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April 6, 2020Thought of the Day“By protecting others, you save yourselves.” (Takashi Shimura as Kambei Shimada in?Seven Samurai)VirginiaJune Annual Conference AnnouncementWith the Governor’s Stay at Home order, our Annual Conference will not be hosted in June. In the coming weeks, the LeadingAge Virginia Board will decide if we should host it in the fall or cancel all together. The safety of our members and those you serve are our upmost priority. Thanks for your continued membership and all you are doing to fight this battle.Message from the State Commissioner of Health: COVID-19 Update for VirginiaAs community transmission increases in Virginia, healthcare facilities should consider additional actions to reduce the risk of their employees introducing COVID-19 into their facilities.There is growing evidence of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic spread. CDC recently changed the start of the infectious period to 48 hours before symptom onset.For people who must leave their home for essential needs (e.g., grocery shopping and picking up pharmacy medications), CDC recommends that people wear cloth face coverings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.? N95 respirators and surgical masks are not recommended in these situations so that they can be reserved for HCP and first responders.Mildly ill patients may not need to be tested and can be managed at home. Clinical diagnoses of COVID-19 are reportable; given the volume, reporting through the VDH Online Morbidity Report Portal is preferred. Please continue to call your local health department about suspected outbreaks of COVID-19.For COVID-19 patients, please provide this patient handout about home isolation and encourage them to notify their contacts.A COVID-19 Flag Alert has been added to Virginia’s Emergency Department Care Coordination Program. COVID-19 alerts will automatically become inactive after six weeks.VDH has updated work restriction recommendations to allow asymptomatic healthcare personnel who have had an exposure to a COVID-19 patient to continue to work after options to improve staffing have been exhausted and in consultation with their occupational health program. More information can be found on the VDH COVID-19 Healthcare Personnel Risk Assessment Tool.TestingVDH criteria for COVID-19 public health testing at DCLS have been updated to remove requirements for influenza testing. Until testing is widely available, prioritizing testing at private labs for high risk groups should also be considered.Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?Virginia continues to experience a critical shortage of PPE. CDC has defined acceptable alternative PPE for caring for patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19. Additional shipments from the Strategic National Stockpile are not expected in the near future. For questions, individual practices, home health and CHCs/FQHCs should check with their local health districts. Hospitals and nursing homes should contact their regional healthcare coalition.Congregate SettingsAs of April 3, 31 confirmed outbreaks (defined as having two or more COVID-19 cases) have been reported and 12 (39%) are in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities. Answers to frequently asked questions are available on the VDH website and guidance is on the CDC website.Other congregate settings, such as jails, prisons, and behavioral health residential facilities also face the threat of COVID-19 introduction and spread. To date, two (7%) confirmed outbreaks have been reported in correctional facilities. CDC guidance and resources are available for correctional facilities and detention centers.Access the Commissioner’s updateVirginia Lawmakers May Hold Session in Richmond Outdoors?When Virginia lawmakers return to Richmond in late April, Speaker of the House Eileen Filler-Corn wants them to hold their session and votes outdoors to limit risk during the coronavirus pandemic. She said in an interview Friday she’s still weighing options for a location and thinking through how it would work logistically for delegates to be able to speak and cast recorded votes while avoiding close contact.?More from the Virginian-PilotDulles Expo Center Selected as Alternate care Hospital Site in Northern VirginiaGovernor Ralph Northam on Friday announced that the Dulles Expo Center in Fairfax County has been selected as an alternate care facility that may hold approximately 315 acute or 500 non-acute beds. MoreUVA to Use Residence Halls for Health Care WorkersThe University of Virginia plans to use three residential complexes to provide temporary housing for health care workers. MoreDMAS Adult Day Call SummaryThe DMAS Office of Community Living Staff held a conference call on March 26, 2020 with Adult Day Medicaid providers and stakeholders.? Click here to access the FAQ.VDH Updated Guidance on Testing for COVID-19The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) revised its testing guidance. In the setting of limited availability of tests, testing performed at Virginia’s Department of General Services, Division of Consolidated Laboratory Service (DCLS), Virginia’s state lab, is reserved for patients who meet VDH’s four priority investigation criteria below. If you have a patient who meets VDH criteria, please request testing via the online COVID-19 Testing Request Form. If you are unable to submit your request online, please contact your local health department.Healthcare worker or first responder with fever OR signs/symptoms of a lower respiratory illness.Potential cluster of unknown respiratory illness, with priority for healthcare facility outbreaks. All suspected clusters or outbreaks should be reported to the local health department immediately.Person hospitalized with fever OR signs of lower respiratory illness. Priority will be given to patients where circumstances require a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis for compassionate use treatment with antivirals.Person who resides or works in a congregate setting (e.g., homeless shelter, assisted living facility, group home, prison, detention center, jail, or nursing home) AND who has fever or signs/symptoms of a lower respiratory illness.More information is available on the VDH Updated Guidance on Testing for COVID-19 webpage .?Confirmed Cases in Member Communities – Call UsVirginia Department of Health continues to update its COVID-19 dashboard. If you receive a positive diagnosis in your community, staff or resident, after calling the Department of Health, reach out to Melissa Andrews on her cell at (202) 360-1296 or melissa@. The Association is here to support you throughout this crisis in any way you need. In addition, the Department of Health determines when they will do an on-site investigation vs. a remote investigation.??We encourage you to find out from your employees if they take shifts in other communities including dietary, nursing staff, housekeeping, etc. ?Once you know other communities in which staff work, we suggest you contact that community and work out something between yourselves to notify each other of suspected or confirmed cases. Because LeadingAge Virginia only hears from our members, you may have staff working in nonmember communities that we don’t have contact with so won’t report to us.Calls & WebinarsUpdates on Home Health and Hospice CMS FlexibilitiesTuesday, April 7 at 10:30 amCMS has recently issued blanket waivers to provide multiple flexibilities for hospice and home health providers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.? This webinar will explain those waivers and how to apply them. Our colleagues at LeadingAge Ohio have graciously invited our members to participate in this webinar.Please click here to join the webinar with your computer audio:?Or iPhone one-tap: US: +13126266799, 865244828#Or Telephone Dial: US: +1 312 626 6799 / Webinar ID: 865 244 828Weekly LeadingAge Virginia Member CallWednesday, April 8 | 11:00 amPlease join us for an open conversation call on Wednesday, April 8 at 11:00 am to discuss the real struggles communities are facing such as staffing challenges and how to minimize the risk to residents and staff during this trying time. The calls will occur every Wednesday at 11 am.We ask that you please use this link to access the call and Power Point. If you are only able to join by phone, please call the number below and use your muting options.?Dial: (646) 749.3122 - Access Code: 610.676.181COVID-19: Policy Updates and Care ConsiderationsApril 8, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pmIn light of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, CAST Supporter PointRight has decided to make its April Advanced Training webinar for clients available to the public.Join us for a round-up of recent CMS policy announcements in response to COVID-19, as well as a discussion of care delivery and risk management strategies. Register here.?Jennifer Gross, BSN, RAC-CT, CPHIMS, Senior Healthcare Specialist?Maria Arellano, RN, MS, RAC-CT, Senior Healthcare Specialist?Adult Day Council Meeting Call (Agency Representatives Will Not Participate on this Call)Wednesday, April 8, 2020 | 2:00 pmConference Number: (267) 930.4000 | Participant Code: 719.764.795?Affordable Housing Council CallThursday, April 9, 2020 | 2:00 pmConference Number: (267) 930.4000 | Participant Code: 719-764-795?Complimentary Webinar: COVID-19 and Key Legal Issues for Employers?Fri, Apr 10, 2020 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (EDT)?Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.? can also dial in using your phone.?Call in: (646) 749-3112| Access Code: 944-052-725LeadingAge National Coronavirus Daily Member Update: LIVE ONLINE7 days/week through April 26 |3:30 pm dailyRegister for the entire series today - After you register, you will receive an email confirmation with your unique weblink, which you can use every day.Access all LeadingAge Coronavirus Daily Member Update Recordings?NationalUpdated LeadingAge GuidanceLeadingAge Need to Know: Coronavirus - 4.6.20New Paid Sick Leave and FMLA Leave/FFCRA FAQHousing FAQ from LeadingAgeNew Nursing Home FAQ from LeadingAgeLeadingAge and VNAA/Elevating Home Asks for Emergency Funding in CARES ActNew Insights and Tools from LeadingAgePaycheck Protection Program Guidance Issued on Affiliation and for Faith-Based OrganizationsSmall Business Administration Loans Available to Support Providers through COVID-19 PandemicHUD Clarifies Options for Income Recertifications, Electronic SubmissionsHUD Switching to Pre-Recorded Info SessionsCMS Issues New Recommendations to Nursing Homes in COVID-19 CrisisLeadingAge Statement on CMS’ April 2, 2020 Key Recommendations to Nursing Homes, State, Local GovernmentsCMS Nursing Home Call: Stakeholder Questions for April 1?On April 1, CMS hosted a national call for nursing home providers. As in previous calls, CMS experienced technical difficulty due to the volume of calls. Recordings of CMS calls can be found here and calls generally post within a few days. More?McKnight's NewsSenators want list of infected nursing homes made publicProviders: We need more PPE, testing to ‘fully comply’ with latest CMS guidance?Member ResourcesImportant COVID-19 Contact InformationAuxiliary Grant: tishaun.harrisugworji@dars.Businesses - COVID-19 Questions: business@CCC Plus: cccplus@dmas.?CMS: COVID19@CMS.DMAS: DMAScovid@dmas.LeadingAge National: covid@Regional HealthCare Coalitions?VHASSFree COVID-19 TrainingNextStep, a startup that trains and places workers into high-demand health care roles, created an online course designed to improve the safety of caregivers of all kinds working with COVID-19 patients in all settings. The COVID-Ready Caregiver program uses expert-developed online learning to help develop critical skills for safety during the pandemic. Staff at LeadingAge members can access the course at no cost through April 10. Use code COVIDCERTNOW at check-out.Clarification: Regarding this COVID-19 training, LeadingAge said “The program is NOT a formal certification and does not meet the new CNA training and testing blanket waiver—but it can be used to complement additional training. It can also be used by caregivers, housekeeping and dietary teams, or any staff at independent living, HCBS, adult day, PACE, affordable housing, or other settings, as well as by family caregivers at home.”?Intelycare is offering a free COVID19 Nurse Training CourseSocial Media Images?LeadingAge Virginia has developed social media templates for you to use to attract displaced workers and put out positive messaging during this crisis. You can access all of these resources for download here.ChildcareYMCA is offering emergency childcare for healthcare workers. Click here to get in touch with your local Y.Crisis Counseling and Emotional Support HotlineThe National Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 is offering crisis counseling and emotional support 24/7 during the COVID-19 outbreak.Practical Tools for Staff ConversationsIn her book,?Rising Strong, Brené Brown says, “There is no greater threat to the critics and cynics and fearmongers than those of us who are willing to fall because we have learned how to rise.”?Check in question: Each of us has fears because of COVID-19 and the impact it is having on every aspect of our lives. Each of us, at some point, has fallen. Despite our fears and our fallings, what is one thing you can do today to rise? What is one thing you can do today to help another person rise?4201 Dominion Blvd Suite 100, Glen Allen,VA 23060Phone: (804) 965.5500Website: here if you would like to unsubscribe.? ................
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