Pennsylvania ODP: What Is Changing in Supports Coordination Standards? (And What It Means for Your Team)

Pennsylvania ODP: What Is Changing in Supports Coordination Standards? (And What It Means for Your Team)

 

Pennsylvania is entering a major shift in how Supports Coordination services are evaluated, and for many providers, the biggest challenge is understanding what’s actually happening.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has introduced performance-based contracting standards, fundamentally changing how services are measured, monitored, and held accountable.

The impact of these changes is:

How your team works day to day is now directly tied to performance.

This guide breaks it all down, including what’s changing, what it means, and how to prepare.

Introduction to Supports Coordination

 

Supports Coordination is at the heart of Person-Centered Thinking, serving as the bridge between people and the services that empower them to lead fulfilling lives. By focusing on each person’s unique needs, preferences, and values, Supports Coordination enables people to exercise positive control over their own lives and make informed choices about their support. In the realm of mental health services administration and developmental programs, this approach is essential for creating environments where people feel heard, respected, and supported.

Person-Centered Thinking focuses on practical skills that help organizations build a culture rooted in empathy and understanding. When Supports Coordination is guided by these principles, it naturally leads to more effective, trauma-informed support. This means recognizing the impact of trauma on a person’s health and well-being, as well as ensuring that every interaction and service is delivered with sensitivity and respect. Ultimately, Supports Coordination is about fostering a culture where every person’s life, choices, and experiences are valued and supported.

Here are some common questions Pennsylvania Supports Coordinators might have:

 

What is Pennsylvania changing?

 

At the highest level, Pennsylvania is shifting Supports Coordination from a compliance-driven system to a performance-driven system.

That means agencies won’t just be evaluated on whether tasks are completed, but on how well they are completed and the outcomes they produce.

These new standards are part of ODP’s move toward performance-based contracting, which begins implementation in 2026. Organizations will need to update their procedures to align with the new performance standards, ensuring that trauma-informed support and person-centered practices are embedded in their daily operations.

Instead of checking boxes, Supports Coordination Organizations (SCOs) will now be measured against specific, data-driven performance standards.

 

What are the new performance standards focused on?

 

The new standards are organized around four major areas, providing a clear structure for organizations to follow as they enhance their services:

  • Sustainability – Ensuring people and families have access to appropriate services and options
  • Workforce – Strengthening staff competency and stability
  • Responsiveness – Improving access, communication, and satisfaction
  • Clinical Capacity – Supporting people with more complex medical and behavioral needs

To meet these standards, organizations will need to focus on developing new competencies and frameworks, particularly in trauma-informed support and person-centered practices.

These aren’t abstract goals. Each area includes measurable requirements that organizations must meet to remain compliant.

 

What does “performance-based” actually mean in practice?

 

This is where things start to feel different for teams on the ground.

Under the new model:

  • Data will be pulled from multiple systems (claims, surveys, incident data, health screenings, etc.)
  • Performance will be monitored continuously
  • Organizations must meet defined benchmarks or show measurable progress
  • Failure to meet standards can result in corrective action

In other words, performance monitoring will be ongoing and visible. When Person-Centered Thinking skills are taught, service plans are more likely to be acted upon effectively.

Training in Person-Centered Thinking equips staff to see people differently and act on what they learn, improving service delivery.  It also underscores the importance of investing in comprehensive training for support staff.

 

What will change specifically for Supports Coordinators?

 

For Supports Coordinators, this shift shows up in everyday work.

Expect increased expectations around:

  • Building truly person-centered plans that focus on supporting each person’s ability to lead a fulfilling, independent life
  • Responding to people with complex needs more effectively
  • Demonstrating timely communication and follow-through
  • Supporting measurable outcomes

For example, standards now include requirements around:

  • Timelines for service initiation
  • Frequency and quality of monitoring
  • Use of data to inform decision-making
  • Demonstrated progress in outcomes like employment and community inclusion

 

Why is Pennsylvania making this change?

 

This shift is rooted in the larger goal of

improving outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

The standards are aligned with Everyday Lives: Values in Action, which emphasizes:

  • Person-centered planning
  • Personal choice and control
  • Community inclusion, recognizing the vital role of communities and support networks in fostering resilience
  • Meaningful engagement in daily life

The intent is to move beyond process and focus on what actually improves someone’s life.

 

What does this mean for providers and agencies?

 

For providers, this is an operational shift.

Organizations will need to:

  • Focus on teaching staff the principles of Person-Centered Thinking and trauma-informed support
  • Ensure staff are trained beyond basic compliance
  • Strengthen clinical understanding across teams
  • Build systems to track and respond to performance data
  • Support consistent, high-quality decision-making

And most importantly:

They need to prepare before these expectations are enforced.

Because performance isn’t something you can fix overnight.

 

Implementation and Monitoring

 

Successfully implementing Person-Centered Thinking and trauma-informed practices into your organization demands a structured, ongoing commitment. Training sessions are a foundational element to equip staff with the skills and knowledge they need. These sessions help embed Person-Centered Thinking into daily routines, ensuring that every decision and action is guided by the principles of safety, autonomy, and respect.

Ongoing monitoring is equally important. By regularly evaluating practices and seeking feedback from persons supported and their families, organizations can identify strengths and areas for improvement. This continuous process helps maintain a culture of resilience and support, where relationships are prioritized, and every person’s needs are addressed. Through consistent implementation and monitoring, Supports Coordination becomes a living practice that adapts to the evolving needs of those it serves and remains focused on delivering meaningful, person-centered outcomes.

 

What kind of training is actually needed now?

 

This is where many organizations get stuck. To effectively support people, an organization should be interested in developing trauma-informed skills and fostering a culture of ongoing learning among staff.

The standards point clearly to two critical competency areas:

  1. Person-Centered Thinking

Teams must be able to:

  • Build plans that reflect what truly matters to the person, using Person-Centered Thinking skills to provide a structure for facilitating conversations and planning
  • Align services with personal goals and preferences
  • Move beyond documentation into meaningful outcomes, recognizing that teaching Person-Centered Thinking skills is essential for building effective, personalized plans
  1. Trauma-Informed Support

Staff must be able to:

  • Recognize how trauma impacts behavior, including identifying the signs and symptoms of trauma, such as difficulty in relationships, managing trauma-related symptoms, and substance abuse issues
  • Respond in ways that reduce escalation and facilitate support by creating supportive procedures and environments that empower people
  • Support people with greater consistency and understanding, shifting the focus from “What’s wrong with you?” to understanding behaviors as adaptive responses to trauma

These aren’t “nice to have” skills anymore.

They are now directly tied to performance expectations.

 

How does IntellectAbility fit into this?

 

At IntellectAbility, we’ve been working alongside organizations and providers across Pennsylvania through the use of the Health Risk Screening Tool (HRST®), helping teams better understand complex risk and work proactively to improve outcomes for people with IDD.

To support providers through this transition, we offer person-centered training designed to build these competencies:

Together, these trainings help teams move from understanding expectations to applying them in real-world scenarios. Providers and teams have expressed gratitude for the support and training received during these important transitions.

 

How do these courses work?

 

Both trainings are designed to fit into real-world provider environments:

  • Self-paced eLearning (accessible anytime)
  • Built for direct application
  • Designed to scale across entire teams
  • Focused on day-to-day decision-making and support
  • Enhance staff ability to implement person-centered plans effectively

This is meant to change how staff think and respond in real situations.

 

What should providers be doing right now?

 

If you’re in Pennsylvania, the most important step is simple:

Start preparing early.

Because:

  • Training takes time to roll out
  • Teams need time to apply what they learn
  • Behavior change doesn’t happen overnight
  • Developing the necessary skills and systems will require effort and ongoing commitment

Organizations that act now will be in a much stronger position to:

  • Meet new standards
  • Avoid corrective action
  • Deliver better outcomes

Final Thought: This Is Larger Than a Policy Change

 

Pennsylvania is raising the bar for quality, consistency, and outcomes.

The organizations that succeed will be those that understood the shift early and prepared for it intentionally. Belief in the ability of organizations and people to adapt and thrive under the new standards is essential for achieving lasting success.

 

Additional Resources:

Person-Centered Thinking Training vs. Trauma-Informed Support: Which eLearn Course Is Better for Mental Health Awareness?

Person-Centered Thinking Training vs. Trauma-Informed Support: Which eLearn Course Is Better for Mental Health Awareness?

 

IntellectAbility’s Person-Centered Thinking Training: Supporting People with IDD eLearn course and Trauma-Informed Support eLearn course both impact mental health outcomes, staff competency levels, and support quality for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The right course depends on your organization’s current needs, staff experience, and the specific mental health challenges you’re addressing during Mental Health Awareness Month.

Below is a practical comparison of these two IntellectAbility eLearn courses for mental health awareness.

 

Person-Centered Thinking vs Trauma-Informed Support: Key Differences

 

The main difference comes down to prevention and empowerment versus recognition and healing.

  • Person-Centered Thinking focuses on personal choice, self-determination, and empowering decision-making for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
  • Trauma-Informed Support addresses recognizing, understanding, and responding to trauma’s impact on mental health and behavior.

Both courses enhance mental health awareness, but through different approaches. Person-centered Thinking skills build a mindset focused on improving the mental health of those supported by enabling autonomy and dignity. Trauma-informed support provides tools to recognize trauma symptoms, prevent re-traumatization, and support healing for people who have experienced pain and suffering.

The training approaches differ significantly: one emphasizes empowerment, while the other addresses trauma responses directly.

 

Target Audience and Participant Requirements

 

Staff roles and experience levels determine which course provides the most immediate value for mental health support.

Person-Centered Thinking Training Participants

Person-Centered Thinking Training serves as foundational education for anyone supporting people with developmental disabilities. Ideal participants include:

  • Direct support professionals working with people with IDD who want to enhance choice and self-advocacy
  • Case managers and service coordinators developing person-centered plans and goals
  • New staff members needing foundational skills in respectful, empowering support approaches
  • Organizations transitioning from institutional or system-centered models toward more personalized, choice-driven supports

This training requires no prior specialized knowledge. The 9-hour self-paced eLearn training provides comprehensive development of Person-Centered Thinking skills.

 

Trauma-Informed Support Training Participants

Trauma-Informed Support is ideal for those already working directly with people who have complex presentations or challenging behaviors. Best suited for:

  • Experienced support staff encountering behaviors that may stem from trauma rather than intentional choices
  • Clinical professionals working with people who have histories of abuse, neglect, or medical trauma
  • Supervisors and managers needing to understand trauma’s impact on both clients’ and staff’s mental well-being
  • Teams supporting people transitioning from institutional settings where trauma exposure is common

Some familiarity with respectful support practices will help participants apply trauma recognition skills more effectively.

 

Mental Health Focus Areas and Applications

Each course addresses different types of mental health conditions and applies different intervention strategies.

 

Person-Centered Thinking Mental Health Applications

Person-Centered Thinking (PCT) training promotes mental wellness through increased autonomy, dignity, and positive control over daily life decisions. This approach impacts mental health by:

  • Addressing depression and anxiety that result from institutional approaches and lack of choice.
  • Building self-esteem and confidence through person-directed goal setting
  • Reducing behavioral problems by understanding what is Important TO and Important FOR each person
  • Creating consistency across staff turnover, reducing anxiety and identity confusion

Research supports that autonomy serves as one of the strongest protective factors against mental health problems. When people feel heard and respected, mental health conditions related to helplessness and disempowerment often improve.

 

Trauma-Informed Support Mental Health Applications

Trauma-Informed Support directly addresses trauma symptoms, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, in people with intellectual disabilities.

This course provides mental health care tools for:

  • Recognizing trauma responses that manifest as behavioral disorders, regression, or emotional dysregulation
  • Understanding the biological basis of fight/flight/freeze/fawn responses
  • Avoiding “hidden land mines”—triggers from past trauma that cause distress
  • Building positive identity and supporting healing through relationship-based approaches

The training also addresses secondary trauma in support staff, helping providers maintain their own mental health while supporting people with complex histories.

 

Learning Methods and Course Structure

Course duration and delivery methods affect implementation across different types of organizations.

 

Person-Centered Thinking Course Structure

The newly launched Person-Centered Thinking eLearn, developed in collaboration with The Learning Community for Person-Centered Practices (TLCPCP) and Support Development Associates, delivers comprehensive person-centered training in a flexible, self-paced format. This modern learning experience includes:

  • Interactive modules focused on practical Person-Centered Thinking skills that can be applied immediately
  • Guided development of Person-Centered Descriptions (PCDs) that reflect what truly matters to each person
  • Scenario-based learning to build skills in balancing choice with safety in real-world situations
  • Structured content aligned with nationally recognized TLCPCP standards for person-centered practices

This eLearn provides an accessible, scalable way for organizations to build person-centered skills across teams, without the time constraints of traditional multi-day training.

 

Trauma-Informed Support Course Structure

The Trauma-Informed Support eLearn requires approximately 3 hours, delivered through 5 self-paced modules of roughly 30 minutes each. The structure includes:

  • Evidence-based content covering Big “T” and Little “t” trauma, PTSD manifestations, and healing modalities
  • Videos featuring Dr. Karyn Harvey alongside storytelling and case studies
  • Practical tools, including grief counseling approaches, positive psychology applications, and the Happiness Assessment
  • Knowledge checks and interactive scenarios for assessment

This format allows for flexible implementation with less effort in scheduling, making it accessible to organizations with limited resources or high staff turnover.

 

Implementation and Organizational Impact

 

Each course affects organizational culture and services differently.

Person-Centered Thinking Training creates foundational culture change. When implemented genuinely, PCT shifts how organizations approach support—from process-driven to person-driven. PCDs ensure that staff turnover doesn’t erase knowledge about what matters to each person. However, IntellectAbility cautions that PCT “loses power when it becomes transactional.” Organizations must commit to embedding the mindset, not just completing documentation.

Trauma-Informed Support requires supporting structures to realize its full benefits. Staff may need clinical supervision when applying healing tools. Organizations should review crisis protocols and consider how behavioral disorders are understood—shifting from punitive responses to supportive approaches. The emotional intensity of trauma content means staff may need peer support and resources for their own well-being.

Both approaches require leadership commitment. Mental health promotion through either course depends on organizational willingness to change practices, not just train people.

 

Mental Health Awareness Month Considerations

 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and it provides an opportunity to focus on both prevention and intervention.

  • Person-Centered Thinking aligns with mental health through empowerment and addressing the rights of people with disabilities to make their own choices
  • Trauma-Informed Support directly addresses mental health issues, recognizing that many mental health conditions in the IDD population stem from unrecognized trauma
  • Both courses contribute to reducing mental health disparities in the IDD community

Consider your organization’s current mental health initiatives when choosing. If your focus is on building resilience and preventing mental health problems before they develop, PCT provides foundational skills. If your aim is to improve mental health for people already experiencing distress or behavioral challenges rooted in past suffering, Trauma-Informed Support offers more targeted intervention tools.

 

Person-Centered Thinking vs Trauma-Informed Support: Which Course Should You Choose?

 

Choose Person-Centered Thinking Training if your organization needs foundational skills in respectful support, wants to increase personal choice and self-determination, and aims to prevent mental health conditions through empowerment. This course works best for new staff, organizations transitioning service models, and teams that need to build consistency in how they support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Choose the Trauma-Informed Support eLearn course if your staff encounters challenging behaviors that may stem from trauma, needs recognition and response skills, and works with people who have experienced abuse, neglect, or significant adversity. The shorter format and self-paced delivery make it practical for immediate implementation.

Both courses enhance mental health awareness and can be taken together to provide comprehensive support. Organizations already practicing PCT will find that trauma-informed training builds naturally on that foundation—staff with Person-Centered Thinking skills are better positioned to apply trauma recognition and healing tools effectively.

Consider your organization’s current training portfolio, specific mental health challenges, and the people you support when making the decision. For many providers, the answer is both—foundational PCT work followed by specialized trauma awareness creates the strongest mental health support for people with developmental disabilities.

For many organizations, the most effective path forward is not choosing between these trainings—but implementing both. Person-Centered Thinking Training establishes the foundation for truly understanding what matters to each person, while Trauma-Informed Support equips staff with the insight and tools to recognize how past experiences may shape current needs, behaviors, and health outcomes.

Together, they create a more complete, responsive approach to support—one that is both deeply respectful and clinically informed. When combined, these trainings strengthen consistency across teams, improve communication, and lead to more proactive, personalized support for people with IDD.

 

Additional Resources: