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Medical Rehab

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On July 24, 2020, Senator Casey hosted a Virtual Disability Employment Summit. The Summit included conversation with APSE, OVR, and employment support providers to examine the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) health crisis on disability employment, as well as discussing strategies to improve the disability employment rate and ensure people with disabilities are able to return to work.

The full recording of the Summit with ASL or Closed Captioning is available on the Senator’s web page. If you have trouble loading the video on the website, you may need to clear your browser’s cache or restart it. Alternatively, you can view the Summit on Senator Casey’s Facebook page. You can find additional resources about the topics discussed on the Senator’s web page as well.

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The Department of Community and Economic Development has posted Frequently Asked Questions for the COVID-19 Hazard Pay Grant Program.

Additional details about the program, including eligible applicants, eligible industries, and instructions on how to apply can be found in the program guidelines, which can be accessed on the COVID-19 PA Hazard Pay Grant web page.

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On March 6, 2020, Governor Tom Wolf issued a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency (“the Disaster Proclamation”) to enable agencies to respond promptly to address the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. With the Governor’s authorization as conferred in the Disaster Proclamation, on March 30, 2020, DHS announced that it “will not be conducting any annual licensing inspections until Governor Wolf lifts the current Proclamation of Disaster Emergency for COVID-19 or until such other time set by DHS” to support the Commonwealth’s efforts to prevent transmission and spread of COVID-19. In doing so, DHS suspended 62 P.S. §§ 911(a)(2) and 1016, to the extent those statutory provisions may be interpreted to require annual on-site visits, and the regulation at 55 Pa. Code Ş 20.31 (relating to annual inspection), which explicitly requires that DHS conduct an “on-site inspection of a facility or agency at least once every 12 months.”

DHS is responsible for enforcing licensing regulations intended to protect the health and safety of people who are served in licensed settings. Enforcement is primarily achieved by conducting annual on-site inspections of each setting to ensure that the licensee is in full compliance with all applicable regulatory) requirements. Regulatory requirements are applied and enforced by the following DHS program offices:

  • Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL)
  • Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF)
  • Office of Developmental Programs (ODP)
  • Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL)
  • Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS)

DHS remains committed to preventing and containing the spread of COVID-19. As the Commonwealth reopens in accordance with the Governor’s Process to Reopen Pennsylvania, DHS has resumed annual on-site inspections of licensed settings.

To balance the need to contain the COVID-19 virus with the responsibility for regulatory oversight and enforcement of licensed settings, DHS may apply alternative techniques for annual inspections that do not require an on-site presence in the licensed setting and when an in-person presence in the facility may contribute to the spread of COVID-19, e.g., a participant, consumer, or staff person has tested positive or is suspected to have COVID-19 in the past 21 days.

Alternative techniques include, but are not limited to, the use of videotelephony and file-sharing applications that will allow for real-time observations of conditions at the licensed setting. Use of these techniques will ensure that regulatory compliance is maintained in a manner that does not contribute to the spread of COVID-19.

Additional information regarding the application of these techniques for annual inspections will be communicated to the field by DHS program office before the inspections takes place.

This suspension will remain in place only while the Disaster Proclamation remains in effect or such other time as DHS directs. DHS will continue to conduct complaint, incident, and protective services investigations on-site.

Please contact your regional licensing office for any questions.

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On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure the civil rights of people with disabilities. This legislation established a clear and comprehensive national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities. On July 26, Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) will join in the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the signing of this landmark legislation.

The ADA has expanded opportunities for Americans with disabilities by reducing barriers and changing perceptions, and increasing full participation in community life. However, there is still work to be done.

We believe that full inclusion and empowerment of people with disabilities must also involve financial empowerment. In our view, the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act passed in 2014 is one of the most exciting and empowering pieces of legislation since the ADA.

On this 30th anniversary of the ADA, we at PATF pledge to do our part by furthering financial empowerment for people with disabilities through our programs and through our advocacy.

* * * *

In case you haven’t heard, in honor of the ADA anniversary, Disability PRIDE Virtual PA is hosting a month-long celebration with lots of good content. PATF was thrilled to present on three topics that are important to us all:

Slides for each presentation can be found on our website.

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The Trump administration has renewed the public health emergency for the coronavirus, ensuring that critical resources to fight the pandemic can continue while much of the country battles rising caseloads.

The news will come as a relief to health care groups who worried that President Donald Trump would let the emergency declaration lapse when it was set to expire July 25, despite previous assurances from top administration officials it would be renewed.

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In June, Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the opening of the application period and plans to distribute approximately $15 billion to eligible providers that participate in state Medicaid and CHIP programs who had not yet received a payment from the $50 billion General Distribution. Since the announcement on June 9, HHS has hosted a number of webinars targeted at providers and provider organizations to answer questions and assist those eligible through the application process. A fact sheet – PDF explaining the application process has also been created to address frequently asked questions. HHS is continuing to work with provider organizations, congressional, state, and local leaders to get the word out about this program. To ensure eligible Medicaid and CHIP providers, including dentists, have the opportunity to apply for a funding distribution, the deadline to apply has been extended to August 3, 2020.

In order to assist ODP providers with determining eligibility, here is the list of ODP providers given to HHS. Providers are encouraged to apply for this federal funding if eligible.

  • Program Overview:
    The bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act provide $175 billion in relief funds to hospitals and other health care providers, including those on the front lines of the coronavirus response. A portion of these funds, under the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Provider Distribution, provide help for providers and clinicians who treat our most vulnerable populations, including low-income and minority patients. This is allocated for eligible providers that participate in state Medicaid and CHIP Programs and that did not receive a payment from the Provider Relief Fund General Allocation. The payment to each provider will be approximately 2 percent of reported gross revenue from patient care.
  • Fact Sheet
    The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) released a Fact Sheet for Medicaid and CHIP Providers that is now available on the Provider Relief Fund website.
  • Recorded Webcast
    A recording of the June 25 webcast is now available on this web page.
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
    In order to better address your most important concerns, HRSA has updated their FAQs to address common questions, including those submitted during the previous webcasts. The FAQs include expanded information on eligibility, application, payment process, and more.
  • Additional Information
    For additional information, please call the Provider Support Line at 866-569-3522; for TTY, dial 711. Hours of operation are 7 am to 10 pm Central Time, Monday through Friday. Service staff members are available to provide real-time technical assistance, as well as service and payment support.

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The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Provider Relief Fund (PRF), is distributing $15 billion to eligible Medicaid, CHIP, and dental providers. If you are a provider who is interested in learning about the application process for the PRF, please register and join the webcast on July 27. Please feel free to share the webcast information with other providers that would be interested in participating as well.

Presenting: Getting started with the Provider Relief Fund for Medicaid, CHIP, and dental providers

Date: Monday, July 27, 2020

Time: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET

Registration Link

Please pre-register to reserve a spot. This event will be delivered via webcast, no dial-in required. Presentation materials will not be distributed. To stay updated on the latest information, visit this web page.

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From RCPA member Gateway Health:

Dear Community Partner,

At Gateway Health, we strive to care for the whole person in all communities where the need is greatest. As part of our journey to deliver whole person care, we are now hosting a series of virtual panel discussions for our members and community partners. Given the ongoing challenges associated with hosting in-person and on-site events, we are using these virtual sessions to help us reconnect with the communities we serve.

We hope that you will consider joining us for our first event which will focus on “The Effect of COVID-19 on Vulnerable Communities.”

Date: Thursday, July 30
Time: 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Click here to register

As we adjust to new virtual formats as a way to engage directly with the community, our efforts can only have a meaningful impact with the full support of outstanding community organizations like yours. We respectfully ask that you please consider sharing this information on your website, social media platforms and with your network. Your assistance with promoting events like this is truly appreciated. Additionally, if there are topics that would be of interest to you and those your serve or if you would like to suggest a subject matter expert, please let us know. Your input is extremely valuable.

Thank you for your continued support of Gateway Health and the communities we serve! See flyer for details.

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