Saline media ordered from the Missouri State Public Health Laboratory (MSPHL) with labeling of Fillakit should not be used for sample collection until further notice. Facilities should place an order for replacement from the Online Order form on the SPHL’s website at https://health.mo.gov/lab/index.php or https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/specimen-collection-supplies.php.
See the memo for additional information.
From time to time, the MO State Board of Nursing will find a nurse who has been practicing on an expired license. Employers can prevent this from occurring by setting up a Nursys e-Notify® institution account at www.nursys.com. Click on “Learn More” in the first pane that says Nursys e-Notify®. Then click on “as an institution.” Watch the overview video, create an institution account and enroll your licensed nurses. This system will send you license renewal alerts and alerts if a license becomes disciplined or deactivated due to compact rules.
The information about a nurse’s license is only valid the day you retrieve it. A license can expire or be disciplined at any time. The only way to receive real-time alerts of that information is by creating an institution account and enrolling your nurses. Facilities should not rely solely on the Board of Nursing newsletter as information may be regarding incidents that occurred 3+ months ago. DONs/Supervisors/Lead nurses may also sign up with Nursys e-Notify® as a group in order to closely monitor a group of nurses that they may be responsible for on a daily basis following similar instructions as above.
The 13 out-state drop-off/pick-up armory sites and the Jefferson City processing site will be closing as of June 30. The decontamination site will continue to operate for the foreseeable future and healthcare providers may ship masks to the decontamination site via FedEx free of charge. Battelle will provide shipping labels for use to ship labelled N95 respirators free of charge. Healthcare providers may contact Battelle at https://www.battelle.org/ to request labels.
Please see the attachment below for more information.
Battelle Shipping Email
This virtual event is brought to you by the Missouri Department of Mental Health, Missouri Coalition for Community Behavioral Healthcare and Community Counseling Center.
Register online now >> CLICK HERE
Important Information:
Please see the Save the Date for more information. If you have any questions, please contact events@mocoalition.org.
Since Feb. 3, Missouri hospitals have been reporting daily data to establish situational awareness of hospital capacity while preparing for and responding to the spring outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Using these data, the Missouri Hospital Association has distributed a daily statewide dashboard of the current impact and capacity of COVID-19 in Missouri hospitals. A copy of today’s dashboard is included.
Information from the daily dashboard has supported local, state and federal officials in gaining day-to-day awareness of Missouri’s hospital capacity. The reports also have been used by the media to keep the public updated on hospital response.
Throughout the spring, more data that offer additional detail and trends have become available. To keep the report current, it has been modified several times to capture these new data elements. However, as we move from our initial response to the surge to our current status of recovery, it is critical we look at data trends in different ways to help us better understand the impact of the pandemic on our state and individual communities, and detect possible future trends. Today, MHA and the Hospital Industry Data Institute are pleased to introduce new, weekly COVID-19 dashboards providing regional trends and models of predicted cases. Concurrently, the aforementioned daily, situational awareness dashboard will be phased out. Daily situational awareness will remain available on the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services’ website.
These regional dashboards have been developed in partnership with Missouri state agencies, hospital leaders and researchers at the Institute for Public Health at Washington University, and are included below for your review.
The new dashboards were designed with the intent to serve a larger audience. As Gov. Parson continues to lead the Show Me Strong Recovery plan, government officials at all levels, along with local businesses, schools, churches and other organizations, will need access to innovative monitoring tools to help manage their reopening efforts. These dashboards – with state and regional focus, along with the element of predictive understanding – will serve as a tool to help you and the leaders in your organization have better awareness of the pandemic. Further, the regional dashboards will complement other information currently used for COVID-19 planning and decision-making.
Remember, you do not need to visit an office in person to get help through the Family Support Division. You can still:
Apply online any time at myDSS.mo.gov.
Visit myDSS.mo.gov to start a chat with us any day, any time & get answers to your basic questions.
Call 855-FSD-INFO to speak with a team member.
Do you need help in person? A few of our Family Support Division Resource Centers are now open and available to help by appointment only. To find an open office near you, visit https://buff.ly/2ArYLWw and search your address or zip code.
Before you visit, you will need to call 855-FSD-INFO and follow the prompts to schedule an appointment. For your safety and the safety of our team, you will only be allowed in the building at your scheduled appointment time.
Facility-wide testing for all residents and staff is included in the most recent DHSS guidance (https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/ltcf.php) for communities that have a positive COVID-19 case. We are encouraging all communities to be prepared for this possibility so that should this occur, there will be no delay in testing implementation.
There are several coordination points that are necessary in order to have a successful testing plan. This includes having access to testing kits (both swabs and media – must have both), the ability to collect the specimens onsite, and establishing an agreement with a lab to process the specimens. To assist in this preparation, testing kits may be ordered through the state public health laboratory at https://health.mo.gov/lab/index.php or https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/specimen-collection-supplies.php. The state public health laboratory recently received testing combination kits that contain both the swabs and media. These kits are listed as “Swab/Media Combo – Remel MicroTest M4RT Transport 3ml vial with Nasopharyngeal swab” and are available for any long-term care community. We encourage all to take advantage of this current testing kit supply and to order enough supply to complete two rounds of facility-wide testing. The test kits do not expire until April 2021, so they are acceptable for use for several months.
**UPDATE – The specific kits referenced above are now out of stock. There are other testing supplies available to any long-term care community. Please ensure when ordering testing supplies, both swabs and media are needed for a complete testing kit. Please do not order every item on the list of supplies and keep in mind the number of testing kits needed for your community.
Today, the Department of Health and Senior Services released guidance impacting facilities wanting to allow outdoor visits and visits through an open window for residents who are bedbound or who cannot otherwise leave their room. Additionally, guidance is being provided for facilities wanting to allow communal dining and group activities. The State asks that several items be considered when determining these plans, but each facility will ultimately decide on their own protocols. Facilities should be notifying residents’ families of their procedures for visitations once they are in place.
Visitation Guidance 6-15-20
Communal Dining and Group Activity Guidance 6-15-20
Long Term Care facilities, including Assisted Living facilities, Residential Care facilities, Intermediate Care facilities, and Skilled Nursing Facilities (LTCs) that experience an outbreak (one or more positive case) of COVID-19 are working with the state to conduct base-line facility testing and some immediate follow-up testing in order to contain the outbreaks. In order to furnish immediate aid and relief in response to the state of emergency due to the spread of COVID-19, the state is making some funds from the Coronavirus Relief Fund available to LTCs, so that cost is not a barrier to this important testing. Questions regarding this process should be submitted to COVID19invoice@dss.mo.gov.
Pending expiration of Phase 1 on June 15, Governor Mike Parson announced yesterday that Missouri will fully reopen and enter Phase 2 of its “Show Me Strong Recovery” Plan on Tuesday, June 16, 2020. During Phase 2, there will be no statewide health order. All statewide restrictions will be lifted, though local officials will still have the authority to put further rules, regulations, or ordinances in place. While Missouri will fully reopen on June 16, Governor Parson emphasized the importance of continuing social distancing and practicing proper hygiene to prevent the spread of COVID-19. For more on the announcement, see the press release here – https://governor.mo.gov/press-releases/archive/governor-parson-announces-missouri-will-fully-reopen-enter-phase-2-recovery.
Community testing events serve the residents of Missouri. DHSS is partnering with the Missouri National Guard, local health departments, health care providers to offer these events, and different communities will be reached at different times. If you do not see any community testing events in your area, you can continue to check back with this page https://dcphdo02redcap.azurewebsites.net/redcap/surveys/?s=DEX3J7THHM as new sites will be added as events are planned. Below is a list of currently planned events.
|
Peculiar, Cass County |
June 11-12 |
7am-7pm |
|
Washington, Franklin County |
June 13-15 |
7am-3pm |
|
Warrensburg, Johnson County |
June 14 |
7am-3pm |
|
Sedalia, Pettis County |
June 15 |
10am-6pm |
|
Higginsville, Lafayette County |
June 16 |
12pm-6pm |
|
Richmond, Ray County |
June 16 |
12pm-6pm |
|
Wright City, Warren County |
June 17 |
7am-3pm |
|
Carrollton, Carroll County |
June 17 |
2pm-6pm |
|
Keytesville, Chariton County |
June 17 |
2pm-6pm |
|
Troy, Lincoln County |
June 18-19 |
7am-3pm |
|
Lewistown, Lewis County |
June 19 |
7am-2pm |
|
California, Moniteau County |
June 19 |
7am-2pm |
|
California, Moniteau County |
June 20 |
12pm-4pm |
|
Bowling Green, Pike County |
June 19 |
10am-4pm |
|
Memphis, Scotland County |
June 20 |
12pm-4pm |
|
Montgomery City, Montgomery County |
June 20 |
12pm-6pm |
|
Linn, Osage County |
June 20 |
12pm-6pm |
|
Salem, Dent County |
June 20 |
8am-8pm |
Thank you to everyone that has worked to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. Our efforts have prevented countless infections and saved lives. Unfortunately, this virus is relentless and remains present in our communities. As we continue reopening our economy and communities, we too must be relentless in our prevention efforts.
Prevention and testing will be key to a safe reopening. As activities resume, it is critical that we continue with prevention efforts both at work and at home. The following preventions should continue to be diligently followed:
June 16, 2020: Applying COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Strategies in Nursing Homes
Presenters: LCDR Kara M. Jacobs Slifka, MD, MPH (USPHS), Infection Prevention and Control Team, COVID-19 Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Nimalie D. Stone, MD, Infection Prevention and Control Team, COVID-19 Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
During this COCA call, presenters will use case-based scenarios to discuss how to apply infection prevention and control guidance for nursing homes and other long-term care facilities that are preparing for and responding to COVID-19.
If you are unable to attend the live COCA Call, the recording will be available for viewing on the COCA Call webpage a few hours after the live event ends.
The slide set will be available under “Call Materials” on the COCA Call webpage.
Please click this link to join the webinar: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1615543668.
CMS announced on the QTSO website (https://qtso.cms.gov/news-and-updates/how-nursing-homes-will-receive-important-information-cms) that they will utilize the CASPER Shared folders to communicate important information regarding findings of noncompliance with the requirement to report COVID-19 data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). This includes the CMS 2567 and Enforcement Notices. You will not receive a notice if you are found in compliance with the reporting requirement.
Additional resources to assist you with this reporting requirement:
Having trouble registering/reporting with NHSN?
SAMS Help Desk
Monday-Friday, 8:00AM to 6:00PM EST (Excluding U.S. Federal Holidays)
877-681-2901
samshelp@cdc.gov
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has funded Health Quality Innovators (HQI) to deliver no-cost assistance to nursing homes in Missouri through the CMS Quality Innovation Network – Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) Program.
Through this initiative, which HQI calls the Health Quality Innovation Network (HQIN), facilities that have an opportunity to improve their infection control efforts based on publicly available data on Nursing Home Compare are being tapped by HQIN to receive targeted virtual assistance. Selected facilities will receive performance data reports, quality coaching, improvement tools, peer-to-peer forums and educational programming.
HQI has been providing free, expert help to nursing homes for more than 35 years. Their team of quality improvement experts is made up of seasoned post-acute nurses and administrators, including an Infection Preventionist, MDS specialists and QAPI-Certified professionals.
To learn more about HQI and HQIN, visit www.hqin.org or contact Dana Schmitz, dschmitz@hqi.solutions.
Families are facing many new issues as they support and care for their loved ones in long-term care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Join Consumer Voice for a webinar on Thursday, June 18 at 2:00pm ET to gain information and tips on how to advocate for quality care individually and through family councils.
The webinar will also cover topics of particular concern to family members, including visitation, facility transparency and reporting requirements, transfers and discharges, COVID-19 testing and more. Register here »
Community sampling gives the state a better sense of COVID-19 prevalence in a given area, which will help guide its response and ease uncertainty for Missourians. If prevalence is low, this will help reassure citizens that it is safe to begin re-engaging in the community and returning to somewhat normal operations. If prevalence is higher, quick and proactive steps will be taken to keep the virus from spreading further in the community.
Any Missouri residents who wish to be tested with a nasal swab to see if they have an active COVID-19 infection can do so at the specified sites in each region at no cost to the individual. Missouri residency is the only requirement; individuals do not have to live in the county in which they are tested, and they do not have to be experiencing symptoms.
Location selection for this period of community sampling is based on inadequate testing according to the number of confirmed cases and the number of total tests conducted prior to these events. Counties hosting upcoming community testing events are Scott, Platte, Stoddard, Carter, Ripley, Cass, Franklin, Johnson, Pettis, Lafayette, Ray, Warren, Carroll, Chariton, Lincoln, Lewis, Moniteau, Pike, Scotland, Montgomery and Osage.
Appointments can now be made online for events June 8-12 on the DHSS registration site. Events scheduled from June 13-20 will continue to be added over the next few days.
For more from this press release go to https://health.mo.gov/news/newsitem/uuid/9fe780c4-ee40-438d-ade1-d3e57126add7/community-covid-19-testing-events-continue-throughout-missouri.
Upcoming Testing Locations:
Use this link to register and remember check back as more testing locations will be added next week.
https://dcphdo02redcap.azurewebsites.net/redcap/surveys/?s=FAMNRL3LF7
The Department of Health and Senior Services posted a State of Missouri COVID-19 analytics update on June 3. The link is here: https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/pdf/analytics-update060320.pdf.
This analytics updated includes multiple data points inform Missouri’s COVID-19 response. Check the update to find out more about:
Department of Mental Health is offering free Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Gatekeeper Training for anyone who wants to:
See the flyer to register for these virtual suicide prevention trainings. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in Missouri. Register soon as virtual seating is limited.
Upcoming Testing Locations:
|
County |
Location |
Testing Dates |
|
Greene County |
Ozark Empire Fairgrounds, Springfield |
June 4 & 5 |
|
Cape Girardeau County |
Arena Park, Cape Girardeau |
June 5 |
|
Buchanan |
St. Joseph 4th Street & Francis Parking Garage |
June 9 |
More community testing sites are being developed and will be added, please check this link to stay up-to-date on community testing options.
https://dcphdo02redcap.azurewebsites.net/redcap/surveys/?s=FAMNRL3LF7
Governor Parson extends Phase 1 of “Show Me Strong Recovery” plan through June 15.
See the press release here – https://governor.mo.gov/press-releases/archive/governor-parson-extends-phase-1-show-me-strong-recovery-plan-through-june-15.
Also, this link will take you to local public health orders. Check here to see what is going on in your county or town – https://governor.mo.gov/press-releases/archive/governor-parson-extends-phase-1-show-me-strong-recovery-plan-through-june-15.
Missouri continues to announce community testing events across the state. Several communities will be conducting COVID-19 testing over the next two weeks. For these testing events, participants will not be required to have a doctor’s authorization and there will be no charge to participants. Anyone who wants to be tested may participate – you will not be required to have a known exposure or be experiencing symptoms. If you are experiencing symptoms and have struggled to be tested, you can register for one of these testing events. Many of these testing events do not require you to be a resident of the county conducting testing. You must, however, be a resident of Missouri.
Pre-registration for each event is strongly encouraged – https://dcphdo02redcap.azurewebsites.net/redcap/surveys/?s=FAMNRL3LF7. Check this site often as new testing locations will be added as they are finalized.
Upcoming Testing Locations:
|
County |
Location |
Testing Dates |
|
Jackson |
Silverstein Eye Center Arena-Independence |
May 26-30 |
|
Andrew County |
Savannah Fire Department |
May 29 |
|
Pemiscot County |
Pemiscot Memorial Hospital, Hayti |
May 29-30 |
|
St. Charles County |
Youth Activity Park, Dardene Prairie |
May 29 & 30 |
|
Grundy County |
First Christian Church, Trenton |
May 30 |
|
Boone County |
Hickman High School, Columbia |
June 1 & 2 |
|
Jefferson County |
Faith Community Church, House Springs |
June 1 & 2 |
|
Jefferson County |
Hillsboro Civic Center, Hillsboro |
June 3 |
|
Greene County |
Ozark Empire Fairgrounds, Springfield |
June 4 & 5 |
|
Cape Girardeau County |
Arena Park, Cape Girardeau |
June 5 |
June 3, 2020
June 10, 2020
June 19, 2020
June 24, 2020
In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15th), there will be a series of free webinars throughout the month of June that are designed to raise awareness of elder abuse risk factors in the current pandemic. The 45-minute webinars are being hosted by The St. Louis Elder Financial Protection Multidisciplinary Team and The Oasis Institute.
Please see the flyer for details including instructions on how to register.
Several counties throughout Missouri have already participated in community sampling efforts in order for public health officials to learn more about the prevalence of COVID-19 transmission. As part of Gov. Mike Parson’s plan announced on May 21 to rapidly increase COVID-19 testing volume to 7,500 tests per day in Missouri, six additional counties will host testing events. The goal is to test nearly 10,000 people over a 10-day period at events in Boone, Cape Girardeau, Greene, Jackson, Jefferson and St. Charles Counties.
Community sampling gives the state a better sense of COVID-19 prevalence in a given area, which will help guide its response and ease uncertainty for Missourians. If prevalence is low, this will help reassure citizens that it is safe to begin re-engaging in the community and returning to somewhat normal operations. If prevalence is higher, quick and proactive steps will be taken to keep the virus from spreading further in the community.
Any Missouri residents who wish to be tested with a nasal swab to see if they have an active COVID-19 infection can do so at the specified sites in each region at no cost to the individual. Missouri residency is the only requirement; individuals do not have to live in the county in which they are tested, and they do not have to be experiencing symptoms.
Online pre-registration is highly encouraged and will allow for the testing event to run efficiently for patients. Those without access to online pre-registration can call the Missouri COVID-19 hotline for registration assistance at 877-435-8411.
Selection for community sampling is based on locations with the ability to draw participants from a broader region as well as locations that have expressed a need for additional testing resources. It is not based on the number of COVID-19 cases in these counties. CARES Act funding will be used for community sampling. Some counties have also elected to provide community sampling using local funding.
The community-based testing will be operated by the Department of Health and Senior Services and Missouri National Guard in coordination with the hosting local public health agencies.
Over the next two weeks, the state will aggressively execute on this testing strategy, as well as the box-in strategy for outbreaks within facilities and sentinel testing of vulnerable populations. With these strategies in place in addition to the testing already occurring each day, Department of Health and Senior Services Director Dr. Randall Williams believes the state will reach its goal of 7,500 tests per day. “We have worked hard to determine how to best utilize the testing capacity we now have in our state in order to protect the health of Missourians,” he said.
Once Missouri’s overall testing numbers have increased, the state will reevaluate and determine next steps.
“I cannot emphasize enough how important testing is to our overall recovery plan. All four pillars of our recovery plan are important, but testing will be the key,” Gov. Parson said. “The more testing we do, the more knowledge we have on what the situation in Missouri actually looks like, and the better-equipped we are to move forward.”
Those who would like to be tested can pre-register for the site nearest them at http://health.mo.gov/communitytest. More information can be found at http://health.mo.gov/coronavirus.
The Section for Long-Term Care Regulation, Region 2 Office in Poplar Bluff will be moving to a new address on May 27, 2020. Please note only the address is changing. The phone and fax numbers will remain the same.
Section for Long-Term Care Regulation, Region 2 Office
1903 Northwood, Suite 4
Poplar Bluff, MO 63901
Phone: (573) 840-9580
Fax: (573) 840-9586