Coronavirus FAQs - Aging & Disability Services



Coronavirus FAQsMarch 13, 2020This document is being developed by the Nevada Aging and Disability Services Division in response to common questions from subrecipients about coronavirus.Please know the safety of older adults and individuals at higher risk is our priority. This guidance is based on federal and state information and will be updated as new information becomes available. General – FAQ1. Q: Does the signature waiver apply for HDM and other services? A: ADSD is waiving this requirement for all services funded through subawards during this state of emergency. Medicaid and other state funded services are not included in this document. 2. Q: For programs offering services within client homes, what measures should be taken?A: Programs should offer telephone services as much as possible. For programs that cannot offer telephone service, staff should take precautions as recommended by the CDC or local health department to protect themselves and the client. Non-essential services that can be temporarily suspended or delayed could be approved. In these instances, wellness check phone calls will be required by staff to clients. Please inform your assigned GPS of changes to your service delivery plans. 3. Q: Is ADSD waiving the home assessment requirement in the subaward service specifications? A: ADSD will temporarily waive the home assessment requirement for services funded through subawards during this state of emergency. Medicaid and other state funded services are not included in this document. Nutrition Program FAQs1. Q: Will ADSD support additional costs to provide temporary homebound service to all of those who normally use our congregate to allow us to temporarily provide homebound service? Can C-1 funds be transferred to C-2 to cover temporary home delivered meals? A: While C1 cannot be used to pay for home delivered meals, ADSD will consider requests to fund home delivered meals under emergency circumstances to those unable to obtain food by other means such as home delivered groceries, food banks and family supports. ADSD will have an Emergency Request Form for nutrition sites to request funding to support changes to their service delivery. These requests will be evaluated and approved as funding is made available. All requests should be to continue services to individuals who are the most food insecure.2. Q: What happens when providers cannot locate items to sanitize areas, including the kitchen? Or toilet paper and soap to provide for the bathrooms? A: Sites must work with their local health agency to determine what protocols are in place. 3. Q: May the HD-Meals driver leave the package of food on the porch/gate/step and ring the bell or otherwise let the senior know that the driver is there, thus allowing the senior to retrieve the meal while the driver watches? A: Yes, ADSD is granting a temporary waiver to hand deliver food to seniors. ADSD is requesting increased phone contact with seniors during this time. 4. Q: Can Congregate Meal sites offer “grab and go” or “drive up” meals to adhere to CDC guidelines that recommend older adults avoid crowds? A: Current federal guidelines do not allow C-1 funding to be used for anything other than congregate meal service. ADSD is working with state and federal agencies to be able to reimburse for this type of service for the most food insecure individuals. With President Trump’s declaration of a National Emergency, there is expected to be more flexibility given to states to support the needs of its citizens. We will provide update information as it is available, but our continued priority is to ensure food insecure individuals have access to food. 5. Q: Can congregate programs request reimbursement for the supplies that they are needing to purchase as specific to this health issue – e.g. individual portion cups, take home meal containers, additional cleaning supplies, etc? A: ADSD will consider these requests in the Emergency Request Form to be released soon. However, all requests will be evaluated based on priority and funding available. 6: Q: If congregate meals are suspended due to the requirement to avoid crowds and that causes meals to be distributed/handed out for take-home, what happens to the seniors who depend on bus or van transportation to reach the senior center or other distribution point? A: ADSD will work with subrecipients on a case by case basis, however each subrecipient should have a plan in place to ensure the most food insecure individuals have access to food. 7: Q: Will background checks and elder abuse training for volunteers who would be delivering food to home be waived? A: At this time ADSD is not able to waive this requirement. If guidance changes, we will update this document. 8: Q: Would under 60 clients be able to pay for meals?A: Yes, existing policies allow for individuals under 60 should continue be charged for meals. Priority must be given to existing or new clients who are most food insecure.9: Q: If necessary due to demand to feed congregate seniors as HDM, can centers provide alternate schedules for deliveries due to limited vehicles, etc? A: Yes, centers can make adjustments to their schedules as necessary to support individuals who are most food insecure. National Resources? Meals on Wheels America: COVID-19 ? National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging: COVID-19 ? NANASP: COVID-19? National League of Cities Coronavirus Response Resources: ? Advancing States COVID-19 Resources: ? NRCNAengage (conversation + resources for aging and nutrition program network): ................
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