DOH: Over 8.9 Million Vaccinations To Date, 51.2% Of Entire Population Received First Dose
Financial Management Services Stakeholder Meeting Planned for May 13
The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has scheduled a Financial Management Services (FMS) stakeholder meeting for Thursday, May 13, 2021 from 9:30 am–11:00 am. The purpose of this public meeting is to discuss upcoming changes for the administration of FMS under Community HealthChoices (CHC), the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) Waiver, and Act 150 programs. There will be representatives from both OLTL and the CHC Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) in attendance to discuss the upcoming changes.
Questions should be directed to OLTL.
Meeting Details:
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Global Call-In Numbers
Wolf to Lift Mitigation Orders Memorial Day, Masking Order Once 70% of PA Adults Fully Vaccinated
Pennsylvanians ages 16 and older who want a vaccine are urged to get one
Harrisburg, PA – The Wolf administration, in coordination with the COVID-19 Vaccine Joint Task Force, announced today that mitigation orders except masking will be lifted on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31 at 12:01 AM.
The current order requiring Pennsylvanians to wear masks will be lifted when 70% of Pennsylvanians age 18 and older are fully vaccinated. Face coverings are required to be worn indoors and outdoors if you are away from your home. In accordance with the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, fully vaccinated Pennsylvanians are not required to wear a mask during certain activities.
“We continue to make significant progress in the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19 and as more Pennsylvania adults get vaccinated and guidance from the CDC evolves, we can continue to move forward with our reopening efforts,” Department of Health Acting Secretary Alison Beam said. “I encourage Pennsylvanians to take the critical steps needed to put this pandemic behind us by getting vaccinated, follow through with both doses if you receive the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, and continue to take steps like masking, frequent hand washing and sanitizing and social distancing.”
Requirements such as testing and reporting new cases will remain in place for hospitals and long-term care facilities. Maintaining requirements for hospitals and long-term care facilities will allow Pennsylvania to continue to closely monitor COVID-19 spread while lifting other restrictions.
The Department of Health recommends that Pennsylvanians refer to CDC guidance and recommendations regarding ongoing COVID-19 safety measures and procedures.
These updates will not prevent municipalities and school districts from continuing and implementing stricter mitigation efforts.
“With millions of Pennsylvanians getting vaccinated, it’s time to plan the transition back to normal,” said Sen. Art Haywood. “Hospitalizations and deaths are down. This action today is a key step forward.”
“While the restrictions that were put in place at the outset of the pandemic have been a major source of frustration for many Pennsylvanians and businesses, it is the collaborative work of this bipartisan Task Force that is allowing us to finally roll back the restrictions and get back to normal life,” said Sen. Ryan Aument.
“I’m thrilled after more than a year that we are able to lift these restrictions so that we can move to more normal life,” said Rep. Tim O’Neal. “This will help grow our economy and assist our small businesses that have sacrificed so much due to COVID-19. Thank you to Pennsylvanians who have chosen to be vaccinated. Your efforts have helped us arrive at today.”
“I am proud of the progress we have made with vaccinations throughout Pennsylvania,” said Rep. Bridget Kosierowski. “Lifting mitigation orders on Memorial Day and announcing that masking orders will be lifted once 70 percent of Pennsylvania’s adults are fully vaccinated are all benefits from following the scientific medical research and data. Many sacrifices had been made over the past year while we waited for help. The help is now here in the form of a vaccine and we must do everything we can to encourage everyone to receive their vaccination so we can overcome this pandemic. Let’s follow the science, because it’s the path to us all returning to normalcy.”
The governor’s Proclamation of Disaster Emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic remains in place.
All Pennsylvanians ages 16 and older are eligible to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine. The provider map is available on the Department of Health’s website. Pennsylvanians with questions about the vaccination process can call the Department of Health hotline at 1-877-724-3258.
More information is available on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard.
MEDIA CONTACT: Barry Ciccocioppo
Documents from May 4 MLTSS Subcommittee Meeting
During the May 4, 2021 Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) Subcommittee meeting, the following documents were shared with attendees. The primary focus of this meeting was on stakeholder experiences with COVID-19 with the Community HealthChoices (CHC) Managed Care Organizations (MCOs).
HHS Launches New Reimbursement Program for COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Fees Not Covered by Insurance
FDA Expected to Give the Go-Ahead Within a Week Allowing Teens to Receive the Pfizer Vaccine
Employers Start Requiring Vaccines for New Hires
A New Era at the National Council Begins
Dear Board Members:
In just a few hours, NatCon21 will officially kick off, uniting thousands of health care professionals online to learn, network and raise their voices. They will also witness an important moment in our history, one you helped shape through your leadership, feedback and support. On May 5, as we close NatCon21, we will officially announce our name change to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
As you know, a lot of time, research and consideration was put into selecting this name. We wanted one that holds true to our history, reflects our role, acknowledges change and honors the contributions of the hard-working members who are the foundation of the National Council. We believe we’ve found it. Our new name more aptly reflects the work we do, ensures greater inclusivity, helps us reach more people in new ways, and better articulates our impact and aspirations.
“Mental wellbeing” makes a powerful statement that summarizes our passion and purpose. It means thriving regardless of a mental health or substance use challenge. It represents resilience, strength and recovery. It’s a phrase that promotes the importance of preventive care and the need to increase access to life-saving services. And it’s a powerful reflection of who we are and what the proud members of this organization do daily.
Moving forward, with your ongoing support, we will own this phrase. We will embody it through our actions. We will build the narrative behind it. And we will commit to making mental wellbeing a reality for everyone, everywhere. That means ensuring equitable access to care, building capacity for mental health and substance use treatment organizations and continuously promoting mental wellbeing as a core component of health and health care.
We are excited to be on this journey with you, and we are grateful for your support as we welcome a new era at the National Council together. For new brand resources, please visit our webpage.
Regards,
Chuck Ingoglia
President and CEO
National Council for Mental Wellbeing
TheNationalCouncil.org
Continuum of Care for the NICU Graduate Webinar — Thursday, June 17, 2021
Thursday, June 17, 2021
12:00 pm–1:00 pm EDT, 11:00 am–12:00 pm CDT,
10:00 am–11:00 am MDT, 9:00 am–10:00 am PDT
Olga Morozova, MD
Instructor Bio:
Dr. Olga Morozova is a Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and at Children’s National Hospital, where she serves as the Director of Education and Fellowship in the Division of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine. Dr. Morozova received her medical degree from the Second State Medical Institute of Moscow and completed her residency and fellowship at the Johns Hopkins University and Kennedy Krieger Institute. She is board certified by the American Board of PM&R in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and in Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine. She practices pediatric rehabilitation medicine at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC.
Dr. Morozova is a Fellow of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and American Academy of Pediatrics and is a member of the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine. Dr. Morozova is co-founder and co-director of Perinatal Brain Injury Clinic at Children’s National. Her professional interest is in improvement of functional abilities of children with cerebral palsy and other childhood onset disabilities. She has presented nationally and internationally and authored multiple papers and book chapters on various topics within pediatric rehabilitation.
Couse Description:
In recent years, advances in pre-natal and neo-natal medicine have facilitated greater survival rates for neonates born prematurely and/or with special health needs. Following a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit stay, these infants are often referred for therapeutic services in acute rehab, outpatient, and early intervention settings. This course discusses important information for providers working with infants and neonates along the rehabilitation continuum of care. The information presented will equip the provider to assist infants and their families to maximize functional and therapeutic outcomes.
Disclosures/Conflicts of Interest:
Dr. Morozova is employed by Children’s National Hospital and did not receive any compensation for this presentation. Dr. Morozova has no relevant financial disclosures.
Objectives: At the end of the session the learner will:
- Recognize the importance of early identification of high risk NICU graduates.
- Describe methodologies, disciplines, and assessment tools for neurodevelopmental evaluation of NICU graduates.
- Discuss recommendations for specific therapeutic interventions and referrals to optimize outcomes for NICU graduates and their families.
Audience: This webinar is intended for all members of the rehabilitation team, including medical staff, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, licensed psychologists, mental health professionals, and other interested professionals.
Level: Intermediate
Certificate of Attendance: Certificates of attendance are available for all attendees.
Continuing Education Credits: This course has been submitted for 0.1 Pennsylvania PT CEU (1 Contact Hour). Individuals seeking CE credit must register for and log into the course individually so that attendance can be confirmed.
Registration: Registration is complimentary for members of IPRC/RCPA. Registration fee for non-members is $179. Not a member yet? Consider joining today. Multiple registrations per organization are permitted; however, any attendee requesting PT CEU credit must register and log in individually in order to verify attendance.
Register here today.
DHS COVID-19 Vaccine Update
