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Healing Bridges receives grant of $75,145 from the Office of Developmental Programs to enhance home and community based services

Posted December 01, 2022

WASHINGTON, PA – Healing Bridges, a nonprofit in Washington County that specializes in behavioral health, receives a $75,145 technology grant from the Pennsylvania Office of Developmental Programs to enhance home and community based services.

The Pennsylvania Office of Developmental Programs announced the grant in April 2022 as part of their allotted American Rescue Plan Act to strengthen home and community based services beyond what Medicaid programs, providers and supports coordination organizations can currently provide. Healing Bridges is registered with ODP as a supports coordination organization that provides services to individuals diagnosed with an intellectual or developmental disability and/or autism.

Healing Bridges applied to the grant funding opportunity in October 2022 with the initiatives of purchasing five new computers and a promethean board, in addition to adding a new technology systems analyst position to administer higher quality services to supports coordination clients, increase productivity for supports coordinators and eliminate roadblocks from information technology software issues and learning curve barriers.

“This technology grant will enable our supports coordinators to work more efficiently at a much faster rate,” said Natalie Ross, Chief Executive Officer of Healing Bridges. “With the number of clients we serve growing every day, it is essential that we streamline our training efforts and maximize time in the field, create effective workarounds for internal software errors and integrate new applications to coincide with current inter-office communications. We are very grateful for ODP granting us this funding opportunity, and we are excited to witness the positive outcomes that will come of it.”

With the technology grant in place, Healing Bridges strives to create technological interface access for individuals, providers and families to provide a more robust option for obtaining their own records and ensuring confidentiality. The nonprofit is confident that the additional funds will improve SC staff’s capacity to locate, coordinate and monitor services to individuals by increasing IDD/A resource knowledge via high quality training, brainstorm sessions, in-person and remote interactions with clients and office collaboration to collectively review data and catalyze discussions.

“This grant will overall accelerate business practices and optimize technological innovation throughout the IDD/A department,” Ross said. “We have been looking for more ways to connect with our consumers while also staying on top of our job responsibilities and client outcomes, and this grant will allow us to improve both of those goals.”

To learn more about Healing Bridges supports coordination services, please visit www.myhealingbridges.org

About Healing Bridges

Healing Bridges is a recovery-oriented nonprofit that guides and connects residents of Washington County and neighboring communities to comprehensive behavioral health services. By providing children, teens and adults with the necessary guidance, tools, skills and resources needed to improve their lives, Healing Bridges acts as the connection to hope and prosperity throughout their continuous developmental journeys.

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