The South Carolina Departments of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, and Health and Environmental Control issued a joint order to expand the group of providers qualified to administer COVID vaccinations. The state’s General Assembly is also expected to pass a resolution to expand that group even further. The Governor has suggested ordering hospitals to cancel elective surgeries if more vaccines don’t get distributed quickly so that all hospital personnel can operate in an “all hands on deck” approach to make this the top priority for the state. 

​Read more here. 

What does the home care industry look like in 2021 and beyond? HCAOA Board members look into the crystal ball…




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​Join us on February 17 for the next installment of the Agency Momentum series. A free HCAOA member benefit!

​​HCAOA just added a new, free resource for agencies on the COVID-19 Resources page. Click here to access a series of 24 quick videos answering questions about the COVID vaccine in easy-to-understand bites. 

​Let your voice be heard! To guide the advocacy efforts of HCAOA’s Veterans Affairs Services Advisory Council, each member agency is asked to complete a short survey regarding veteran care.

Governor Ned Lamont announced last week that the Department of Public Health will proceed through the remaining groups to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Phase 1b with a tiered approach based on risk of adverse health outcomes from the virus. The governor is directing the implementation be done in an equitable way, with vaccine distribution points focused in areas where residents and communities have barriers to access and care. The tiered approach to Phase 1b will proceed with appointments being scheduled currently for individuals over the age of 75, followed by (likely early February) individuals between the ages of 65 and 74, and then (likely late February or early March) frontline essential workers and individuals with underlying medical conditions who have an increased risk for severe illness. The roll-out of the vaccine to staff and residents of congregate living settings will be phased in throughout Phase 1b. More information about the definitions of frontline essential workers and the list of eligible underlying medical conditions will be made available in the next several weeks. “We have begun in earnest vaccinations of our 75 and older population,” Acting Public Health Commissioner Dr. Deidre Gifford said. For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 vaccination distribution plans in Connecticut, visit ct.gov/covidvaccine.

The Washington State Department of Health, with assistance from the Washington National Guard and local and private sector partners, will launch four mass vaccination sites throughout the state this week. Announced by Gov. Jay Inslee on January 18, the sites are located in Kennewick, Ridgefield, Spokane and Wenatchee. They will be open by appointment only to people who pre-registered and are eligible for the vaccine under Phase 1A or 1B-1. For more information click here. 

Hiring the right caregivers could be the difference between your home care agency just getting by and thriving. HCAOA partners with CareerPlug to support all HCAOA member organizations in recruiting and hiring qualified caregivers. ​Career Plug offers:

​HCAOA Associate Member AlayaCare is hosting a webinar next week to highlight the value of hospital to home programs and how technology supports this model. As hospital-at-home models become more popular and more beneficial to both patients and health care organizations, those that have recognized the perks of home-based care prior to the COVID-19 crisis may have the upper hand.

​Wondering about the latest on the COVID-19 vaccines and how the home care industry is responding, how the new administration may impact the industry, and what you can do to take advantage of the opinion letter the U.S. Department of Labor recently issued on live-in caregivers? You're in luck! HCAOA is teaming up with Littler to host an industry webinar covering all of these topics this Friday, January 22 from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. EST. 

​Those who participated in HCAOA’s webinar last week about the COVID-19 vaccine were part of a dynamic discussion about communicating with staff and clients about the vaccine and best practices for getting your caregivers vaccinated. In case you missed it, the recording is now available by clicking here. 

​2021 brings new beginnings as well as continued challenges for the home-based care industry. A new Administration and Congress present opportunities to strengthen our united industry advocacy while the COVID-19 health challenge continues to push us to innovate as critical partners in the healthcare continuum.

Last week, President-Elect Biden announced a $1.9 trillion COVID relief package. The “American Rescue Plan” focuses on a new round of stimulus checks to Americans and an ambitious vaccine distribution plan to control the pandemic. HCAOA will be submitting comments to the new Administration about the plan. Members are encouraged to send comments and feedback to vicki@hcaoa.org. Here are some highlights from the plan that could affect the home care industry, including a minimum wage increase and extension of emergency paid leave measures: