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DOH

The Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) has reported that currently there is an ongoing measles outbreak in Columbus, Ohio. The first case was identified October 22, 2022, and as of December 20, there are over 80 confirmed cases. There is concern that there will be cases spreading into neighboring states, including Pennsylvania.

The measles outbreak in Ohio, combined with the predicted seasonal increase in internationally-imported measles cases, is of special concern. In the United States, most cases of measles occur in people who have travelled abroad and import measles into the United States. Typically, the number of these cases increases from midwinter through spring.

Read the Health Alert to learn more.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) has released a Request for Applications (RFA) for the Long-Term Care Quality Investment Pilot, which will distribute approximately $11.7 million in federal funds to long-term care facilities, including skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), personal care homes (PCHs), assisted living facilities (ALFs), and intermediate care facilities (ICFs) for the purpose of building resilience. These funds are designed to be invested in key areas such as workforce development and retention, infection prevention control, emergency preparedness, and improvements to facility infrastructure.

Please note the following:

  • Facilities must be enrolled in the LTC RISE program’s quality improvement projects in order to be considered eligible for funding.
  • Facilities in Philadelphia are not eligible for this funding.

DOH encourages facilities to apply for this opportunity. The application deadline is 1:30 pm on December 31, 2022. Additional details and information can be found by here.

Questions about this funding opportunity should be addressed by submitting questions through the formal procurement process, which is detailed in the RFA.

Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

The Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Advisory Board, established under section 1252 of the Federal Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C.A. § 300d-52), will hold a public meeting on November 4, 2022, from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm. The meeting will be held at the Giant Food Store, 3301 Trindle Road, Camp Hill, PA 17011, in the large conference room of the community center, located on the 2nd floor.

Meeting materials will be sent out before the meeting, and the agenda will also be available on the Board’s website and at the meeting location. Questions regarding the meeting should be directed to Nicole Johnson.

The Department of Health’s (DOH) Head Injury Program (HIP) strives to ensure that eligible individuals who have a TBI receive high-quality rehabilitative services aimed at reducing functional limitations and improving quality of life. The TBI Advisory Board assists DOH in understanding and meeting the needs of persons living with TBI and their families. This quarterly meeting will provide updates on a variety of topics, including the number of people served by HIP. In addition, meeting participants will discuss budgetary and programmatic issues, community programs relating to traumatic brain injury, and available advocacy opportunities.

For additional information or for persons with a disability who wish to attend the meeting and require an auxiliary aid, service, or other accommodation to do so, contact Nicole Johnson, Division of Community Systems Development and Outreach, (717) 772-2763. For speech and/or hearing-impaired persons, contact V/TT (717) 783-6514 or the Pennsylvania Hamilton Relay Service at (800) 654-5984.

Sen. Brooks will introduce a resolution today that directs the Joint State Government Commission (JSGC) to study and issue a report on the specific data, calculations, and mechanisms that the Department of Human Services uses to determine the amount of Medical Assistance capitation funding ultimately paid to drug and alcohol addiction treatment providers within the Commonwealth.

The complete resolution, which includes a detailed listing of requirements of what the JSGC must analyze and report, can be viewed here.

On August 4, 2022, the Biden administration declared monkeypox a public health emergency. Since then, every state and Washington, D.C. has recorded cases of the virus. As of September 20, 2022, the CDC reported 24,203 total confirmed monkeypox cases in the United States. Of those cases, 3 percent, or 708 total, were reported in Pennsylvania.

To raise awareness of the epidemic, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services approached the Jewish Healthcare Foundation’s Aging Team, which operates the State’s Learning Network, who coordinated just-in-time learning for all long-term care and community programs across Commonwealth. The PA Department of Human Services and PA Department of Health presented “Monkeypox: What You Need to Know” on August 31.

Visit here to view the webcast.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Human Services (DHS) recently released an announcement to personal care homes (PCH) regarding an opportunity to pursue additional support with infection prevention and control, COVID-19 response readiness, and other infectious disease preparedness at no cost.

DOH, in partnership with APIC Consulting Services, has developed a specially-tailored Infection Control and Response (ICAR) tool to assist a limited number of Personal Care Homes through an on-site assessment and consultation, development of improvement action plans, and numerous options for follow-up support.

Please see the announcement for details about pursuing this opportunity. Funding for the program is limited, and access to these services will be on a first come, first served basis. This program is not available to Assisted Living Residences or Personal Care Homes in Philadelphia County.

Questions can be sent electronically.

Learn the facts about the symptoms, prevention, and what to do if you or someone where you work gets sick. This webinar will include presentations by leaders and clinicians from the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Department of Health (DOH), as well provide an opportunity for Q&A.

Please forward the webinar invitation along to any other relevant stakeholders in your network. For those unable to attend live, a recording of the session will be made available.

Visit HERE to register for this webinar scheduled for Wednesday, August 31 at 1:00 pm. When registering for the event, you must fill out the registration information by clicking “Register” on the left side of your screen as shown below.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the fundamental role that infection prevention and control (IPC) practices play in the delivery of safe healthcare and sustaining a strong, healthy community. The pandemic has taught us that not all healthcare settings have the same needs, abilities, or serve the same populations, and because of that, each facility may have their own set of unique IPC challenges. Behavioral health/psychiatric facilities, drug & alcohol treatment centers, and group homes have been identified as the state’s non-traditional healthcare settings, and through experience, we have learned that these sites may require additional IPC support and resources. Recognizing this need, DOH has created the Non-traditional Infection Control Consulting (NICC) Team.

The NICC Team is a group of certified, experienced infection preventionists with commitment to empowering and supporting non-traditional healthcare settings throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as they aim to reduce transmissible diseases and conditions. To assist in promoting integration of best practice IPC principles into all roles and aspects of care in these settings, the NICC Team can provide the following free of cost services:

  1. Infection prevention and control consultations;
  2. Guided facility assessments;
  3. Policy and guidance interpretation and recommendations (DOH, CDC, CMS, DHS, etc.);
  4. Education and training resources; and
  5. Tools and resources to support facility needs, including audit tools, checklists, and fact sheets.

Please review the more detailed information sheet about the team’s services and an introductory program flyer to share with non-traditional healthcare partners & facilities. This new resource is intended to increase awareness of IPC best practices as they aim to ensure patient safety in all PA healthcare settings.

Promising Positive Practices to Address the Mental Health Treatment and Service Needs of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Throughout the Lifespan
August 11, 2022
9:00 am – 12:15 pm
REGISTER

Session Description

In this 3-hour training, Dr. Joan Beasley will present best practices in mental health services and supports for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities throughout the lifespan. The presentation will include the perspectives of people with lived experiences as well as practitioners. The START model will be presented to demonstrate the effective use of these practices in cross systems crisis prevention and intervention. See the flyer for more information.

Session 1
9:00 am – 10:30 am.
Topics include: lessons learned over the past 50 years; integrated health approach; humanistic engagement vs. behavior support; public health tertiary model; and positive psychology/positive medicine.

Session 2
10:45 am – 12:15 pm.
Topic: the START model.

 What is the Dual Diagnosis Professional Conference Series?
The Department of Human Services’ Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) and the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) are pleased to announce the Dual Diagnosis Professional Conference Series, which offers presentations focused on supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism (ID/A) and mental health needs. The selected presenters share their expertise on best and promising practices as well as provide general knowledge. Session topics, which focus on increasing capacity to serve individuals with dual diagnosis in the community, are chosen based on identified needs and with input from the field of professional stakeholders.

  • Invited audience of all professional stakeholders, including direct and clinical supporters for individuals with ID/A, are encouraged to attend.
  • Registration is required and at no charge to attendees.
  • Three (3) hours of training credits and a certificate of achievement is provided.