On July 3, The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) published " Revised Protocols for Personnel in Healthcare and Other Direct Care Settings to Return to Work Following COVID-19 Exposure or Infection." The Health Advisory is an update to their April 1, 2020 guidance. The most significant change is the addition of section B on page 2. This section addresses the return to work of employees who have traveled to one of the restricted states under the New York State Travel Advisory in the past 14 days. 

We consulted with OPWDD leadership on the applicability of the new section B to our employees. OPWDD shared that we should follow the updated NYSDOH return to work protocols for employees who travel to and from a restricted state.  We continue to discuss the implications of the travel advisory with OPWDD and will offer additional updates as they become available. 

NYSDOH Travel Advisory FAQ 

On July 2, NYSDOH published "Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Quarantine Restrictions on Travelers Arriving in New York State." This document addresses many common questions about the travel advisory and provides guidance on implementing the required quarantines.  

OPWDD COVID-19 IRMA Training Materials

On July 1, 2020 The Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) conducted another webinar on "Coronavirus Event/Situation Reporting and Entry into the Incident Report and Management Application." The PowerPoint slides are available here.

The Arc New York Federal Health Care Relief Fund Webinar - July 10

On Friday, July 10, at 2 p.m., Gerry Archibald, Terry Phillips and Margaret Lally from The Bonadio Group, will join Al Kaplan from AHRC NYC and Phil Aydinian from The Arc New York to present a panel discussion on the Federal Health Care Provider Relief Fund. This fund has provided relief monies to certain clinics and other Medicare- and Medicaid-funded providers. 

Questions continue to circulate regarding which services and revenues are used to calculate the amount to which a provider is entitled, what to do if the amount you received is wrong, whether everyone should apply through the portal, what attestations are required, etc. The deadline for applications is July 20, so we've put this presentation together quickly to share the latest information with time to spare before the deadline. 

Please register for the Federal Health Care Provider Relief Fund webinar here. 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing details about joining the webinar.

 

Lunch and Learn Webinar #2: Self-Directed Services Materials 

The recording and materials from the July 7 Lunch and Learn webinar, "Self-Directed Services," presented by our Clinton County Chapter, are now available. The slide deck is available here and the full webinar recording can be viewed here. Thank you to our Clinton County Chapter for presenting and participants for attending.

 

Lunch and Learn Webinar #3: Integrated Day Habilitation Services - July 14 

The next webinar in our Lunch and Learn Series, "Integrated Day Habilitation Services," will be held July 14 at 12 p.m. This presentation will offer participants insights into delivering essential day habilitation supports and services in an integrated manner within the residential setting, as opposed to a site-based day habilitation site.  Robin Pierce, Executive Director for the Advocacy and Resource Center, Howie Ganter, CEO for the Jefferson-St. Lawrence Chapter, and Valerie Muratori, Executive Director for Saratoga Bridges, will facilitate the webinar. There will be time for a question and answer period after the presentation.

Registration information can be found below: 

Register here

Webinar ID

611-818-027

Phase Four Reopening 

The Capital Region, Central New York, Finger Lakes, Long Island, Mid-Hudson, Mohawk Valley, North Country, Southern Tier and Western New York have been cleared to enter Phase Four reopening under New York Forward. P hase Four industries include higher education, low-risk indoor and outdoor arts and entertainment, media production, and professional sports without fans. Complete Phase Four industry guidelines and business safety plans can be found here .