|
The Office of Community Living (OCL) within the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (Department) has the following information to share below:
Announcements:
- Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) Amends Public Health Order (PHO) 20-38
- The Department’s Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Committee Seeks Applicants for Several Open Positions
- CDPHE Amends Public Health Order 20-20; Updated Residential Care Facility Guidance Documents Released
Memo:
- Stakeholder Engagement Opportunity: OCL Rule Revisions and Waiver Updates
Meetings:
- RESCHEDULED AND AGENDA CHANGE: Older Adults Stakeholder Meeting
- Agency as Authorized Representative (AR) Workgroup
- Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) General Stakeholder Group
- Nursing Facility Advisory Council (NFAC)
- Department of Justice (DOJ) Transitions Stakeholder Feedback Meeting
- RESCHEDULED: Direct Care Workforce Value & Awareness Action Group
- 6.06 “Dollars to Digitize” Provider Digital Transformation and Electronic Health Record (EHR) Upgrades Grant Program Informational Webinar
| |
|
Announcements
CDPHE Amends Public Health Order (PHO) 20-38
Please review the updated version of Public Health Order 20-38, posted on the CDPHE website. This PHO previously contained guidance pertaining to masking for specific provider types, such as Day Program providers and Transportation providers serving Long-Term Services and Supports members. As of Oct. 7, 2022 all masking requirements have been repealed for these providers.
For questions or more information about this change, please contact CDPHE directly.
- - - -
| |
|
The Department’s Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Committee Seeks Applicants for Several Open Positions
Background
The P&T Committee is an advisory board established pursuant to Executive Order D004-07. The committee performs clinical reviews of drug classes and makes recommendations which help the Department develop and manage the Medicaid Preferred Drug List (PDL).
The P&T Committee is required to consider clinical criteria such as drug safety and efficacy when making its recommendations. The committee also considers public comments and testimony related to the drug classes being reviewed or other PDL-related agenda items.
More information on the Committee and its meetings is on the Department's Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee webpage.
Open Positions
Applicants are being accepted for the following two open positions for the P&T Committee member term ending in December 2023:
- One physician with any specialty
- One member representative
Applicants are being accepted for the following seven open positions for the P&T Committee member terms January 2023 - December 2024:
- One physician who specializes in the practice of psychiatry
- One physician who specializes in the practice of pediatrics
- One physician who specializes in the practice of treating patients with disabilities
- One physician with any specialty
- One member representative
How to Apply
The Department is accepting Curriculum Vitae (CVs/resume) until Oct. 21, 2022, for open positions and plan to notify new members in December. The first upcoming meeting for new members is Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, from 1-5 p.m. MT (planned to be virtual).
For those interested in serving, or who know someone who would be qualified, please submit a CV along with a completed Conflict of Interest form to:
Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing
Attn: Brittany Schock, PharmD
Fax to 303-866-3590, Attn: Brittany Schock, PharmD.
- A CV is not required for the member representative position. A resume (or similar document) is acceptable.
- Encourage those located anywhere in the state to consider joining since these meetings are being held virtually, looking to have a diverse committee.
- - - -
| |
CDPHE Amends Public Health Order 20-20; Updated Residential Care Facility Guidance Documents Released
Following updated CDC recommendations, CDPHE amended Public Health Order 20-20 and updated guidance for nursing homes and intermediate care facilities, as well as assisted living residences and group homes.
The CDPHE Residential Care Strike Team and Infection Prevention Program invites Residential care facilities (Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities, Group Homes, and Intermediate Care Facilities) to informational guidance calls on Friday, Oct. 14, 2022. See the meeting information below to register for the call that corresponds with your facility type. Call information is as follows:
Guidance Call for Nursing Homes and Intermediate Care Facilities
Oct. 14, 2022
11 a.m. MT
Register via Zoom
Guidance Call for Assisted Living Residences and Group Homes
Oct. 14, 2022
1 p.m. MT
Register via Zoom
Updates and general guidelines include:
- CDPHE separated guidance by facility type and aligned it with CDC’s Sept. 23, 2022 updates.
- Vaccination status is no longer used to inform source control, screening testing, or post-exposure recommendations.
- Routine surveillance testing is no longer required for people who are asymptomatic. Testing remains required for people with symptoms, people who have had close contact with someone with COVID-19, and higher risk exposures. Testing is also required during outbreaks.
- Facilities should assign at least one staff member to oversee infection prevention strategies within the facility. This person should complete education as outlined in the guidance and is responsible for infection prevention strategies including:
- Remaining informed of guidance and public health reporting requirements,
- Ensuring the facility has the appropriate supplies available to adhere to infection prevention and control practices,
- Managing the respiratory protection program, and
- Educating residents, staff, and visitors about current infection prevention practices necessary to prevent infectious disease transmission within the facility.
- Each facility must maintain a COVID-19 mitigation, vaccine, and treatment plan that promotes vaccine confidence and acceptance. Facilities must offer vaccinations and access to treatments to all consenting staff and residents.
- Facilities must make COVID-19 vaccines available to staff and residents inside their facility within 60 days of any update to CDC’s vaccine recommendations.
See the full nursing homes/intermediate care facilities and assisted living residences and group homes guidance documents for details, requirements, and recommendations that are now in place for residential and long-term care facilities.
Email questions regarding the implementation of the updated guidance to the Infection Prevention Program and Residential Care Strike Team.
| |
Memo
Please find a new memo listed below. The memo is also on the Department's 2022 Memo Series Communication webpage. Viewing the Memo Series webpage will show other memos of interest.
| |
|
RESCHEDULED AND AGENDA CHANGE: Older Adults Stakeholder Meeting
The Older Adults Stakeholder meeting, originally scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022, has been moved to Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022, from 10-11 a.m. MT. If you have copied the original meeting from the OCL Stakeholder Engagement calendar, please delete it and copy the revised event from the calendar.
The Department seeks insight from stakeholders on the development of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Initiative 4.07, New Systems of Care Grant Project 4.07. This project is studying successful initiatives to inform the development of one-time a grant program to pilot programs that:
- Leverage creative solutions to provide low/no-cost child care to home and personal care workers
- Pair college students or other adults with older adults who need need affordable housing
- Create college credits for direct support professional
The new meeting time is:
Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022
10-11 a.m. MT
Join via Google Meet
Join by Phone:
1-617-675-4444, PIN: 844 779 580 5997 #
- - - -
| |
Agency as Authorized Representative (AR) Workgroup
The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the transition away from In-Home Support Services (IHSS) Agencies acting as authorized representatives.
The meeting will be held:
Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022
10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. MT
Join via Google Meet
Join by Phone:
1-617-675-4444, PIN: 844 779 580 5997 #
- - - -
| |
|
EVV General Stakeholder Meeting
The purpose of this quarterly meeting is to engage providers, members, and all other stakeholders for feedback; as well as provide EVV program updates and support since the EVV claim edit activation on Feb. 1, 2022. These quarterly meetings will be held in January, April, July, and October. All interested stakeholders and all EVV stakeholders are welcome.
For more information, see the EVV Stakeholder Workgroup web page.
The next meeting will be held:
Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022
10:30-11:30 a.m. MT
Join via Zoom
Meeting ID: 976 3310 3112, Passcode: 042323
Join via Phone:
(Toll-free) 1-833-548-0276
- - - -
| |
|
NFAC
The NFAC focuses on Medicaid-related developments related to Nursing Facility reimbursement and benefits. This includes, but is not limited to, procedural reviews, benefit interactions, policy clarifications, and cyclical business operations. The NFAC meets on the third Wednesday of the month. All interested stakeholders are welcome.
The next meeting will be held:
Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022
3-4:30 p.m. MT
Join via Google Meet
Join by Phone:
1-315-992-6052, PIN: 258 504 157 #
- - - -
| |
|
Department of Justice (DOJ) Transitions Stakeholder Feedback Meeting
In March 2021, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a findings letter stating that Colorado is violating Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by “administering its long-term care system in a way that unnecessarily segregates individuals with physical disabilities in nursing facilities and places others with physical disabilities at serious risk of unnecessary institutionalization.”
The Department is working to address these findings and would like to hear from you on how best to do that. Please join us on Oct. 20 from 3:30-4:40 p.m. MT to review ideas that are being explored by the Department and share other thoughts. If you are unable to join, there is a survey available through this link to provide feedback.
All interested stakeholders are welcome.
The meeting will be held:
Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022
3:30-4:40 p.m. MT
Register in advance via Zoom
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
- - - -
| |
RESCHEDULED: Direct Care Workforce Value & Awareness Action Group
The Direct Care Workforce Value & Awareness Action Group meeting, originally scheduled for Nov. 25, 2022, has been rescheduled to Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. If you have copied the original meeting from the OCL Stakeholder Engagement calendar, please delete it and copy the revised event from the calendar.
Supporting the Direct Care Workforce Collaborative, this action group brings stakeholders together to develop awareness and advocacy strategies that increase community understanding and support for this workforce. All interested stakeholders are welcome.
For more information, please see the Direct Care Workforce Collaborative webpage.
The new meeting time is:
Friday, Dec. 2, 2022
1-2 p.m. MT
Join via Zoom
Join via Phone:
Toll-free: 877-853-5257
Meeting ID: 969 4053 6000, Passcode: 115140
- - - -
| |
|
6.06 “Dollars to Digitize” Provider Digital Transformation and Electronic Health Record (EHR) Upgrades Grant Program Informational Webinar
The Department and the Office of eHealth Innovation (OeHI) are partnering to distribute $18 million in ARPA funding to home and community-based services (HCBS) and behavioral health providers to enhance and strengthen their services through digital technology. The Dollars to Digitize ARPA 6.06 grant program will allow organizations to become more efficient and financially viable, improve care coordination, and attract and retain more providers and staff.
At this webinar, HCPF and OeHI staff will present highlights of the grant program, application process, and guidelines. Staff will also be available to answer questions about the grant program. The webinar will be recorded and posted to the ARPA grant website.
Please direct questions to gov.arpa.oehi@state.co.us
The webinar will be held:
Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022
11 a.m. - 12 p.m. MT
Register via Zoom
- - - -
| Reasonable accommodations will be provided upon request for persons with disabilities. Auxiliary aids and services for individuals with disabilities and language services for individuals whose first language is not English may be provided upon request. Please notify John Barry at 303-866-3173 or John.R.Barry@state.co.us or the 504/ADA Coordinator at hcpf504ada@state.co.us at least one week prior to the meeting to make arrangements. | |
|
Signing up for OCL and Department Communications
If you are not currently on the communications list receiving these emails,
you can sign up here.
See a list of all Department newsletters you can subscribe to.
| |
Looking for Prior OCL Communications?
- Search OCL newsletters back to January 2021
- Subscribe to the newsletter
- Keep track of OCL announcements, meeting reminders, and memos
| | | | | |
