The Health Care Quality Unit (HCQU) works in conjunction with Intellectual Disabilities and Behavioral Health programs in 13 central Pennsylvania counties to provide health care management services for persons with developmental disabilities. The vision of the HCQU is that all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities living in Pennsylvania are provided with the finest community services in the nation, assuring the best possible physical and behavioral health. Our purpose is to build capacity and competency in those receiving care and those providing care. The goal of the HCQU is to assure that individuals with developmental disabilities are as healthy as they can be and can fully participate in community life.
One way we can do this is to provide health related trainings to caregivers so that they can better assist persons with developmental disabilities. We focus on individual outcomes, enhanced physical and behavioral health, and an organized system of care.
Laura Aungst, a HCQU RN certified in developmental disabilities works with Larry and James Gipple at Suncom Industries, Inc. located in Columbia County. The brothers are learning the importance of personal safety including stranger awareness, fire safety, and when and how to call 911.
Responsibilities
- Assure the basic health and safety needs of people in all licensed residential living arrangements are met
- Assist in making caregivers in residential and day program settings more knowledgeable about health, nutrition, therapies, medications, and treatments
- Gather and analyze information to improve services
- Provide resources and locations of physicians, dentists, and other practitioners as well as access to other available health supports
Primary Activities
- Provide health related trainings
- Assess individual health and systems of care
- Identify health care risks by conducting health risk profiles
- Provide clinical health care expertise to county and day program providers
- Assist case managers in obtaining better information about health issues
- Measure individual outcomes
The HCQU does not
- Provide direct or primary health care
- License or regulate activities
- Replace established community resources
- Manage crises
- Diagnose or prescribe medication
- Provide direct consultation
HCQU Training
Resources
- 2009 H1N1 Flu Information
- Health Record Form for Psychiatric Visit (.pdf)
- Talking with your Doctor (.pdf)
- Recommended Screenings and Tests for Adults Age 55 + (.pdf)
- Available HCQU Audio Visual Resources (.pdf)
- Behavioral Health: 90 Day Team Review of Psychotropic Medication (.pdf)
- Dementia Screening Questionnaire for I/DD (.pdf)
- Digest on Dual Diagnosis (.pdf)
- Safe Practice Guidelines for Swallowing and Choking Prevention (.pdf)
- Giving Medication at Home - The Department of Public Welfare and ODP (.pdf)
- A Guide to Family Health History (.pdf)
- Healthcare Provider Card (.pdf)
- Aging and Disability
- Centre for Genetics Education (Sydney, Australia)
- Teaching Students with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Effects-A Resource Guide for Teachers
- Intellectual Disability and Psychiatric Disorders: Understanding Diagnosis (.pdf)
- Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Guidelines for Referral and Diagnosis (.pdf)
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Competency Based Curriculum Development Guide (.pdf)
- Summary of VISCAT (Verbal Informed Sexual Consent Assessment Tool) (.pdf)
- The Direct Support Workers Newsletter (.pdf)
Healthy Outcomes Newsletters
Related links
- Office of Developmental Programs
- Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association
- Developmental Disabilities Nurses Network
- Information about counseling, mental health, and psychiatry
- ODP Training Partnerships
- Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council
- PA Network of Care
- Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania
- Brain Injury Association of America
- Acquired Brain Injury Network
- Department of Health Brain Injury Help Line: 1-866-412-4755
HCQU Contact Information
- Northeast HCQU – (570) 342-7762
- Eastern HCQU – (877) 315-6855
- South Central HCQU – (717) 835-2270
- Northwestern HCQU – (814) 728-9400
- Western HCQU – (724) 283-0990
- Southwest HCQU – (724) 864-0715
- Southeast HCQU – (215) 546-0300
Contact Us
Geisinger Community Health Services
Health Care Quality Unit
100 North Academy Avenue
Danville, PA 17822-2412
570-271-7240
570-271-7241 fax
E-mail: hcqu@geisinger.edu
Staff
Lynn Libby, Director
(570) 271-5935
Lesley Murphy, Secretary
(570) 271-7240
Kristy Campbell, Data Support Analyst
(570) 214-4753
Patricia L. Patterson, RN, Training Coordinator
(570) 271-5159
To access HCQU nurses, dial: (570) 271-5001, then the extension.
Laura Aungst, RN - Ext. 9665
Sandra Corrigan, RN - Ext.9662
Linda Dutrow, RN - Ext. 9664
Toby Wolfe, RN - Ext. 9661
Carol Sumner, RN - Ext. 9421
Cheryl Callahan, RN - Ext. 9420
Star Long, RN - Ext. 9423
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