Dear Provider,

The purpose of this email is to update you on the progress of your renewal application(s) for a Certificate of Compliance.  Licensing Administration continues to work diligently to process the renewal applications as quickly as possible.  However, given the limitations we have with working remotely and a temporary reduction in staff, we cannot meet our past commitment to issue your renewal Certificate of Compliance within 5 days of receipt of your application.  Our new goal, until staffing is restored, is to have your renewed Certificate of Compliance emailed to you prior to the expiration date of your current Certificate of Compliance.  

To minimize phone calls and emails concerning the anticipated date of the renewal issuance, we would like you to know that as soon as your Certificate of Compliance is completed, we will email it to you.  We are currently processing March expiration dates and have not finished them yet.  Please wait until April to inquire about a March expiration date.  And beginning in April, only if your Non-Provisional, Certificate of Compliance has expired or will expire within a week, and you did not receive the renewed Certificate of Compliance in your email should you inquire to its status.  Be sure to check your Spam/Junk folder as some of our emails have been found in them.   A Non-Provisional Certificate of Compliance is one in which the Certificate number ends with a “0”, ie: 123450.  

We acknowledge there is a deadline to return the renewal application found on the renewal application packet coversheet, HS1230.  However, given the mail delays during the pandemic and our backlog in issuing the renewal licenses, that deadline is not crucial.  Provided we have your application prior to the expiration date of your Certificate of Compliance, we can process it before it expires.  It is not necessary to call or email to request an extension or notify us that it will be late. 

The Bureau of Equal Opportunity has requested that during the pandemic, the Civil Rights Compliance Questionnaires be emailed to their offices as staff are working remotely.  Again, there is no need to call or email to request an extension or notify them that the Questionnaire will be late.   The email addresses are:

Southeast /Central/Northern Regions – RA-PWBEOCRCQCENTRAL@pa.gov

Western Region –  RA-PWBEOCRCQWESTERN@pa.gov

A Provisional Certificate of Compliance, one ending in a 1,2,3, or 4, is never automatically renewed with receipt of the renewal application.  The region determines when the Certificate is ready to be renewed.  

Finally, thank you for your cooperation and understanding during this hectic and unprecedented time.  As always, our main concern is the health and safety of those we serve together with you.  

Linnette Bidelspach |Acting Director, Licensing Administration