Headmaster D & S: 1-800-393-8664 – Please ask for the Missouri Team!

  • April 9, 2022 – St. John
  • April 12, 2022 – St. Louis(Knowledge) & Jefferson City
  • April 13, 2022 – Trenton & Kansas City
  • April 14, 2022 – Gladstone & St. John
  • April 15, 2022 – Kansas City
  • April 21, 2022 – Gladstone, Kansas City & St. John
  • April 23, 2022 – St. Louis
  • April 24, 2022 – Kansas City
  • April 25, 2022 – Kansas City
  • April 28, 2022 – Gladstone, Kansas City, Jefferson City, St. John & Hillsboro
  • April 29, 2022 – Kansas City
  • April 30, 2022 – Kansas City

All Regional dates are viewable on the online calendar at https://mo.tmutest.com/calendar.

To help with scheduling your testing event, contact Headmaster a few days after the CNA course starts.

April 6, 2022: Update: Reporting COVID-19 Cases and SARS-CoV-2 Test Results

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) is issuing this Health Update to provide reporting laboratories and healthcare providers information regarding the changes in the reporting requirements for COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 test results in Missouri.

During the early stages of the pandemic response there were several changes to the reporting rules that were established through waivers during the State of Emergency issued by Governor Parson. The changes included the requirement that both negative and positive test results for COVID-19 were to be reported to DHSS within twenty-four hours. Additionally, reporters were required to only report directly to DHSS rather than having the option to report to either the Local Public Health Agency (LPHA) or DHSS. After the State of Emergency was lifted by Governor Parson, DHSS filed an emergency amendment to allow these requirements to continue. However, on April 1, 2022, DHSS terminated this emergency amendment and as a result, these requirements no longer exist. Please consider the following guidance regarding the reporting of COVID-19 and laboratory tests results for SARS-CoV-2.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains an immediately reportable condition in Missouri. All positive laboratory results are required to continue to be reported to DHSS or the LPHA in accordance with rules established in 19 CSR 20.20.020. Healthcare providers, laboratories, and other mandated reporters should continue to report all COVID-19 positive test results including results from all Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests such as RT-PCR tests, and all rapid and antigen tests results for SARS-CoV-2. The reporting of positive home use tests is optional. However, DHSS will no longer require, or accept, negative laboratory results for SARS-CoV-2. In addition, DHSS is no longer requesting the routine reporting of positive or negative antibody tests results for SARS-CoV-2.

DHSS greatly appreciates the continued collaboration of our partners in healthcare and clinical laboratories. For questions regarding this Health Update and the reporting of COVID-19 in Missouri, please contact the DHSS Bureau of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention at 573-751-6113 or 800-392-0272 (24/7), or contact your local public health agency.

Update to COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers for Specific Providers

  • CMS continues to review the need for existing emergency blanket waivers issued in response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency (PHE).
  • Over the course of the COVID-19 PHE, skilled nursing facilities/nursing facilities (SNFs/NFs), inpatient hospices, intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IIDs), and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) facilities have developed policies or other practices that we believe mitigates the need for certain waivers.
  • Applicable waivers will remain in effect for hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAH).
  • CMS will end the specified waivers in two groups:
    • 60 days from issuance of this memorandum
    • 30 days from issuance of this memorandum

Please see the full memo at https://www.cms.gov/medicareprovider-enrollment-and-certificationsurveycertificationgeninfopolicy-and-memos-states-and/update-covid-19-emergency-declaration-blanket-waivers-specific-providers.

April 6, 2022: The National Imperative to Improve Nursing Home Quality: Report Release Webinar

Join the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Committee on The Quality of Care in Nursing Homes as it discusses the soon to be released report, The National Imperative to Improve Nursing Home Quality: Honoring Our Commitment to Residents, Families and Staff.

This new report examines how our nation delivers, finances, regulates, and measures the quality of nursing home care with particular emphasis on challenges that have arisen in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A public report release webinar will be held on Wednesday, April 6, 2022 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM (Central Time) during which members of the committee will provide an overview of key findings, conclusions, and recommendations, followed by a moderated question and answer period.

May 17-June 1, 2022: Developing New Leaders in Your Facility

Ensuring that potential or new supervisors have the skills to lead is vital to the achievement of your clinical, financial, regulatory, and resident experience goals. Far too often staff are promoted simply because they were exceptional in their current roles. A great nurse, cook, or admission coordinator may not yet be ready to be a great unit manager, food service or marketing director. This webinar series will help your people make that leap – and familiarize you with the strategies you need to help them succeed!

June 27-28, 2022: Federal Review Course for Nursing Home Administrators Examinees

The purpose of the Review Course is to help attendees prepare for the nursing home administrators federal licensure exam. Theoretical, philosophical and practical aspects of long-term care administration are discussed. The instructor will review sample test questions from the study workbook, which is provided free to all attendees. Study tips will be suggested throughout the workshop, therefore, it is recommended that attendees allow sufficient time to study on their own after attending the review course and before sitting for the exam. Review course materials have been revised and updated to reflect the structure of the current examination. This workshop is being offered both in-seat and virtually.

Attached below is important information for the Long-term Care Facility COVID-19 Module regarding modifications for the NHSN release that will occur March 2022. Resources on the NHSN LTCF COVID-19 Module website will be updated, where indicated, with revised forms, instructions, FAQs and CSV templates. Information regarding training opportunities is also available on the NHSN LTCF COVID-19 Module Website.

NHSN LTC COVID-19 Facility Module Modifications-March 2022

Have You Had Your Weekly Dose?

The Health Quality Innovation Network’s Weekly Dose Office Hours webinar series provides current updates on COVID-19 guidance and vaccine information. As a Medicare Quality Innovation Network – Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO), HQIN is dedicated to helping you increase your vaccination rates.

This forum for vaccine and booster questions features interactive, peer-to-peer collaboration following a brief presentation. Each session includes best practices and innovative idea sharing as well as tips for improving resident and staff safety. Weekly Dose Office Hours are held Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. CT/2:00 pm. ET. Register for the next Office Hours, as well as upcoming sessions, at this link: https://tinyurl.com/575d66tn.

For a 30-second overview of the Office Hours, watch this brief video: https://tinyurl.com/2p83yhjy.

May 17-June 1, 2022: Developing New Leaders in Your Facility

Ensuring that potential or new supervisors have the skills to lead is vital to the achievement of your clinical, financial, regulatory, and resident experience goals. Far too often staff are promoted simply because they were exceptional in their current roles. A great nurse, cook, or admission coordinator may not yet be ready to be a great unit manager, food service or marketing director. This webinar series will help your people make that leap – and familiarize you with the strategies you need to help them succeed!

May 25, 2022: Long-Term Care Administrator 101

If you are like most administrators, your endless daily to-do’s get longer and longer. This course is a new administrator’s one-stop-shop! It is also a great review for an experienced administrator. This course will review operational and administrative topics such as requirements of participation (ROPs), the survey process, CASPER reports (including how to access them), Five-Star Quality Rating System (all three domains!), Care Compare, QAPI and SO MUCH MORE! You will also be guided through all the resources available at your fingertips. Join us for this full day of education that will promote your administrator knowledge to the next level. This workshop is being offered both in-seat and virtually.

 

June 27-28, 2022: Federal Review Course for Nursing Home Administrators Examinees

The purpose of the Review Course is to help attendees prepare for the nursing home administrators federal licensure exam. Theoretical, philosophical and practical aspects of long-term care administration are discussed. The instructor will review sample test questions from the study workbook, which is provided free to all attendees. Study tips will be suggested throughout the workshop, therefore, it is recommended that attendees allow sufficient time to study on their own after attending the review course and before sitting for the exam. Review course materials have been revised and updated to reflect the structure of the current examination. This workshop is being offered both in-seat and virtually.

The following are updated CNA Testing sites.

Note: These are not the only test sites available. Please contact Headmaster D&S if you are need a different testing location.

Headmaster D & S: 1-800-393-8664 – Please ask for the Missouri Team!

All Regional dates are viewable on the online calendar at https://mo.tmutest.com/calendar.

To help with scheduling your testing event, contact Headmaster a few days after the CNA course starts.

Gladstone

      • March 24
      • April 7
      • April 17
      • April 21
      • April 28

St John/ St. Louis Area

      • April 9
      • April 12
      • April 23

Bolivar

      • March 23

Kirkwood

      • March 24

Kansas City

      • March 21
      • March 24
      • March 25
      • March 29
      • March 31
      • April 1

Trenton

      • April 13
      • May 14

June 5-8, 2022: Mandatory PPE – People Pride Endurance
Location: Camden on the Lake, Lake Ozark

Missouri Association of Nursing Home Administrators is pleased to invite you to attend our 2022 Annual Convention. This conference is a focus on the Administrators and staff after an unprecedented 2 years. The goal of this conference is to provide meaningful, forward thinking, and real-time education to pave the path forward while acknowledging the past and working through hard topics, together.

June 15, 2022: Care – Who We Are. What We Do. Where We Go From Here.
Location: Maryland Heights Community Center, St. Louis

The program will explore and highlight insights and learned experiences from internationally renowned geriatricians, educators, and leaders in the long-term care community. Join us as we reflect on the journey we have made together as a community and gain inspiration for the steps that we are yet to take.

Other presentation topics include residents’ rights, addressing loneliness and isolation for long-term care residents, and the interplay between ageism as a social determinant of health and end-of-life care.

July 24-27, 2022: Pioneering a New Culture of Aging: Honoring the Past, Treasuring the Present, Shaping the Future
Location: Sheraton Downtown Denver in Denver, Colorado

Pioneer Network’s goal is to bring together individuals from across the United States and other countries who care deeply about changing the culture of aging and to make this event meaningful to people who support culture change in all settings within the elder care continuum.

March 14-18, 2022, is National Long-Term Care Administrator’s Week. During this week, please take the opportunity to say “thank you” and honor our Missouri administrators who lead our state’s long-term care communities.  Administrators are the key players in the care of our residents. They are entrusted with the responsibility of managing the long-term care communities to ensure that their staff provide the highest level of quality care to our residents.

  • CMS is committed to taking critical steps to ensure America’s healthcare facilities continue to respond effectively to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency (PHE).
  • On August 25, 2020, CMS published an interim final rule with comment period (IFC). This rule establishes Long-Term Care (LTC) Facility Testing Requirements for Staff and Residents. Specifically, facilities are required to test residents and staff, including individuals providing services under arrangement and volunteers, for COVID-19 based on parameters set forth by the HHS Secretary. This memorandum provides guidance for facilities to meet the new requirements.
  • Replaced the term “vaccinated” with “Up-to-date with all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses” and deleted the term “unvaccinated.”
  • Updated the recommendations for testing individuals within 90 days after recovering from COVID-19.

Please see the full memo at https://www.cms.gov/medicareprovider-enrollment-and-certificationsurveycertificationgeninfopolicy-and-memos-states-and/interim-final-rule-ifc-cms-3401-ifc-additional-policy-and-regulatory-revisions-response-covid-19-0.

  • CMS is committed to continuing to take critical steps to ensure America’s healthcare facilities are prepared to respond to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency (PHE).
  • Visitation Guidance: CMS is issuing new guidance for visitation in nursing homes during the COVID-19 PHE, including the impact of COVID-19 vaccination.
  • Visitation is allowed for all residents at all times.
  • Replaced the term “vaccinated” with “up-to-date with all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses” and deleted “unvaccinated.”
  • Updated visitor screening and quarantine criteria.

Please see the full memo at https://www.cms.gov/medicareprovider-enrollment-and-certificationsurveycertificationgeninfopolicy-and-memos-states-and/nursing-home-visitation-covid-19-revised.

The Medicaid Resource (Spend-Down) Limit has been increased to $5,035 as of 07/01/21. Please see the link https://dssmanuals.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/appendix_j.pdf.

F569 states the facility must notify each resident/legal guardian that receives Medicaid benefits when the amount in the resident’s account reaches $200 less than the SSI resource limit.

The current $200 amount would be at $4,835 or higher.

Feel free to contact Lynn Gilmore, Lead Auditor, at 573-508-4150 if you have any questions.

Please see the updated Headmaster Student Handbook and Mock Skills including key step changes for those students testing March 15, 2022 and after.

Please visit Headmaster’s website for those changes at https://hdmaster.com/testing/cnatesting/missouri/MO_CNA_Home.htm.

For questions regarding the changes, please call the Health Education Unit at 573-526-5686 or email us at CNARegistry@health.mo.gov. You may also call Headmaster and ask for the Missouri Team at 1-800-201-0462.

Missouri licensed administrators (NHA or RCAL) expiring June 30, 2022, are due for license renewal. If you plan to renew, visit our website at www.health.mo.gov/bnha and follow the instructions provided in the Renewal Checklist. Once your renewal has been successfully processed, you will be issued a current license via email. Please note if you fail to renew by June 30, 2022, you cannot practice as a licensed administrator after that date. Visit our website for additional information regarding completing a late renewal.

NOTE – Administrators that are due to renew their license by June 30, 2022, have the option to complete any and/or all CE clock hours online through a board-approved training agency or approved by NAB/NCERS. This notice does not pertain to any future renewal cycles. This only pertains to those administrators with a license expiration date of June 30, 2022. If there are any questions or concerns, please email BNHA@health.mo.gov.

During a press conference at the State Capitol, Governor Mike Parson announced that he has selected Paula Nickelson to serve as the Acting Director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), effective March 1, 2022.

“Today, we are excited to announce Paula Nickelson as the new DHSS Acting Director,” Governor Parson said. “Paula was a key player in Missouri’s COVID-19 response efforts and has been a valued member at DHSS for more than 22 years. We are confident in her abilities and proud to welcome her to our Cabinet as we move forward from the COVID pandemic and prepare for what comes next in public health.”

Nickelson, a Missouri native, has served within DHSS for more than 22 years and has a distinguished career in public health and health care management. For most of her time with the Department, she has been a leader in several program areas, including maternal-child health, chronic disease prevention, and emergency preparedness and response.

Nickelson was also involved in the state’s H1N1 response and planning efforts following the 9/11 attacks. Most recently, she was instrumental in a number of COVID-19 response efforts.

Over the past two years, Nickelson has put her vast experience to work as a reliable, calming, and realistic leader to implement game-changing solutions during COVID-19. She helped establish the state’s first PPE warehouse, led an interagency team that implemented the “box it in” COVID mitigation strategy for long-term care facilities, oversaw the state’s antigen testing program, and led the implementation of the state’s decontamination system for N95 masks for health care workers when resources were still scarce.

Nickelson also developed strategies to establish state-funded monoclonal antibody infusion sites and was part of the team responsible for providing health care staffing support during two separate occasions.

“It is a great privilege to be asked to lead the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services,” said DHSS Acting Director Paula Nickelson. “I am committed to enhancing our collaborative work with our local public health partners, our health care and behavioral health partners and all community partners. We will be focusing on the state’s leading causes of morbidity and mortality; prioritizing health equity; and ensuring updated data systems, performance management, and operational excellence tools are in place so we can serve Missourians in the best ways possible.”

Nickelson earned a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of Central Missouri and a Master of Education in counseling psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Note: These are not the only test sites available. Please contact Headmaster D&S if you are need a different testing location.
Headmaster D & S: 1-800-393-8664 – Please ask for the Missouri Team!

All Regional dates are viewable on the online calendar at https://mo.tmutest.com/calendar.

To help with scheduling your testing event, contact Headmaster a few days after the CNA course starts.

The following are updated CNA Testing sites.

Gladstone – Mercy Health

    • March 10
    • March 17
    • March 24

St John/ St. Louis Area

    • March 10
    • March 15
    • March 17
    • March 24
    • March 31
    • April 12
    • May 10

Farmington

    • March 8
    • March 14
    • March 15
    • March 22

Kansas City

    • March 4
    • March 7
    • March 8
    • March 17
    • March 18
    • March 22
    • March 25
    • March 29
    • March 31

Virtual Knowledge

    • March 5
    • March 8
    • March 9
    • March 14
    • March 16
    • March 19
    • March 21
    • March 23
    • March 26
    • March 28

 

Effective 2/26/2022, facilities (RCF, ALF, SNF, ICF, and ICF-IID) no longer need to report the aggregate number of residents and staff tested during outbreak testing to the DHSS redcap portal. Below is a chart which outlines current reporting requirements.

 

Reporting Process/Form

System

Purpose/Description

Required?
For Whom?

Time Frame

1

Electronic COVID-19 Case Reporting

REDCap: DHSS

Reporting form for all positive case results, including staff and residents. This includes POC and PCR testing.**

Yes, for all SNF, ICF, RCF, ALF, ICF-IID and Adult Day Care

Within 24 hours of positive result

2

NHSN LTCF COVID-19 Module

Web Portal: Managed by NHSN

NHSN-required fields solely for certified nursing homes (SNF/NFs).

Yes, for all certified SNF/NF. Voluntary for any state licensed only facility (RCF/ALF/Adult Day Care) or ICF-IID.

Weekly, with a preference for submission on the same day each week

3

NHSN Point of Care Laboratory Reporting Tool

Web Portal: NHSN

POC test reporting that includes both positive and negative POC test results (even if potentially a false positive).

Yes, for any facility not reporting to DHSS in Row 4

Within 24 hours of result of POC test

4

Electronic COVID-19 Laboratory Reporting

Secure File Transfer/CSV file: DHSS

POC test reporting that includes both positive and negative POC test results (even if potentially a false positive).

Yes, for any facility not reporting to NHSN in Row 3

Within 24 hours of result of POC test

 

**Effective 2/25/2022, the Electronic COVID-19 Case Reporting System now requires entry of laboratory (testing) information when Positive Test for COVID-19 is selected as the Reason for Reporting. This change will allow for the data to more easily be ingested into Epitrax and readily available to Local Public Health Agencies- reducing follow-up contacts and calls to facilities to obtain the information.

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated the following healthcare Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) guidance document: SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Testing in Long Term Care Facilities | CDC. The core recommendations in this guidance have not significantly changed. The page was updated to: