';
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.
You are invited to attend Senator Casey’s Virtual Disability Employment Summit on Friday, July 24 from 10:30 am to 11:45 am. The Summit will be broadcast live starting at 10:30 am. You can join the Summit here.
The Summit will examine the impact of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) health crisis on disability employment, as well as discuss strategies to improve the disability employment rate and ensure that people with disabilities are able to return to work.
Individuals can register for the Summit by emailing your name, organization, and zip code. While registration is not required, by doing so, you will receive an email ahead of the Summit with the agenda and additional resources. There is no cost to attend this Summit.
Additional accessibility information will be released closer to the event. The Summit is open to the general public, so please consider sharing this invitation with others who may be interested.
The Department of Human Services (DHS) and Department of Health (DOH), in coordination with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have developed the Regional Response Health Collaboration Program (RRHCP). This program is designed to directly support COVID-19 readiness and response in long-term residential care facilities, including long-term care nursing facilities, personal care homes, and assisted living residences. The program also provides assistance to other DHS-licensed facilities, Adult Living Centers and State Veterans Homes. In addition, the program was developed to 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 and residents.
The RRHCP is a collaboration between DHS and nine regional health collaboratives consisting of health care systems and academic medical centers. The RRHCP is divided into six regions, with a health collaborative responsible for all or a portion of the long-term care facility census in each region which includes:
The RRHCP will provide operational and administrative support to protect residents in long-term care facilities from COVID-19. It will help 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 also assist in identifying alternate care arrangements for hospitalized COVID-19 patients until they are considered no longer infectious and can return to their long-term care residential facilities. Services and assistance offered by the RRHCP include, but are not limited to:
The RRHCP is based on the Educational Support and Clinical Coaching Program (ESCCP), a learning network that provided technical assistance and educational support to long-term care facilities in light of the current pandemic.
An introductory webinar has been scheduled for Friday, July 24, 2020 from 9:00 am – 10:00 am. The webinar, “Support for Long-Term Care Nursing Homes, Personal Care and Assisted Living Facilities, is open to all provider types and all members are encouraged to participate to learn more about this program. The webinar information is provided below:
Login: Webex Link
Password: DHS2020
Call-in: 1-844-621-3956
Event Number and Access Code: 145 274 9024
Please contact this email for DOH questions or use this email for DHS questions.
On July 20, 2020, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the United States (U.S) Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a guidance bulletin, “Civil Rights Protections Prohibiting Race, Color, and National Origin Discrimination During COVID-19,” to ensure that recipients of federal financial assistance understand that they must comply with applicable federal civil rights laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in HHS-funded programs during COVID-19.
To help ensure Title VI compliance during the COVID-19 public health emergency, recipients of federal financial assistance, including state and local agencies, hospitals, and other health care providers, should:
Our friends Scott and Craig de Fasselle from Blitz Media are hosting a two-day workshop to help your agency become a “DSP Magnet.”
We have hosted several webinars and most recently half-day workshops with Scott and Craig, and have had very positive feedback from the participants! If you missed the previous opportunities, or want more, here is your chance.
Online workshop details:
Tuesday, August 11 & Wednesday, August 12
9:00 am – 12:30 pm Eastern
This communication is to update and replace the ListServ email sent on July 20, 2020 regarding the subject: CARES Act Provider Relief Fund Payments Available for Medicaid/CHIP Providers. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has updated the deadline to submit the application to HRSA for this funding to be August 3, 2020 and provided a fact sheet to answer questions. This information has been updated below. Please disregard the previous communication.
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 Allocation. The original deadline to submit the application to HRSA for this funding was July 20, 2020. HHS recently released an announcement that the deadline has been updated to August 3, 2020. A PDF fact sheet explaining the application process has also been released to address questions.
Eligibility Requirements:
To be eligible to receive HHS’ Medicaid Provider Distribution payments, initial key eligibility requirements for Medicaid and CHIP programs and/or Medicaid and CHIP managed care organization providers include:
Examples of types of Medicaid/CHIP providers that are eligible for these payments include pediatricians, obstetrician-gynecologists, dentists, opioid treatment and behavioral health providers, assisted living facilities, and other providers of home and community-based services. In order to receive Provider Relief Fund payments, eligible Medicaid/CHIP providers must take action through HRSA’s application portal and comply with the Medicaid Relief Fund Payment Terms and Conditions.
Provider Relief Fund payments will be at least two percent (2%) of reported gross revenue from patient care. Eligible Medicaid/CHIP providers can report their gross annual patient revenue through the Enhanced Provider Relief Fund Payment Portal and the final amount that a provider receives will be determined after such data is submitted, including information on the number of Medicaid patients served. HHS has issued a comprehensive set of instructions for submitting an application through the application portal.
Before applying through the Enhanced Provider Relief Fund Payment Portal, applicants should:
In addition, DHS encourages Medicaid/CHIP providers to carefully review the Medicaid Relief Fund Payment Terms and Conditions with their attorneys and accountants on the appropriate use of and questions about CARES Act Provider Relief Funds.
Contact your division’s policy director if you have any questions.