The next DPH monthly call is scheduled for Wednesday, November 10 at 11:00 a.m, and don’t miss Mass Senior Care Association’s 2021 Virtual Annual Meeting on Thursday, November 18, 2021.

Don’t miss the 2021 Virtual Annual Meeting on Thursday, November 18, 2021. The Annual Meeting presents an opportunity for us to come together to demonstrate the resilience that keeps our community strong and focused on the care and wellbeing of our residents. Crucial to the care of our residents is a stable long term care workforce and it is critical that we remain focused on creating and maintaining quality jobs in order to retain and recruit staff. To register for the 2021 Annual Meeting, please click here.

MSCA has received clarification from DPH that they are aligned with the CDC NHSN definition of HCP, CMS released an interim final rule requiring direct care workers in Medicare and Medicaid-certified health care settings to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and JVS Boston’s quarterly Economic Opportunity Forum scheduled for Monday, November 8th from 12-1pm.

Effective November 1, 2021, MassHealth has implemented updated eligibility policy guidance to expand coverage for members who are eligible for Family Assistance. Family Assistance members who require a nursing facility or chronic disease and rehabilitation hospital (CDRH) stay will now have a pathway to become eligible for both an expanded short-term stay beyond 100 days (less than six months), or long-term care (LTC).

Join the Massachusetts eHealth Institute (MeHI) and the MassCyberCenter, on November 10 as we discuss a case study on how an organization responded to and ameliorated a cyber threat. As always, we will be joined by Ron Ford – Cybersecurity Advisor for CISA New England and Lieutenant Brian Gavioli of the Massachusetts State Police and Commonwealth Fusion Center, both of whom will provide updates on recent cyber threats and trends.

Please help spread the word about the availability of child tax credits and stimulus funds for individuals who may not have received them, including those who did not file taxes in 2019 and 2020.

Mass Senior Care has developed a template letter to use when requesting an administrative reconsideration for state fines related to the vaccine mandate for staff.

The House of Representatives last night adopted its COVID-19 Recovery Act legislation, which includes important investments for nursing facility resident care and staff, DPH updated guidance on monoclonal antibody therapeutic, and DPH is hosting a webinar on Monoclonal Antibody Therapeutics to Prevent and Mitigate COVID-19 in LTCF.

DPH today issued a memorandum providing guidance on ‘good faith’ efforts for facilities to meet the April 30, 2022 regulatory resident bedroom 2-bed maximum requirement, and weekly surveillance testing reminder.