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Physical Disabilities & Aging

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The Nonprofit Quarterly is hosting a complimentary webinar for nonprofits that have received a Paycheck Protection Program Loan and want to prepare effectively to seek loan forgiveness.  The one-hour webinar is scheduled Thursday, July 23, 2020 at 3:00 pm. The webinar will provide:

  • A refresher on how organizations can and cannot spend PPP funds;
  • Guidance on estimating “FTEs”;
  • Ideas for navigating the forgiveness process and applications; and
  • Guidance on other decisions related to PPP that organizations will need to make.

Register for the NPQ Webinar here.

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From ANCOR:

HHS will be extending the application deadline for federal Provider Relief Fund payments to Medicaid providers by two weeks, from this coming Monday, July 20, to August 3.

This extension is being made because only about 1% of Medicaid providers nationally have completed applications, only about 60,000 have initiated applications, and only about 6% have even visited the portal.

HHS has also signaled that there will be a “Phase 3” of distribution of CARES Act funds to help continue to distribute relief funds, and to pick up “Medicaid dependent” providers that were foreclosed from participating in the current portal opportunity because of having previously qualified for, but not having been cued to attest to, nominal amounts of Medicare relief.

I confirmed this extension announcement with NAMD & NASDDDS.  HHS should be making an official announcement within the next couple of hours.

Background on the Provider Relief Fund:

The Provider Relief Fund (PRF), created under the federal CARES Act, is designed “to support the providers’ healthcare related expenses or lost revenue attributable to COVID-19, so long as the payment is used to prevent, prepare for, or respond to coronavirus and those expenses or lost revenue are not reimbursed from other sources or other sources were not obligated to reimburse them.” (See HHS Provider Relief Fund FAQ).

Key details on the Medicaid awards:

  • Total Amount: $15 billion for Medicaid providers.
  • Eligibility: Any provider that did NOT receive a funding award from the first $50 billion in awards made to providers with some level of Medicare utilization, and directly billed a state Medicaid program or Medicaid managed care plan between January 1, 2018 and May 31, 2020.
  • Process: Providers submit annual patient revenue information and other required documentation to HHS’s provider relief fund portal.
  • Award Amounts: Minimum of two percent of gross patient care revenues, with final amount determined by provider-submitted data including number of Medicaid patients served.

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Shannon McCracken
Vice President of Government Relations
ANCOR
606.271.3555
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The Federal Communications Commission has just adopted rules to establish 988 as the new, nationwide, 3-digit phone number for Americans in crisis to connect with suicide prevention and mental health crisis counselors. The rules require all phone service providers to direct all 988 calls to the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by July 16, 2022. During the transition to 988, Americans who need help should continue to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 800-273-8255 (800-273-TALK) and through online chats. Veterans and Service members may reach the Veterans Crisis Line by pressing 1 after dialing, chatting online at www.veteranscrisisline.net, or texting 838255.

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Folders with the label Applications and Grants

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2020
View Online 

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Governor Tom Wolf announced the availability of $50 million in grant funding to help employers provide hazard pay to employees in life-sustaining occupations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hazard pay is intended to keep front-line employees working in vital industry sectors across Pennsylvania.

“In the fight against COVID-19, our front-line workers have put themselves at risk every day in order to continue to provide life-sustaining services to their fellow Pennsylvanians, and this funding will increase their pay in recognition of those sacrifices,” said Gov. Wolf. “These grants will help businesses retain employees, ensure that Pennsylvanians keep working and avoid disruption of critical goods and services.”

Created through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, this reimbursement-based grant is available to employers offering hazard pay during the eligible program period and will be administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). Businesses may apply for grants up to a maximum of $3 million.

The following applicants are eligible to apply:

  • Businesses
  • Healthcare Non-profits
  • Public Transportation Agencies
  • Certified Economic Development Organizations (CEDO)

Eligible Pennsylvania-based industries include:

  • Healthcare and Social Assistance
  • Ambulatory Health Care Services
  • Hospitals
  • Nursing and Residential Care Facilities
  • Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation
  • Food Manufacturing
  • Food Retail Facilities
  • Security Services for eligible industries listed above and commercial industries that were not closed as a result of the Governor’s Business Closure Order
  • Janitorial Services to Buildings and Dwellings

Grant funds may be used for hazard pay for direct, full-time and part-time employees earning less than $20/hour, excluding fringe benefits and overtime for the 10-week period from August 16, 2020, to October 24, 2020. Applicants may apply for up to $1,200 per eligible full-time equivalent (FTE) employee. Employers may apply for a grant to provide hazard pay for up to 500 eligible full-time equivalent employees per location.

Eligible applicants may apply for grants using the online DCED Electronic Single Application for Assistance located at www.esa.dced.state.pa.us from July 16, 2020, to July 31, 2020. Program inquiries may be directed to (717) 787-6245 or [email protected].

“An essential component of the spending plan we passed this spring was the use of available federal money to provide extra hazard pay for workers who are doing the most dangerous jobs,” said House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody (D- Allegheny, Westmoreland). “Today’s announcement shows we are serious about keeping that commitment and I urge all the employers who qualify for these grants to apply now.”

“Front-line workers in many workplaces have been praised during this pandemic, including thousands of transit workers who drive, clean and maintain our buses and trains,” said state Rep. Mike Carrol (D- Lackawanna, Luzerne), Democratic chairman of the House Transportation Committee. “They’ve earned more than just good words. They deserve better pay for the risky work that they are continuing to do every day.”

“This grant program will put $50 million in CARES Act dollars into the pockets of Pennsylvania’s lowest-paid front-line workers, who risked their families’ health and safety to keep us fed, care for our children and elderly, and help fellow front-line workers get to and from work,” said state Sen. Maria Collett (D- Bucks, Montgomery), Democratic chairwoman of the Senate Aging and Youth Committee. “I am especially glad to see that Governor Wolf and DCED considered my input and included actual risk and local prevalence of COVID as evaluation criteria.”

“Front-line essential workers are the backbone of our economy, and they have been working in dangerous, sometimes deadly, conditions. They are putting themselves and their families at risk from COVID-19 on a daily basis and their wages should reflect that risk,” said state Sen. Lindsey Williams (D-Allegheny), Democratic chairwoman of the Senate Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee. “Many of these workers didn’t sign up for life-threatening work, so I’m pleased that the Hazard Pay Grant Program will assist employers in compensating them more fairly for the newfound dangers that they face.”

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, Pennsylvanians should follow https://www.pa.gov/guides/responding-to-covid-19/.

MEDIA CONTACTS: Lyndsay Kensinger, Governor’s Office, [email protected]
Casey Smith, DCED, [email protected]

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The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) held a webinar providing consumers and other stakeholders an update. This may be the last Third Thursday Webinar, as it was originally designed to communicate with consumers and stakeholders during the rollout of Community HealthChoices (CHC).  As the rollout is now complete, and the continuity of care has ended, the slides provide other public meetings and resources where the same content is covered.

Highlights:

  1. CHC Updates
  • The Continuity of Care (COC) period ended on June 30, 2020 for the Northeast, Northwest, and Lehigh/Capital zones.
  • CHC is now fully implemented statewide.
  • The Department of Human Services is continuing to prioritize the monitoring and oversight of program operations and participant services.
  1. New Resource and Referral Tool
  • The tool will serve as a care coordination system for providers and social service organizations and will include a closed-loop referral system that will report on the outcomes of the referrals.
  • It will also serve as an access point to help Pennsylvanians find and access the services they need to achieve overall well-being and improve health outcomes.
  • Responses can be submitted through the eMarketplace and are due by August 6th.
  1. Appendix K Transition Plan
  • Waiver Services and Person-Centered Service Plans (PCSP)
    • When a county enters the green phase, the CHC-MCOs may begin conducting comprehensive needs reassessments that were missed due to the public health emergency (PHE) and services can be adjusted based on the outcome of the reassessment.
    • When a county enters the green phase, Service Coordinators should monitor participants and PCSPs through face-to-face contact when possible.
  • Initial Level of Care Assessments
    • Initial level of care assessments using the FED that take place in the participant’s home should be conducted face-to-face when possible.
    • Initial level of care assessments using the FED that take place in nursing facilities should be conducted remotely using phone or video conferencing.
  • Needs Assessments and Reassessments
    • Service Coordinators must receive education and training from the CHC-MCOs on how to evaluate individual risk factors and protect themselves from potential exposure according to the guidance issued by the CDC and the Department of Health.
    • Annual Reassessments, including the needs assessment, should be conducted face-to-face when possible.
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
    • PPE such as gloves, gowns and masks for participant use can be obtained as Specialized Medical Equipment and Supplies if no other source is available.
    • This flexibility will continue for the duration of the Appendix K approval period regardless of the county’s status.
  • Respite
    • Respite in a licensed facility may be extended beyond 29 consecutive days without prior approval of the CHC-MCO, in order to meet the participant’s health and safety needs.
    • When a county transitions to green, this flexibility continues if the need for additional respite is a result of COVID-19.
    • Prior approval of the CHC-MCO is required. This remains in effect for the duration of the Appendix K approval.
  • Personal Assistance Services (Agency and Participant-Directed) and Participant-Directed Community Supports
    • When a county enters the green phase, spouses, legal guardians, and persons with power of attorney may no longer serve as paid direct care workers.
    • Participants will be expected to resume using their existing direct care worker or a replacement worker, if necessary.
  1. Regional Response Health Collaboration Program (RRHCP)

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2020

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Governor Tom Wolf announced the availability of $10 million in grant funding through the COVID-19 Vaccines, Treatments, and Therapies (CV-VTT) program to support the rapid advancement of vaccines, treatments, and therapies by qualified biotechnology entities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This funding was appropriated from the Act 2A of 2020, known as the COVID-19 Emergency Supplement to the General Appropriation Act of 2019, to the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH), to be administered through a Notice of Subgrant by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s (DCED) Office of Technology and Innovation.

“Our commonwealth is home to some of the most brilliant minds and institutions and has a history of being a leader in developing groundbreaking science and advancing new, life-sustaining technologies,” said Gov. Wolf. “As we continue to take mitigation efforts seriously, we want to support groups that can move Pennsylvania forward in the development of treatments that can halt the spread of COVID-19 and protect our families, friends, and communities for the long-term.”

This program is available to Pennsylvania-based entities that demonstrate both a financial need and a well-defined pathway to the accelerated commercialization of a new vaccine, treatment, or therapy in direct response to the fight against COVID-19.

The following applicants are eligible to apply:

  • Colleges and universities
  • For-profit companies
  • Academic medical centers
  • Non-profit research institutions
  • Economic development organizations

Eligible applicants may apply for grants and learn more about the CV-VTT program here. The application deadline is Friday, July 24, 2020.

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, Pennsylvanians should follow https://www.pa.gov/guides/responding-to-covid-19/.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Lyndsay Kensinger, Governor’s Office, [email protected]
Casey Smith, DCED, [email protected]

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2020

Harrisburg, PA – The Wolf Administration today announced that the Department of Human Services (DHS) will allow for additional Medicaid providers to enroll as an opioid use disorder Center of Excellence (COE). Since 2016, 45 COEs have transformed the way care is provided to people with opioid use disorder and have helped more than 30,000 Pennsylvanians access comprehensive, whole-person treatment that makes recovery possible.

“Connecting people to treatment that addresses both their opioid use disorder as well as physical and behavioral health needs is critical in saving lives and fighting the opioid epidemic,” said Governor Tom Wolf. “Centers of Excellence have proven themselves to be a critical part of our efforts to improve treatment options. By taking the next step in sustaining this program, individuals with opioid use disorder will have more access to treatment in their communities.”

DHS has announced a process for providers to enroll in the commonwealth’s Medicaid program as a COE specialty type provider. Providers who bear this specialty designation will be eligible to bill MCOs for care management services. This will allow DHS to continue to hold COEs to elevated standards by ensuring fidelity to the COE care model while also allowing other qualified providers to attain the distinction of COE.

“DHS is proud to oversee the development of the COE program, and we remain committed to helping the people at the center of this crisis,” said DHS Secretary Teresa Miller. “COEs are on the front lines in the fight against the opioid epidemic, and we want to be sure we are doing everything we can to support them. In continuing the program, DHS is taking the next step to cement the COE model as a standard of care for people with opioid use disorder.”

The COE program was established in 2016 through grants awarded to 45 providers throughout the commonwealth in order to increase access to medication assisted treatment, improve coordination of behavioral and physical healthcare for patients, and use community-based care management teams to keep people engaged in treatment across the continuum of care toward recovery.

COEs are designed to take care of the whole person by incorporating opioid use disorder treatment with physical, mental, and behavioral health treatment, as well as recovery support services. COEs use a blend of licensed and unlicensed, clinical and non-clinical staff to coordinate the care needs of an individual to ensure that their treatment and non-treatment needs are met.

The COEs’ care managers work to keep people with an opioid use disorder engaged in treatment by coordinating follow-up care and community supports that are vital to maintaining recovery. COEs work as a hub-and-spoke network, with the designated center serving as the hub. The spokes can include primary care practices, the criminal justice system, emergency departments, social services providers, other treatment providers, and other referral sources.

A study by the University of Pittsburgh found that COEs save lives by increasing access to medication assisted treatment and keeping people engaged in that treatment. Before receiving services from a COE, 46 percent of patients received medication assisted treatment, but after receiving COE services, nearly 73 percent of those patients were receiving treatment. The study also found that people who receive services from a COE are less likely to be admitted to the emergency room or the hospital due to an overdose. There is also a significant difference in how long a patient stays engaged in treatment; those who receive services from a COE stay in treatment longer than those who do not.

Applications for Medicaid providers to be enrolled as a COE may be submitted any time. Beginning January 1, 2021, only providers with the COE specialty type will receive payment for COE-type care management services. More information and the application for Medicaid providers to become a COE can be found here.

MEDIA CONTACT: Erin James, [email protected]

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