Pennsylvania: Health & Disability Programs

Pennsylvania Department of Aging
This department provides various home and community based services, including home health care; personal care; health support services such as housekeeping, shopping assistance, laundry and mending and other routine household chores; respite care (caregiver relief); transportation; home-delivered meals; Family Caregiver Support Program; Older Adult Day Services Center; the Options Program, which provides services in locations outside the home such as in a nursing facility or personal care residential home; the Pennsylvania Department of Aging 60+ Waiver; and the Ombudsman Program.
555 Walnut Street, 5th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717) 783-8975
http://www.aging.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/department_of_aging_home/18206
Agency Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Bureau of Family Health, Special Kids Network (SKN)
The goal of SKN is to improve access to services, provide information on needed services, and promote the improvement or development of local services for children with special health care needs and their families. The SKN System of Care program addresses the delivery and availability of services in local communities, and the SKN Information and Referral service helps link individuals to resources and programs specific to their needs.
Health and Welfare Building, 7th Floor East Wing
625 Forster Street
Harrisburg, PA 17120
1-800-986-4550
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/special_kids_network/14205
Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Diabetes Prevention and Control Program
This program strives to reduce the burden of diabetes and improve the quality of life of Pennsylvanians having diabetes by preventing and controlling its complications. Activities include: creating partnerships with communities, worksites, schools, and provider and health care systems to focus on diabetes and diabetes-related issues; supporting professional education on diabetes by providing information, training programs, and collaboration with professional organizations and other community partners and contractors; working with members of the Pennsylvania Diabetes Action Partnership to develop and implement recommendations of The Pennsylvania Diabetes Action Plan 2007; promoting and funding culturally appropriate strategies to target disproportionately affected populations for interventions; and collecting data on vital statistics to guide program planning and direction.
Health and Welfare Building
8th Floor West
625 Forster Street
Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 787-5876
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/diabetes/14160
Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR)
OVR helps people with disabilities help themselves prepare for, start, and maintain a career. OVR has district offices, each of which has at least one rehabilitation counselor for the deaf who can communicate in sign language and with a Text Telephone (TTY). OVR services include:  diagnostic services, including medical, psychological, and audiological exams used to better understand a person’s disability and needs for specific types of services; vocational evaluation, which considers aptitude, interest, general ability, academic exams, work tolerance, and “hands-on” job experience to help determine vocational potential; counseling, which    finds ways to help a person throughout the rehabilitation program; restoration services, or medical services and equipment such as physical and occupational therapy, wheelchairs, automobile hand controls, and other types of rehabilitation technology; training or education to prepare for a job including academic, vocation/technical, college, on-the-job, independent living skills, and personal and work adjustment training; and placement, including counseling, job-seeking programs, job club, and job development used to increase abilities to get a job. Support services are also provided if they are necessary to start a career and can include room, board, and transportation costs during evaluation or while completing a rehabilitation program; occupational tools, equipment, or licenses; home modifications, adaptive or special household equipment; van or car modifications including special driving devices or lifting devices to enable travel to a job; personal care assistance; job site modifications; independent living training; and Text Telephone (TTY), signaling devices, hearing aids, and interpreter services.
Harrisburg Office
2 North Second Street, Suite 100
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717) 364-1733
Philadelphia Office
1617 JFK Boulevard, Suite 800
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 557-7112
Toll-free (888) 745-2357
http://www.nepacil.org/OVR.htm
Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare’s Community Services Program for Persons with Physical Disabilities (CSPPPD)
CSPPPD provides services to people with severe physical disabilities and must experience at least three substantial functional limitations in the areas of mobility, communication, self-care, learning, self-direction, or capacity for independent living.  Services may include: assistive technology, specialized medical equipment, and supplies; community integration services; community transition services; daily living services; education services; environmental adaptations; Personal Emergency Response System; respite services; services coordination; behavior, occupational, physical, and speech therapies, transportation services, and visiting nurse. Specialized services include training, encouragement, and other tangible supports, which enable a person to acquire, regain, or improve their skills and abilities.
P.O. Box 2675
Harrisburg PA 17105
1-800-757-5042
http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/ServicesPrograms/PhysicalDisabilities/AltNurseHomes/003670178.htm
Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare’s Office of Developmental Programs (ODP)
ODP provides people with developmental disabilities and their families with needed services and supports and the opportunity to make choices about living, working and social activities to enable them to live and participate fully in their communities.
Health and Welfare Building, 4th floor
Harrisburg, PA 17105
(717) 787-1848
http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/About/ODP/
Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare’s Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS)
OMHSAS strives to transform the children’s behavioral health system to a youth guided and family driven system; implement services and policies to support recovery in the adult behavioral health system; and assure that behavioral health services and supports recognize and accommodate the unique needs of older adults.
P.O. Box 2675
Harrisburg, PA 17105
(717) 787-6443
http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/about/omhsas/