callers and texters to Lifeline call centers. Pennsylvania has 13 crisis call centers that collectively serve the entire state. With the national launch of 988, these call centers will continue to provide support for individuals considering suicide, self-harm, or any behavioral or mental health need for themselves as well as people looking for help for a loved one experiencing a mental health crisis. While the majority of calls are triaged and de-escalated without deploying in-person services, in communities where mobile crisis mental health teams are available, the 988 counselor can dispatch the team to provide on-site support and interventions. They are also able to call out police or other emergency services if there is an immediate risk to life or safety. Callers to 988 can also connect with the Veterans Crisis Line or assistance in Spanish. 

Lifeline services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at no cost to the caller. To chat, go to https://988lifeline.org/chat/. While the intent of 988 is to ease access to and knowledge of life-saving mental health crisis resources, the existing Lifeline phone number (1-800-273-8255) will remain available, as well as 911 in the event the individual is experiencing a life-threatening emergency. 

To learn more visit, www.dhs.pa.gov/988.