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Physical Disabilities & Aging

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 11, 2020

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller urged Pennsylvanians to remain vigilant in our shared responsibility to keep all children safe and prevent child abuse. DHS administers ChildLine, which is a 24/7 hotline available to anyone concerned for the safety or well-being of a child. To report a concern, call 1-800-932-0313.

“While Pennsylvania begins to reopen and some of our lives get back to something close to normal, I want to remind my fellow residents that there are many people – particularly among vulnerable populations – who will continue to feel the effects of this public-health crisis for many months and years to come. And some are still in the shadows,” Secretary Miller said. “We all have a role to play to keep children safe. If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, please call ChildLine to make a report.”

In the weeks immediately following the implementation of aggressive social-distancing measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus, DHS saw a roughly 50 percent decline in average daily calls to ChildLine compared to the same time period in 2019. This decrease in calls is most likely an unfortunate side effect of school closures and limited interactions between children, their teachers and other mandated reporters in school settings. Of the 39,040 reports made by mandated reporters to ChildLine in 2018, for example, more than a third were reported by school employees.

To address the reduction in calls, DHS has prioritized outreach to stakeholders and external communication efforts to encourage members of the public to be on the lookout for signs of abuse or neglect among children in their community and to call ChildLine if they suspect a child is in danger. Between May 1 and May 28 of this year, ChildLine received 14,181 calls from concerned citizens — down from 23,536 calls during the same time period in 2019, or a roughly 40 percent reduction.

“Calls to ChildLine normally drop during the summer months when schools are closed, but this should only reinforce our efforts to be vigilant about our responsibility to protect all children,” Secretary Miller said. “Each and every one of us can play a role in protecting children from abuse or neglect. Making the call to ChildLine allows trained child welfare professionals and, if necessary, law enforcement to follow up, collect information, and determine if assistive services or other intervention is necessary.”

Anyone can make a report to ChildLine. Anyone who is not a mandated reporter can make a report to ChildLine anonymously. DHS is encouraging all Pennsylvanians to learn more about the signs of potential abuse or neglect and make a report to ChildLine if they begin to suspect abuse or neglect.

Signs of potential abuse or neglect can include:

  • Numerous and/or unexplained injuries or bruises;
  • Chronic, pronounced anxiety and expressed feelings of inadequacy;
  • Flinching or an avoidance to being touched;
  • Poor impulse control;
  • Demonstrating abusive behavior or talk;
  • Cruelty to animals or others; and,
  • Fear of parent or caregiver, among others.

DHS also encourages parents and families who are struggling to cope during this time of crisis to reach out for help. Anyone struggling with mental health and in need of referrals to helpful programs can call Pennsylvania’s new Support & Referral Helpline, which is operated 24/7 by skilled caseworkers who can provide emotional support during this difficult period. The number to call is 1-855-284-2494. For TTY, dial 724-631-5600. Another helpful resource is the 2-1-1 hotline operated by the United Way, which can connect people and families to local resources that can help during the public health crisis.

MEDIA CONTACT: Erin James, [email protected]

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Today, the Department of Human Services (DHS) announced a Request for Applications (RFA) for its new Regional Response Health Collaboration Program (RRHCP). The RRHCP is designed to directly support COVID-19 readiness and response in long-term residential care facilities, improve infection prevention, and facilitate continuity of care and other services provided by long-term care facilities in a manner that mitigates risk of spread of COVID-19 to staff or residents.

More than 45,000 Pennsylvanians live in more than 1,200 personal care homes and assisted living residences, and more than 80,000 residents live in 693 skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) throughout the Commonwealth. These residents are often some of the most vulnerable and susceptible to COVID-19 due to age, presence of existing health conditions that may lead to complications, and the congregate nature of these facilities.

The RRHCP will provide operations, management, and administrative support to protect residents in long-term care facilities from COVID-19. It will help those facilities implement best practices in infection control, implement contact tracing programs in facilities, support clinical care through on-site and telemedicine services, provide remote monitoring and consultation with physicians, and enhance testing capability for both individuals in care and staff at facilities. The RRHCP will assist in identifying alternate care arrangements for hospitalized COVID-19 patients until they are considered no longer infectious and can be safely returned to their long-term care facilities.

The RRHCP is based on the Educational Support and Clinical Coaching Program (ESCCP), a learning network that provides technical assistance and educational support to long-term care facilities in light of the current pandemic. Unlike the ESCCP, which operates on a voluntary basis, the RRHCP will operate under grant agreements. Selected grantees will be awarded $175 million collectively, with funding approved by the General Assembly.

Responses to this RFA are due by June 25, 2020. Applicants can submit questions by no later than June 15, 2020. Applications can be found online through eMarketplace. DHS hopes to have agreements in place for the RRHCP by July 1, 2020.

Guidance to DHS providers related to COVID-19 is available here.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 11, 2020

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin announced that new funding is available to 60 Pennsylvania counties under the COVID-19 County Relief Block Grant.

“As Pennsylvania continues on its road to recovery after efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, it is critical that we provide any and all assistance to Pennsylvania’s communities and businesses in a widespread and expedient manner,” said Sec. Davin. “This new funding will help Pennsylvania’s counties repair, recover, and reimagine the future that is waiting post-COVID-19.”

Guidelines, applications, and eligible counties can be found here.

Under the program, $625 million was made available to Pennsylvania counties in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding in the form of block grants administered by DCED. This funding may be used to offset the cost of direct county COVID-19 response, assist municipalities with COVID-19 response and planning efforts, fund nonprofit assistance programs, and deploy broadband to unserved or underserved areas.

Eligible expenditures must have been incurred between March 1, 2020 and December 30, 2020. Formula-driven funding will be made available to the 60 counties that did not previously receive direct assistance via the CARES Act, with a minimum allocation of $1 million. The counties that have already received direct assistance are Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Montgomery and Philadelphia.

Applications must be received by June 16, 2020. All applications for the County COVID-19 County Relief Block Grant must be completed and submitted online using DCED’s Single Application at dced.pa.gov or www.esa.dced.state.pa.us. Paper applications will not be accepted.

Applicants should carefully follow instructions outlined in the online Single Application and provide requested information. Questions can be directed to DCED Customer Service at 1-800-379-7448 or [email protected].

The CARES Act was passed by Congress and signed into law on March 27, 2020.  The $2 trillion economic relief package aims to protect the American people from the public health and economic impacts of COVID-19. The CARES Act provides economic assistance for local governments and American workers, families, and small businesses.

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

MEDIA CONTACT: Casey Smith, [email protected]

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2020

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Aging today released a survey for the general public and community stakeholders to provide input on the department’s strategies and priorities as part of the process of completing a State Plan on Aging for 2020–2024.

The brief survey asks respondents to prioritize services and quality-of-life issues that are most meaningful to them in ensuring age-friendly communities across the commonwealth over the next four years. Adults aged 60 and over are strongly encouraged to take the survey. It is available in English and Spanish on the Department of Aging’s website now through June 21 and can be completed on a computer, tablet, or smart phone.

Anyone who may not have internet access and is interested in taking the survey can call the department at 717-783-1550. The individual should leave their contact information and indicate they want to participate in the ‘State Plan on Aging Community Survey.’ A department staff member will call them to complete the five-minute survey over the phone.

“The survey is user friendly and the Department of Aging hopes to have community members, consumers of services, caregivers, and advocates give us their input. We truly value the feedback that we receive in order to craft a plan that continues to prioritize the needs and services of older Pennsylvanians now and in the future,” said Secretary Robert Torres.

The State Plan on Aging is designed to help Pennsylvania meet the objectives of the Older Americans Act and will be submitted to the Administration for Community Living (ACL) containing a vision and direction for Pennsylvania’s network of aging services. The Department of Aging is required to submit a plan every four years, with the next plan due by Oct. 1, 2020.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jack Eilber: 717-214-7510 or [email protected].

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VIEW FULL PRESS RELEASE

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), announced additional distributions from the Provider Relief Fund to eligible Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) providers that participate in state Medicaid and CHIP programs. HHS expects to distribute approximately $15 billion to eligible providers that participate in state Medicaid and CHIP programs and have not received a payment from the Provider Relief Fund General Distribution. HHS also announced the distribution of $10 billion in Provider Relief Funds to safety net hospitals that serve our most vulnerable citizens. The safety net distribution will occur this week. For further information on provider eligibility and FAQs, please see the HHS website.

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Good Morning,

Here at the National Council we work to support the behavioral health community through advocacy, information exchange, resource development and even the acquisition of material goods for those in need.

If you need medical face masks, we still have a limited supply available for purchase. These masks come in batches of 200 and are being sold “at cost,” with shipping charges included. Secure your order today!

We expect these to ship within three working days of receiving your order. All masks will be shipped via UPS ground.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected] and we will be happy to help.

Thank you,

The National Council for Behavioral Health

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On June 3, 2020, Governor Tom Wolf renewed the 90-day disaster declaration that he originally signed on March 6, 2020. The Proclamation to extend the Disaster Declaration can be found here.

This renewal will, for the duration of the extended disaster declaration, extend the approval of telehealth as a means of service delivery. This is in conjunction with the original memorandum from DHS and OMHSAS, “Telehealth Guidelines Related to COVID-19 (Updated),” published on May 5, 2020. See the May 5 OMHSAS Telehealth Memorandum.

The continued use and approval of telehealth services has been reviewed and confirm with OMHSAS. If you have additional questions or feedback, please contact your RCPA Policy Division Director.

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Today, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a guide for health systems and patients as they consider their in-person care options while COVID-19 cases decline. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, many health care systems and patients postponed non-emergency, in-person care in order to keep patients and providers safe and to ensure capacity to care for the COVID-19 patients. As the cases of COVID-19 decline, CMS is providing these recommendations to ensure that non-emergency health care resumes safely and that patients receive in-person treatment that may have been postponed. On April 19, 2020, CMS issued Phase 1 recommendations to safely resume in-person care in areas with low incidence of COVID-19 cases. As with these Phase 1 recommendations, decisions to reopen should be consistent with federal, state, and local orders, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, and in collaboration with state and local public health authorities.

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