 Yesterday, the California Department of Social Services issued a Provider Information Notice alerting home care organizations that all registered home care aides must be vaccinated against COVID by November 30. However there are two exemptions to this rule: Declining vaccination based on religious beliefs or excused from receiving the vaccine due to qualifying medical reasons.
3 Comments
 All HCAOA members in Michigan are invited to attend a Chapter Meeting and Capitol Day event on November 3. This is the best way to get involved with advocacy in your state. Hear presentations by state leaders and participate in discussions about the top issues you care about as a home care provider, including Medicaid reimbursement rates, background checks, home care licensure, and the no-fault auto law.
 The Connecticut legislature, at the recent call of Governor Ned Lamont, met in special session this week to extend the Governor’s emergency authority through February 15, 2022. This was the sixth extension of the Governor’s emergency powers since March 2020, according to the Hartford Courant. Most of the hundreds of executive orders issued by the Governor since then have expired but about a dozen remain, including one requiring vaccinations for workers in nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
 A new report, Medicaid Forward: Long-term Services and Supports, from the National Association of Medicaid Directors, describes the stark realities facing our long-term care system, and opportunities for state Medicaid leaders and their federal partners to respond. The report specifically focuses on how states can use the recent investments Congress made in the American Rescue Plan Act to support this work. In this law, Congress made an initial investment of more than $9 billion to expand access to home- and community-based services and to strengthen the direct care workforce.
 IDPH recommends vaccine providers prioritize those at the highest risk of severe illness among the eligible booster population. Many of the people who are now eligible to receive a booster shot received their initial vaccine early in the rollout and will benefit from additional protection. The Delta variant continues to be the predominant virus circulating and with cases of COVID-19 increasing significantly across the United States, a booster shot will help strengthen protection against severe disease in those populations who are at high risk for exposure to COVID-19 or the complications from severe disease.
 The unique nature of the home care industry can make it more difficult to collect data. That’s why HCAOA is conducting a brief survey of home care agencies to learn about the specific challenges members are experiencing related to the COVID vaccine and staffing at this critical moment in time. These responses will help guide HCAOA’s advocacy efforts on behalf of members. Please take just a few minutes to complete this important survey today.
 As small business owners continue to face applicant shortages for open positions, it is more important than ever to focus on creating a great candidate experience to attract talent. HCAOA partner CareerPlug surveyed 500 people who have applied for jobs within the last year and analyzed their answers about their experience during the hiring process. Fifty-eight percent of job seekers interviewed reported declining a job offer because of a poor candidate experience.
 This is a big week in Washington as the fate of both infrastructure plans – bridges and roads, and the social/human infrastructure plans – are up for votes. HCAOA’s advocacy efforts have focused on the latter plan proposed by the Biden Administration because it includes, among many other safety net issues, better access to home care; improved wages for workers and child care benefits, which are frequently cited as a cause for home care’s workforce shortage. Should the measure pass in the House it will likely be trimmed down in the Senate as Democrats do not have the votes to pass the measure in the Senate.
 Have you registered for the HCAOA Learning Lab yet? The event kicks off in just a few days! HCAOA is excited to present this groundbreaking new series that will allow attendees to utilize the pre-recorded content at their own pace and convenience. Wondering what to expect from this series? HCAOA is here to break it down. Below you can find the launch date schedule for each Learning Lab.
Last week on September 22, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster shot for select groups - including seniors and frontline workers. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that the following groups should receive a booster shot:  GEORGIA: The lobbying process is beginning again very soon as the HCAOA Georgia Chapter prepares for the 2022 legislative session. We need our membership’s input on the state of the home care business in Georgia. Click here to take the Georgia Chapter survey.
SOUTH CAROLINA: The HCAOA South Carolina Chapter is surveying home care agencies to identify the major challenges they are experiencing in providing services. Click here to take the Chapter survey for South Carolina. Compassion and connection are the threads that tie these three Caregiver of the Year Finalists together. In the coming weeks, we will introduce you to the top 10 finalists for this national award recognizing in-home caregivers and all that they do to keep people safe at home. The overall winner will be announced on November 1.
 HCAOA members in Georgia - if you are a provider of Personal Support Services (PSS) or Community Living Supports (CLS) through SOURCE, CCSP, NOW, COMP, ICWP, and / or GAPP, at this point in time, you should have Registered for the State EVV solution and successfully submitted at least one claim per EVV-applicable Medicaid ID.  HCAOA members in the state are invited to attend the Illinois Chapter Conference from November 8-9. In a hot topic session led by Chris Mercer, Director of Market Growth, Hireology, attendees will learn about new ways to attract applicants, get a process in place to manage an influx of candidate activity, and roster the right professionals. This year, healthcare agencies have never felt more pressure to provide quality care, and the demand for caregivers has never been greater. With health and safety challenges, along with the economic downturn related to COVID-19, traditional recruitment methods are simply not working to meet the demand of today’s agencies.
 HCAOA partner Odell Studner recently released a guide for employers to break down what is and is not yet known so far about President Biden’s vaccine mandate and the new OSHA rule. |
Archives
April 2025
Categories
All
Upcoming Events |
RSS Feed
|
HCAOA
|
Chapters
|
Products/Services
|
Follow Us
|
Phone: 202-519-2960 | 444 N. Capitol Street NW, Suite 428 | Washington, DC 20001
[email protected] | sitemap
© 2024 Home Care Association of America. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Refund Policy
[email protected] | sitemap
© 2024 Home Care Association of America. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Refund Policy