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Authors Posts by Jack Phillips

Jack Phillips

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Mr. Phillips is responsible to assist the association with health policy, which primarily includes member communication and advocacy with the Governor’s office, General Assembly, and state regulatory agencies. Mr. Phillips was most recently at the Pennsylvania Department of State as Director of Legislative Affairs.

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Photo by Daniel Schludi on Unsplash

126 Skilled Nursing Facilities to Receive Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 30, 2020

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine announced that the federal Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program has begun vaccinating residents and staff at 126 Pennsylvania skilled nursing facilities using the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

“Vaccinating residents and staff at skilled nursing facilities is critical to protecting these vulnerable populations,” Dr. Levine said. “As our federal partners work to coordinate vaccinations for this critical population, we remind Pennsylvanians to remain calm and patient as we continue to roll out our phased distribution.”

Starting on Monday, December 28, CVS Pharmacy has been working to vaccinate residents and staff in 120 skilled nursing facilities; Walgreens has also been holding vaccine clinics at six skilled nursing facilities. Developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the program provides end-to-end management of the COVID-19 vaccination process at no cost to the facilities. The distribution timeline of facilities was selected by CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens, and Operation Warp Speed.

In the first weeks, the partnership will vaccinate skilled nursing facilities’ staff and residents. In Pennsylvania, these facilities are licensed by the Department of Health. All licensed skilled nursing facilities in Pennsylvania are eligible for the program. Of the eligible facilities, 603 have chosen the federal pharmacy partnership to complete vaccination, and 89 have opted out of the federal pharmacy partnership. The department will be working with those who have opted out to complete vaccinations. Pennsylvania submitted to the CDC a list of additional facility types for the CDC’s review and approval to participate in the federal partnership, including personal care homes, assisted living facilities, private intermediate care facilities for individuals with developmental disabilities, community group homes, residential treatment facilities for adults, long-term structured residences, state veterans homes, state centers, private psychiatric hospitals, and continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs). If the CDC approves these facility types, they will receive vaccination through the partnership after skilled nursing facilities.

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health is receiving its own allocations of vaccine from the federal government and is operating separately from the efforts of the department.

As of December 29, hospitals have vaccinated 96,045 health-care workers and will continue to vaccinate those in Group 1A. This week, 56 hospitals either have or will receive 47,775 Pfizer-BioNTech and 26,100 Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses. They will be shipped directly to hospitals and health-care systems for continued vaccination of hospital staff and non-affiliated individuals through coordinated hospital partnerships.

Pennsylvania hospitals began receiving shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine the week of December 14 and shipments of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine the week of December 21.

A spreadsheet of facilities that have received the vaccine can be found here.

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

  • Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
  • Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
  • Clean surfaces frequently.
  • Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
  • If you must go out, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
  • Download the COVID Alert PA app and make your phone part of the fight. The free app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by searching for “covid alert pa”.

Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, and Graphics

All Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to sign up for AlertPA, a text notification system for health, weather, and other important alerts like COVID-19 updates from commonwealth agencies. Residents can sign up online.

MEDIA CONTACT:  April Hutcheson

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In December 2020, the federal government appropriated more than $16.7 million in funding to be used for projects like Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) in fiscal year (FY) 2021. Grant applications are now available and are due on February 5, 2021!

The Mental Health Awareness Training (MHAT) grants will help expand MHFA to more schools, first responders, veterans, and other communities so that more people will be able to identify, understand, and respond when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis.

To apply, you must complete all four registration processes by February 5:

  1. Obtain a DUNS number by accessing the Dun and Bradstreet website
  2. Register with the System for Awards Management
  3. Register with Grants.gov
  4. Register with National Institutes of Health’s (NIH’s) eRA Commons (Please note that the eRA Commons process may take up to six weeks. If you have not already done so, be sure to complete the registration process immediately.)

Register for our Webinar!

Join us on Friday, January 8, 2021 from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Eastern Time (ET) for an informational webinar that will discuss:

  • An overview of Mental Health First Aid;
  • Using Mental Health First Aid in your funding opportunity application;
  • Mental Health First Aid training implementation options; and
  • Other curricula formats available for adults who work with youth, teens, first responders, older adults, higher education, veterans, and Spanish-speaking communities.

Learn more about the grants and who can apply here:

Please direct any questions related to Mental Health First Aid to the National Council.

Please direct any other questions related to the funding opportunity announcement to SAMHSA as instructed here.

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Harrisburg, PA – Today, Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine announced the launch of Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard, which is now available on the department’s website. The dashboard includes information on the number of vaccinations administered by county as well as demographic information about the people being vaccinated.

“Each day, more and more Pennsylvanians are getting vaccinated against COVID-19, which means we are another step closer to beating this virus,” Dr. Levine said. “The COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard will help us visualize how many individuals have received the vaccine to date and help us work to vaccinate everyone who wishes to receive a vaccination.”

The data on the dashboard comes from vaccine providers who are reporting information relating to the individuals to whom they administer the COVID-19 vaccine. That information is reported into the Pennsylvania Statewide Immunization Information System (PA-SIIS).

Currently, 142 hospitals, health systems, federally qualified health centers, and pharmacies have received the COVID-19 vaccine with 58 locations expected to receive doses this week. Some of these facilities have previously received the vaccine, and some are receiving the vaccine for the first time. The department also announced this week that, through the Federal Pharmacy Partnership (FPP), 126 skilled nursing facilities across the commonwealth will receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

The vaccine will be available in a phased approach. Due to the limited supply of vaccine, the first phase is expected to take several months. Initial administration of doses will align with the recommendations of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). ACIP recommended that vaccine administration be prioritized for health-care workers, residents, and staff in long-term care facilities.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a nationwide playbook that the department used to develop and still uses to update the Pennsylvania COVID-19 Interim Vaccination Plan.

More information about the COVID-19 vaccine can be found here.

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

  • Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
  • Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
  • Clean surfaces frequently.
  • Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
  • If you must go out, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
  • Download the COVID Alert PA app and make your phone part of the fight. The free app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by searching for “covid alert pa”.

Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, and Graphics

All Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to sign up for AlertPA, a text notification system for health, weather, and other important alerts like COVID-19 updates from commonwealth agencies. Residents can sign up online.

MEDIA CONTACT: April Hutcheson

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 22, 2020
View Online

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Governor Tom Wolf thanked congressional lawmakers for responding to the needs of the American people and passing a second federal COVID-19 Emergency Relief Package. The governor released the following statement:

“The COVID-19 relief package passed yesterday by Congress is long overdue. The emergency relief funds authorized under the CARES Act were crucial to helping our nation survive the spring surge of COVID-19, but those funds expired while desperate need remained. Americans continue to struggle due to the economic consequences of this global pandemic.

“Now, as our commonwealth and our nation face an unprecedented surge of COVID-19, this new aid package is a necessary step toward meeting the needs of our people and helping Pennsylvania families and businesses survive the upheaval caused by this dangerous virus. I thank all the members of Congress who worked to pass this bipartisan package.

“This aid package provides direct payments to individuals, protects unemployment benefits, funds a new round of Paycheck Protection Program loans, supports education, establishes rental assistance, and secures funding for contact tracing, testing, and vaccine distribution. It will provide vital support for individuals, families, workers, and small businesses in Pennsylvania.

“It is a vital step in our efforts to meet the needs of Pennsylvanians, but it cannot be the last step. More funding is needed for restaurants and bars as well as the service industry more broadly. More funding is needed for direct payments to individuals and families. More funding is needed for state and local governments and the critical services they provide.

“We should celebrate the aid this bill has secured, but we need to continue advocating for the additional support that Pennsylvanians – and all Americans – need during these difficult times. Nine months have passed between the CARES Act and this second COVID-19 relief package. For our congressional leaders, I have one plea: Do not let your constituents suffer for another nine months without the additional aid they desperately need.”

MEDIA CONTACT: Lyndsay Kensinger

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Acting Secretary Jennifer Smith portrait

In the following video, Jen Smith, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP), would like to thank you for your continued dedication to the health and safety of Pennsylvanians. We could not do what we do without you. Happy holidays from all of us at DDAP!

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Extends license renewal deadline for State Board of Medicine and reactivations for retirees and temporary practice permits for out-of-state health-care professionals.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 22, 2020

Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania announced today that it will extend the license renewal deadline for health-care professionals licensed under the State Board of Medicine, will extend emergency temporary licenses granted to licensed practitioners in other states and jurisdictions, and will extend reactivated licenses for retired and inactive Pennsylvania-licensed practitioners.

“As COVID-19 cases increase across Pennsylvania, we must make sure that as many health-care professionals as possible are able to serve patients,” said Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar. “The Department of State’s goal since the beginning of the emergency disaster declaration has been to remove unnecessary administrative barriers for our licensed professionals so that they can continue to practice during the pandemic.”

The following license renewal deadlines have been extended:

  • The renewal deadline for licensees under the State Board of Medicine is extended by 90 days to March 31, 2021. Licenses will remain in “active” status on the department’s website until March 31, 2021.
  • The renewal deadline for emergency temporary licenses has been extended to June 30, 2021.
  • Previous license reactivation waivers have been extended to allow retired/inactive Pennsylvania practitioners who have reactivated or wish to reactivate their Board of Medicine license to assist in the pandemic.
    • If those practitioners who have reactivated licenses are unable to meet the renewal requirements prior to the December 31 deadline, they may still continue to practice after December 31, 2020 and will have until June 30, 2021 to meet the renewal requirements, including the accumulation of sufficient continuing education credits.

Additional information for practitioners regarding these extensions can be found on the Department of State’s website.

A complete list of COVID-19-related guidance for licensed professionals is also available from the Department of State.

MEDIA CONTACT: Laura Humphrey, (717)-783-1621

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Enhancement and Expansion of Treatment and Recovery Services for Adolescents, Transitional-Aged Youth, and their Families

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is accepting applications for the Enhancement and Expansion of Treatment and Recovery Services for Adolescents, Transitional-Aged Youth, and their Families grant program (Youth and Family TREE). The purpose of this program is to enhance and expand comprehensive treatment, early intervention, and recovery support services for adolescents (ages 12-18) and transitional-aged youth (ages 16-25) with substance use disorders (SUD) and/or co-occurring substance use and mental disorders (COD) and their families/primary caregivers. SAMHSA plans to issue approximately 17 awards of up to $545,000 per year for up to five years. Application Due Date: Monday, February 8, 2021

Building Communities of Recovery

SAMHSA is accepting applications for Building Communities of Recovery (BCOR). The purpose of this program is to mobilize resources within and outside of the recovery community in order to increase the prevalence and quality of long-term recovery support from substance abuse and addiction. SAMHSA plans to issue 19 awards of $200,000 per year for up to three years. Application Due Date: Monday, February 15, 2021

Enhanced Prevention Learning Series (EPLS): Leveraging Systems Change in Substance Misuse Prevention

Tuesday, January 6, 2021 at 12:30 pm Eastern Time (ET)

This six-week distance learning series offers an interactive experience for participants to explore the role of systems change in substance misuse prevention. The distance learning series will include skill-based learning opportunities, individual and group activities, reading assignments, and group discussion. Other session dates include:

  • January 13, 2021
  • January 20, 2021
  • January 27, 2021
  • February 3, 2021
  • February 10, 2021
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