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Physical Disabilities & Aging

The RCPA Member Telehealth Survey elicited responses from more than 300 respondents, representing nearly half of the RCPA member agencies. The data we collected provided an insightful overview of member implementation of telehealth as well as the impacts it had on practitioners and clients.

Your responses, feedback, and ongoing dialogue provided a foundation to a set of recommendations that will be shared with our stakeholder community in efforts to create a viable a platform for the expansion and sustained platform for telehealth.

RCPA thanks the members for their participation in the survey and your ongoing efforts to service those in need. View the RCPA Telehealth Survey Overview. If you have any questions, please contact your RCPA Policy Director.

Register here to attend the RCPA Physical Disabilities & Aging (PD&A) Division meeting, which will be held Thursday, June 18, 2020 at 10:00 am.

This meeting will include an introduction with Jamie Buchenauer, the new Deputy Secretary of the Office of Long-Term Living. Also included will be a presentation on the Educational Support and Clinical Coaching Program (ESCCP) by Wilmarie Gonzalez, MLTSS Quality Director. Representatives from the managed care organizations (MCOs) and OLTL will be participating and can respond to your questions and concerns. The agenda is available here.

One of the items on our agenda is a discussion of the waiver provisions and relaxed regulations during the COVID-19 public health emergency (Appendix 1135K), and to provide input to OLTL and the MCOs about provisions to be maintained during the balance of 2020, and ones for consideration for waiver amendments for 2021. In preparation for this discussion, we ask that providers complete this short survey. Please complete the survey by close of business on Friday, June 12.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2020

Harrisburg, PA – The Wolf Administration today issued a universal testing order requiring all nursing homes to complete initial baseline testing no later than July 24. Additionally, the department issued updated testing guidance to all long-term care facilities (LTCFs) through the Health Alert Network (HAN).

“Our goal with implementing this universal testing in nursing homes is to rapidly detect asymptomatic positive residents, manage their care and prevent further transmission of COVID-19 in these living settings,” Secretary of Health Dr. Levine said. “We are working tirelessly to include all long-term care facilities in this strategy as soon as possible. At this point, we are able to successfully expand testing and support to all staff and residents to further protect those in nursing homes across Pennsylvania.”

Between May 11 and May 26 the department implemented a universal testing pilot project in five LTCFs across the commonwealth. The department is also working closely with additional facilities to implement universal testing by providing testing supplies, access to the Bureau of Laboratories and staffing support through the National Guard to train and assist with swabbing.

Thus far, over 75 LTCFs completed widespread testing, and the number of tests in LTCFs has increased 48 percent over the last two weeks, bringing the percent of positive cases in this population to its lowest level since the start of the outbreak.

Additionally, the department shared further information on the testing requirements and frequently asked questions on order.

The updated testing guidance the department issued to all long-term care facilities brings a renewed focus on:

  • Keeping COVID-19 out of the facility by testing all staff and residents;
  • Detecting cases quickly with facility-wide testing when a new case in a resident or health care professional is found; and
  • Stopping the spread by continuing weekly testing of all residents and staff through at least 14 days since the most recent positive result.

For the purposes of the updated testing guidance, long term care facilities include, but is not limited to, skilled nursing facilities, personal care homes, assisted living residences, community residential rehabilitation services, long-term structured residence, residential treatment facility for adults and intermediate care facilities.

The Wolf Administration’s strategy to protect residents of LTCFs focuses on ensuring resident safety through education, resources and testing; preventing and mitigating outbreaks; and working in partnership with other state agencies, municipal and county health departments and LTCFs.

As of June 5, the department has deployed these mitigation efforts to further stop the spread of COVID-19 and best protect residents and staff of LTCFs:

  • Pushed out over 1,870 shipments of PPE to date, which has included 167,674 gowns, 131,700 face shields, 792,000 gloves, 2,632,280 N95s masks and 881,700 surgical masks.
  • Deployed 55 Pennsylvania National Guard Strike Teams to 27 different LTCFs.
  • Responded to 100 percent of outbreaks, defined as one or more confirmed positive case among- staff or residents, in LTCFs.
  • Provided advice and consultation on infection control and outbreak response to facilities and, where needed.
  • Collaborated, partnered and received report from local, state, and federal resources, along with contracted support from ECRI.

Through the collaborations and partnerships with ECRI and Patient Safety Authority (PSA), the department provided infection control and technical assistance to over 100 and 90 different LTCFs, respectively. The Educational Support and Clinical Consultation Program (ESCCP) team has provided clinical guidance, advice on infection control strategies, and clinical needs identification to over 250 facilities.

“Throughout this pandemic, we have worked tirelessly to provide the most up-to-date and accurate information,” Secretary of Health Dr. Levine said. “It is essential that nursing homes are providing complete and accurate data to the department so we can collect that information and inform the public. We are committed to working with each facility to ensure they have the support needed to provide high quality care to their patients.”

The long term care facility data mandated by the department includes the number of cases, number of employee cases and number of deaths that have occurred at each facility. Facilities who are not reporting, or not reporting properly, have been assisted to ensure the data is being shared properly. As testing becomes more widespread, it is important that all facilities report all necessary information.

For facilities with less than five in any of the collected data points, the information is redacted to protect patient confidentiality at that facility. If a facility does not have any COVID-19 cases or deaths, it will still be shown on the spreadsheet.

More information on data reporting requirements for nursing home facilities 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 for a life-sustaining reason, please wear a mask.

Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, 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 at www.ready.pa.gov/BeInformed/Signup-For-Alerts.

MEDIA CONTACT: Nate Wardle, 717-787-1783 or [email protected]

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Register for the webinar on Thursday, June 11 at 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET

Join the Assistive Technology Act Technical Assistance and Training Center (AT3) and the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation Paralysis Resource Center (PRC) for a webinar, High Impact Innovative Assistive Technology (HIIAT) Grants 2020, on Thursday, June 11 from 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET.

Learn about the PRC’s HIIAT grants program and hear from three past successful HIIAT grant recipients who will provide an overview of their grant-funded projects and accomplishments.

Presenters for the webinar include:

  • Mark Bogosian, Director, Quality of Life Grants Program, Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation
  • Jeannie Krull, Program Director; Assistive (ND); The Smart Home First Project
  • Brian Norton, Director, Assistive Technology, Easterseals Crossroads (IN); Assistive Technology Mobile Unit
  • Sara Sack, Senior Research Scientist, Assistive Technology for Kansans (KS); Accessible Recreation: Playing Electronic Games Independently to Increase Health & Social Connection

Register for the webinar

ACL administers the State Assistive Technology (AT) Act Program to support programs that increase knowledge about, access to, and acquisition of assistive technology devices and services for people with disabilities and older adults. Each State and Territory AT Program serves individuals with disabilities of all ages through device demonstrations, device loans, device reutilization, training, technical assistance, public awareness, information and referral, and assistance with obtaining funding for assistive technology, including durable medical equipment and home modifications.

The session will be captioned and recorded. Video can be found within a week after the live event at the AT3Center’s YouTube channel.

ACL funds the Paralysis Resource Center to provide comprehensive information for people living with spinal cord injury, paralysis and mobility-related disabilities and their support networks. Resources include information and referral by phone and email in multiple languages including Spanish; a peer and family support mentoring program; a military and veterans program; multicultural outreach services; quality of life grants; and a national website.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced an award of $140 million in additional funding to help prepare for this year’s flu season, which could also come at the same time as a second wave of COVID-19 infections. This additional funding (see the funding chart) is provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and is to be used towards staffing, as well as increasing awareness of the flu vaccine. Additionally, the funding aims to expand access for those who do not have health insurance and those who are at a higher risk of having complications from the flu and are part of the high-risk population.