Fortress.wa.gov
[Pages:2]
STATE OF WASHINGTON
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
Aging and Long-Term Support Administration
Residential Care Services
R20-016 – PROCEDURE
March 9, 2020
|TO: |RCS Regional Administrators |
| |RCS AFH, ALF, ESF and CCRSS Field Managers |
| |RCS AFH, ALF, ESF and CCRSS Staff |
| |RCS Management Team |
|FROM: |Candace Goehring, Director |
| |Residential Care Services |
|SUBJECT: |INSPECTION/INVESTIGATION PROCESS IN COVID-19 SITUATIONS AND SUSPENSION OF CERTAIN INSPECTION ACTIVITIES |
|Purpose: |To advise staff of changes in licensing inspection and complaint investigation processes RCS is making to |
| |respond to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. |
| |To provide staff and facilities/homes with information and resources concerning the COVID-19 outbreak. |
|Background: |A new coronavirus was identified, which has resulted in thousands of confirmed cases around the world, |
| |including the United States. RCS is taking steps to protect staff, minimize transmission of the illness, and |
| |ensure health care facilities and agencies are prepared to respond to the outbreak. |
|What’s new, changed, or |Inspection and Investigation guidelines: |
|Clarified: |Effective immediately, licensing inspection, certification visits, and complaint investigation activities are |
| |limited to the following (in priority order): |
| |All complaints that constitute imminent danger or immediate threat (cases in which serious physical harm to or|
| |death of a resident/client has occurred, or there is a serious threat to the resident/client’s life, health or|
| |safety) and allegations of abuse and neglect. |
| |Complaints alleging infection control concerns, including facilities/homes with potential COVID-19 or other |
| |respiratory illnesses. |
| |Statutorily required Licensing inspections or certification visits. |
| |Any re-visits necessary to resolve current enforcement actions. |
| |Initial inspections |
| |Licensing inspections or certification visits of facilities/homes that have a history of infection control |
| |deficiencies at the imminent danger or immediate threat level in the last three years. |
| |Licensing inspections or certification visits of facilities/homes that have a history of infection control |
| |deficiencies at less than imminent danger or immediate threat. |
| | |
| |For Inspection of facilities with complaints alleging infection control concerns, including facilities with |
| |potential COVID-19 or other respiratory illness, licensors and investigators should talk with their Field |
| |Manger prior to entering the facility/home. |
| | |
| |Prior to entering a facility/home staff will use the “RCS Screening Questions” to assess concerns about any |
| |possible current outbreak in the facility/home |
| | |
| |Resources and Information for providers: |
| |The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has issued recommendations for long term care and residential |
| |providers concerning infection prevention measures, general preparedness and responding to an illness. There |
| |are also resources at the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) website and on the Aging and Long |
| |Term Support (ALTSA) website. The links are below. |
| | |
| |Facilities are advised to check these websites regularly, as updated information is provided as the outbreak |
| |evolves. |
|ACTION: |Staff will: |
| |Immediately limit licensing activities to those described in this memo and suspend other licensing activities |
| |as directed by your Field Manager. |
| |Notify Regional Administrators/Field Managers/Office Chiefs to determine entry to facilities if COVID-19 is |
| |suspected or confirmed. Do not enter without the required Personal Protective Equipment. RCS will determine |
| |each situation encountered on a case-by-case basis before entry activity is pursued. |
| |Familiarize themselves with the RCS screening questions to be used prior to entering a facility |
|Related |COVID-19 ALTSA website |
|REFERENCES: |COVID-19 CDC website |
| |WA state DOH Recommendations for LTC Facilities during COVID-19 outbreak |
| |MB R20-013 |
|ATTACHMENTS: |Dear AFH Provider – ALTSA: AFH #2020-006 |
| |Dear ALF Administrator – ALTSA: ALF #2020-008 |
| |Dear ESF Provider – ALTSA: ESF #2020-004 |
| |Dear CCRSS Provider – ALTSA: CCRSS #2020-004 |
| |[pic] |
| |RCS Screening Questions |
| |[pic] |
|CONTACTS: |Contact your Regional Administrator or Field Manager for questions. |
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STATE OF WASHINGTON
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
Aging and Long-Term Support Administration
PO Box 45600, Olympia, WA 98504-5600
RCS MANAGEMENT BULLETIN
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