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03/04/2021

Today's COVID-19 Report: Friday, March 5

Friday, March 5, 2021

Here are the latest need-to-know updates for Friday, March 5 regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and other topics of importance.

A REMINDER TO ALL MEMBERS

Check LeadingAge's FAQs and Resources on COVID-19 Vaccines and Issues Surrounding Vaccinations frequently. 
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) released a toolkit with talking points, language tips, social media language, and trusted resources to help providers better communicate information regarding the COVID-19 vaccines. 

In Today's Report

Ohio’s Strategic Action Plan on Aging provides ODA priorities

Ursel J. McElroy, Director of the Ohio Department of Aging (ODA), recently released Ohio’s Strategic Action Plan on Aging (SAPA). The stated goals of the SAPA are that all Ohioans live longer, healthier lives with dignity and autonomy and that disparities and inequities among older Ohioans are eliminated. The SAPA prioritizes 15 issues to improve the lives of all older Ohioans. It then provides a menu of evidence-informed strategies to be implemented at the state and local levels to improve outcomes.

The SAPA’s key issues are organized into six topic areas: community conditions, healthy living, access to care, social connectedness, population health, and preserving independence. Within each topic area, priority populations most affected by those issues are identified.

To achieve the goals of the SAPA, Director McElroy has called on state and local partners in the public and private sectors to act on the SAPA by aligning with its issues, advocating for policy change and funding, implementing one or more of the evidence-informed strategies, partnering and collaborating, and evaluating the state’s progress.

The 2020-2022 Strategic Action Plan on Aging and supporting documents are available here.

BinaxNOW product expiration date extension

For those facilities who participate in the state-supported testing program using BinaxNOW rapid antigen, or who utilize Health and Human Services (HHS) direct allocations of BinaxNOW rapid antigen, Abbott has been working with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to address the issue of short expiration dates. The attached message provides explanation about expiration extension and lists the lot numbers that qualify for extension. Note the kits manufactured with six month dating can now be extended by three months and kits manufactured with nine month dating do not qualify for the extension.

Continue to visit the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) website to obtain testing resources or reach out to COVIDTesting@age.ohio.gov with questions.

Nurse aide registry search tips

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) received several questions about the nurse aide registry as a result of the migration of the registry to the new platform. The attached document serves as guidance to help assist with frequently asked questions.

Please keep in mind that the web links to access the registry have been changed. The Public Search can be found here and the Facility Search can be found here.

Important information on visitation dashboard

In the sixth amended Director's order to limit access to Ohio's nursing homes and similar facilities, with exceptions, nursing homes and assisted living facilities are required to regularly report visitation information via an online dashboard. The dashboard is available to the public here.

Facilities had until October 19, 2020 to register and report their visitation information. The attached document outlines the steps necessary for a facility to obtain an Ohio States Digital Identity Standard (OHID) account, register your facility on the dashboard, create the visitation information, and update the visitation on a regular basis.

Providers that have not completed the above will be contacted by a member of the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) to review these requirements and provide any assistance needed.

Top ten survey citations and tips for success 

State survey agencies have resumed annual surveys in nursing homes. LeadingAge staff analyzed the top ten findings and deficiencies using the Quality, Certification, and Oversight Reports (QCOR). While some deficiencies are consistent with past reports, there were many differences, including related to new F-tags. An article on the new top ten along with tips for success on each one is now available.

Deadline for health professionals’ temporary licenses extended

The Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN) passed along the following information regarding H.B. 6 and its passing in the House and Senate. The passing of H.B. 6 will allow a path for individuals who have not taken the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to apply for temporary licenses that would be good through July 1, 2021:

To amend Section 30 of H.B. 197 of the 133rd General Assembly to modify the laws governing certain health professionals and educator preparation programs due to COVID-19 and other circumstances...; to amend the version of section 4729.92 of the Revised Code that is scheduled to take effect on October 9, 2021, to continue the changes to that section on and after that date; and to declare an emergency.

Please ensure you have urged your nurses with temporary licenses to be ready to sit for and pass the NCLEX exam before this extension date.

Advocacy in Action Call: Monday at 10:00AM

Join the LeadingAge Ohio policy team for the Advocacy in Action call Monday at 10:00AM to hear about LeadingAge Ohio’s legislative priorities for the SFY 2022-23 budget, and how to get involved in advocating for appropriate payment for aging services. Members will get an update on legislative visits taking place this week as LeadingAge Ohio’s Virtual Lobby Week kicks off.

Advocacy in Action calls will be held at 10:00AM on the second and fourth Monday of each month throughout the budget season.

Members can join the Zoom call from their computer here.

Meeting ID: 915-089-7248
Meeting Passcode: 634189

To join via phone, dial: (646) 558-8656; meeting ID: 915-089-7248.

One-touch dial: 16465588656,9150897248#,,,,#

LeadingAge Ohio adds to workforce initiatives with student membership

LeadingAge Ohio’s efforts to create workforce solutions for ‘growing our own’ just got stronger. As part of a workgroup that has been meeting over the last year, LeadingAge Ohio’s Director of Member Experience, Jennifer Taylor, helped to strengthen the opportunities for current and prospective college and masters level students to get engaged in the field of aging services. Students now have access to national and state partner career development resources, peer-to-peer connections, and member resources to thrive as part of this student membership. Taylor kicked off this initiative with a presentation at Xavier University in Cincinnati this week to connect students to the possibilities available in aging services. To learn more about student membership and how to connect this opportunity with colleges/universities in your area, contact Jennifer Taylor at jtaylor@leadingageohio.org.

LeadingAge Need to Know: COVID-19 – March 5, 2021

LeadingAge shares the latest coronavirus news and resources with members twice each weekday. This morning's update featured information on the upcoming Global Ageing Network webinar and a new Mentor's Voice episode.

Check out the full report here.

                Linkage Solutions                         Buerger

Questions

Please send all questions to COVID19@leadingageohio.org. Additionally, members are encouraged to visit the LeadingAge Ohio COVID-19 Working Group facebook group to pose questions to peers and share best practices. LeadingAge is continuing its daily calls for all members.  To participate in these daily online updates, members should register here.  

LeadingAge Ohio is working to ensure that the information in our daily alerts, on our website, and all coronavirus-related communications is as accurate as possible. However, LeadingAge Ohio makes no guarantees about the accuracy of the information. 

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