Important reminder: As a large portion of central and southern Virginia is under a winter storm watch for snow expected on Friday night and Saturday...
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Now is the perfect time to sign up for the Life Safety Compliance Boot Camp, which will offer practical advice and strategies to keep your residents...
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Since September is National Preparedness Month, it is the perfect time to review best practices for fire drills. Fire drills are a key component of any...
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As Tropical Storm Debby brings the prospect of heavy rains and threats of tornadoes across large parts of Virginia, it is time to review your...
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Registration deadline: Have you signed up to participate in the next set of free, emergency preparedness functional exercises for all Virginia LTC facilities on June...
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Registration deadline: Have you signed up to participate in the next set of free, emergency preparedness functional exercises for all Virginia LTC facilities on June...
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Sign up by June 20 to participate in the next set of free, emergency preparedness functional exercises for all Virginia LTC facilities on June 25-26....
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Are you prepared? As tornadic activity is already making headlines this spring, long term care facilities should be assessing their preparedness for such events. This...
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Registration check: Is the individual who oversees your facilityās emergency preparedness plan signed up for the free Virginia LTC Emergency Preparedness Symposium on May 30 in...
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Registration check: Is the individual who oversees your facilityās emergency preparedness plan signed up for the free Virginia LTC Emergency Preparedness Symposium on May 30...
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Whatās happening: VHCA-VCAL is hosting the Virginia Long Term Care Emergency Preparedness Symposium on May 30. This is a free, in-person event focused specifically on...
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Youāre invited: VHCA-VCAL and Incident Management Solutions (IMS) are hosting a Cybersecurity Risk Assessment Webinar on May 7 at 11:30 am. As providers cope with...
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Wednesday, May 1 from 10:00 am ā 2:00 pm is the last of the two emergency preparedness webinars and tabletop exercises VHCA-VCAL is hosting with...
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Have you made plans to attend one of the emergency preparedness webinars and tabletop exercises weāre hosting with Jensen Hughes on April 25 or May...
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Whatās happening: VHCA-VCAL and Jensen Hughes are hosting two emergency preparedness webinars and tabletop exercises on April 25 and May 1 from 10:00 am ā 2:00...
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Whatās happening: VHCA-VCAL and Jensen Hughes are hosting two free emergency preparedness webinars and tabletop exercises on April 25 and May 1 from 10:00 am...
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Sign up by March 1 to participate in the free, emergency preparedness functional exercises for all Virginia LTC facilities on March 6-7. VHCA-VCAL and Incident...
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Make plans to participate in the upcoming, free emergency preparedness functional exercises. VHCA-VCAL, in partnership with Incident Management Solutions, is hosting four regional exercises on...
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Make plans to participate in the upcoming, free emergency preparedness functional exercises. VHCA-VCAL, in partnership with Incident Management Solutions, is hosting four regional exercises as...
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Take advantage of the upcoming free emergency preparedness webinar and functional exercises. A February 21 webinar will explain the purpose of a functional exercise and...
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Mark your calendar: The VLIPP Emergency Preparedness and Response Webinar Series returns next week with a free session on January 24 explaining the purpose of a...
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Mark your calendar: The VLIPP Emergency Preparedness and Response Webinar Series returns this month with a free session on January 24 explaining the purpose of...
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Important alert: The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center released a notice strongly encouraging health care organizations to...
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Sign up for the next sessions in VHCA-VCALās free emergency preparedness and response webinar series. Each webinar will feature a subject matter expert from Jensen...
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Sign up for the next sessions in VHCA-VCALās free emergency preparedness and response webinar series. Each webinar will feature a subject matter expert from Jensen...
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Sign up for the next sessions in VHCA-VCALās free emergency preparedness and response webinar series. Each webinar will feature a subject matter expert from Jensen...
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Sign up for the next sessions in VHCA-VCALās free emergency preparedness and response webinar series. Each webinar will feature a subject matter expert from Jensen...
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Whatās happening: Parts of Virginia are under a tropical storm warning as part of developing severe weather event this weekend. Join a briefing on Friday,...
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Whatās new: DSS sent a memo to ALFs and other licensed providers on August 29 reminding them to plan and be prepared for hurricane season to ensure the...
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The final session in the emergency preparedness webinar series hosted by VHCA-VCAL and Jensen Hughes focused on flooding is scheduled for September 20. The three-part series features...
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Whatās new: DSS sent a memo to assisted living facilities and other licensed providers reminding them to plan and be prepared for hurricane season to...
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Situational awareness: Have you completed your annual Hazards Vulnerability Assessment (HVA) to help you think through mitigation, response, and recovery activities? Are you up-to-date on...
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The next session in the emergency preparedness webinar series hosted by VHCA-VCAL and Jensen Hughes on August 30 will focus on extreme temperatures/HVAC failures. The three...
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Sign up: VHCA-VCAL and Jensen Hughes are partnering to present a free, lunch and learn webinar series on emergency preparedness and response. The webinars will...
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Starting August 16, VHCA-VCAL in partnership with Jensen Hughes will be conducting a lunch and learn webinar series on emergency preparedness and response. Each webinar...
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Unhealthy air conditions are affecting Virginia and large swaths of the U.S. because of Canadian wildfires. DSS has shared a memo noting that VDH, the...
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For your radar: As the 2023 hurricane season officially starts on June 1, VHCA-VCAL and Jensen Hughes have prepared a new tool, the Hazard Vulnerability...
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Whatās happening: DSS reminds providers that VDH is offering Community-Based Emergency Response Seminars (CBERS) for long term care facility staff and other audiences. The free...
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Did your facility feel unprepared to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic? Do you wish you had the opportunity to practice or talk through what you would do in...
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Respond today: Take this short survey to provide information about your facilityās emergency preparedness readiness. Your responses will inform next steps in VHCA-VCALās grant project to build...
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Action for NFs and ALFs: Take this short survey to provide information about your facilityās emergency preparedness readiness. Responses will be accepted through February 23, 2022. Why...
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Whatās new: Assisted living facilities (ALFs) were deliberately included in VHCA-VCALās Virginia Long Term Care Infrastructure Pilot Project (VLIPP) program grant proposal because of the critical...
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Whatās new: VHCA-VCAL was awarded grant funds to build an emergency preparedness infrastructure to support both Virginiaās nursing facilities (NFs) and assisted living facilities (ALFs)....
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Action needed: Nursing facilities must update their LTC Mutual Aid Plan (MAP) Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) by December 31, 2022. MOUs signed in 2018 are...
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Whatās new: VHCA-VCAL is one of nine organizations to receive part of a multi-million dollar grant to VDH through the CDC to assist with ongoing...
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Whatās happening: Long-Term Care Mutual Aid Plan (LTC MAP) Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) signed by Virginia nursing facilities in 2018 expire on December 31, 2022....
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Whatās happening: Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued a state of emergency in anticipation of the effects of Hurricane Ian on Virginia. Impacts from the storm are...
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CMS wants to gather information from health care providers and suppliers on their experiences providing support during public health emergencies (PHE) outside of the COVID-19...
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Keep in mind: Hurricane and tropical storm activity usually peaks in mid-September. Remember to review your emergency preparedness plan (EPP). The Atlantic hurricane season runs...
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As hurricane season officially begins, be sure to review your emergency preparedness plans (EPP). AHCA/NCAL has developed an Emergency Preparedness Program Checklist / Assessment Tool. The tool is...
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On May 26, 2022 CMS issued another revision to QSO-20-41-ALL. This update clarifies that providers are exempt from the 2021 and 2022 Full Scale Exercise (FSE) as...
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The 2022 hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. Remember to review your emergency preparedness plans to be ready and review the resources...
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Are your emergency policies and procedures up to date? Now more than ever, emergency preparedness is vital in assisted living communities. Establishing proper policies and...
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COVID-19 and other unpredictable infectious agents ā coupled with fluctuating demand and inconsistent supply ā have created the need for skilled nursing and assisted living...
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The onset of a new year is an excellent time to review your emergency preparedness programs and specifically your emergency preparedness plans (EPP). A great...
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Gov. Ralph Northam has issued a state of emergency in advance of the second winter storm in Virginia this week. If your facility is without...
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Each September, Ready.gov leads the observance of National Preparedness Month, a time to highlight the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies. The theme this...
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AHCA/NCALās Hazard Vulnerability Assessment (HVA) is a tool designed to assist centers in evaluating vulnerability to specific hazards. Built on a foundation of established risk...
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With hurricane season in full swing we encourage members to review their emergency preparedness plans and review the resources on our website for nursing facilities and assisted living...
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Over the last month DSS has issued several memos for assisted living providers. Memos have covered a range of topics including: the end of COVID-related...
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DSS has shared the Federal Emergency Management Agencyās (FEMA) Shelter-in-Place Pictogram Guidance for 10 hazards and three building types. The pictograms provide clear, visual guidance...
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On June 21, CMS issued a revision to QSO-20-41-ALL, which provides guidance on emergency preparedness. If a facility is still operating under its activated emergency...
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In September 2020, CMS clarified that providers could use actual emergencies resulting in the activation of their emergency plan to offset the need for an annual full-scale,...
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CMS recently posted a Quality, Safety, and Oversight Group (QSO) memo updating the State Operations Manual (SOM) Appendix Z that outlines emergency preparedness (EP) requirements. The SOM...
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In preparation for the upcoming winter weather that will impact a large portion of the state, which follows the last weekās severe weather that has...
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In preparation for the upcoming winter weather that will impact a large portion of the state, which follows the last weekās severe weather that has...
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CMS issued QSO-20-41-ALL on September 28 to provide guidance on the specific testing exercises required under the emergency preparedness regulations in light of the coronavirus...
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DSS issued a memo on hurricane preparedness for ALFs on August 27. As you prepare for hurricane season while concentrating on the COVID-19 pandemic, DSS provided a...
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DSS issued a memo on hurricane preparedness for ALFs on August 27. As you prepare for hurricane season while concentrating on the COVID-19 pandemic, DSS provided a...
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DSS has issued a memo on hurricane preparedness for ALFs. The agency notes that the links may be helpful as ALFs review and update their...
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If you missed the Virginia Long Term Care Hurricane Preparedness in a COVID-19 Environment Webinar on August 12, a recording and slides has been posted...
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During an August 12 webinar, the Virginia Healthcare Emergency Management Program, in cooperation with the VDH Office of Emergency Preparedness and the Virginia Hospital and...
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The Virginia Department of Health Office of Licensure and Certification (VDH OLC) has published a new guidance document to implement the process by which temporary...
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Provider Magazine profiled efforts of long term care providers in preparing for Hurricane Dorian. VHCA-VCALās Amy Hewett described Virginiaās Long Term Care Mutual Aid Plan...
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The decision to evacuate or shelter-in-place when a hurricane approaches is a difficult one. PBS NewsHour and The Conversation report on the life-and-death decision nursing...
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On September 2, Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency in advance of Hurricane Dorianās effects on southeastern Virginia, anticipated to begin Thursday. Leaders...
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With hurricane season in full swing as Dorian approaches the southeast coast of the US, we encourage members to review their emergency preparedness plans and...
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Join us on April 17 for Emergency Preparedness: A Continuous Process to take a fresh look at your emergency preparedness planning. During this day-long education...
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a memo on February 1 to state survey agency directors regarding an update to Appendix Z of the...
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St. Clare Newport, a CCRC in Rhode Island, successfully evacuated all 87 of its residents last week when it lost its heat amid a regional gas...
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Following a deadly shooting at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago earlier this month, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response...
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The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule on September 20, 2018 entitled Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Regulatory Provisions to Promote...
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Department of Social Service (DSS) licensing officials have asked VCAL to remind members of two key compliance issues related to emergency preparedness. Providers have been...
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Department of Social Service (DSS) licensing officials have asked VCAL to remind members of two key compliance issues related to emergency preparedness. Providers have been...
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Although the weather forecast indicates that Hurricane Florence will make landfall in the Carolinas, parts of Virginia may feel its effects from heavy rains, potential...
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September marks the start of the most active month for hurricanes. Be sure your center is ready if it needs to evacuate for a natural...
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If you have not already done so, VHCA-VCAL encourages all member assisted living facilities (ALFs) to respond to a short questionnaire distributed by the Department of Social...
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The Augusta Free Press covered the news that nursing centers have partnered to help one another during disasters under the Long Term Care Mutual Aid...
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CMS will host a national webinar for emergency preparedness (EP) providers on topics and questions related to the new CMS EP Rule, the 1135 waiver,...
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If you have not already done so, VHCA-VCAL encourages all member assisted living facilities (ALFs) to respond to a short questionnaire distributed by the Department...
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VHCA-VCAL encourages all member assisted living facilities (ALFs) to respond to a short (nine questions) questionnaire distributed by the Department of Social Services (DSS) on...
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In advance of the June 1 start of hurricane season, Atlantic Shores Retirement Community residents and staff recently participated as actors/participants in the Atlantic Shores Evacuation...
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Who would you call if your community needed to evacuate? Do you have the contacts and connections you need with your local hospitals or other...
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Who would you call if your community needed to evacuate? Do you have the contacts and connections you need with your local hospitals or other...
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The Spring District meetings will include 1.5 hours of free, NAB-approved continuing education on emergency preparedness. Sign up now to attend one of the April...
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The Virginia Department of Healthās (VDH) website now includes information for providers looking for Healthcare Coalition contact information you may need for your emergency preparedness...
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The Central Virginia Healthcare Coalition has developed job aids to assist providers with implementation of the final rule on emergency preparedness, which took effect in...
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AHCA will host the final webinar in its Emergency Preparedness series for this year on November 21 at 2:00 pm. The webinar will include an...
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As a reminder, nursing centers need to comply with the final rule on emergency preparedness which takes effect on November 16, 2017. We have gathered...
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AHCA/NCAL is offering members new toolkits to help them prepare for the emergency preparedness requirements that take effect on November 16. Check out these customizable...
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Texas Health Care Association President and CEO Kevin Warren wrote a recent op-ed for The Houston Chronicle detailing the difficult decision making process long term...
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On September 1, CMS released a memorandum to State Survey Agency Directors announcing that the Emergency Preparedness Training is now available. All surveyors are required...
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Long term care providers and our entire profession join in expressing our deepest sympathy to the families of the residents who lost their lives recently...
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Long term care providers and our entire profession join in expressing our deepest sympathy to the families of the residents who lost their lives recently...
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With last weekās news that more than 45 nursing facilities and 49 assisted living communities were successfully evacuated in Texas because of Hurricane Harvey and...
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September 2017 marks the annual observance of National Preparedness Month. National Preparedness Month will focus on planning, with an overarching theme "Disasters Donāt Plan Ahead....
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Donāt miss the August 1 CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule: From Assessment to Readiness education program. This seminar is designed to help you meet the required...
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The U.S. government is aware of an international ransomware campaign that may be affecting health care and public health sector assets in addition to other...
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AHCA has prepared a summary of the Emergency Preparedness Guidance CMS issued last week. Providers will need to comply with the final rule by November...
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CMS released its Emergency Preparedness Interpretive Guidance (IG) on June 2. Surveying for compliance with the emergency preparedness requirements will not begin until November 15, 2017. Later...
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Is your facility prepared to meet the new emergency preparedness requirements by the November 15, 2017 compliance date? Register now for the April 27 CMS...
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CMS and AHCA are offering webinars in the coming months on the emergency preparedness regulations that take effect on November 15, 2017. Due to an...
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In response to questions about providersā obligations to conduct training and testing exercises for the emergency preparedness rule that takes effect on November 15, 2017,...
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The theme for the 2017 Public Health and Healthcare Preparedness Academy hosted by the Virginia Department of Health is: "Moving Preparedness Forward." The training session...
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The Mental Health and Aging Training Initiative (MHATI) is offering a free webinar on March 20, 2017 from 1:30 ā 2:45 pm on how to...
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AHCA will host a webinar on Thursday, February 9 from 1:00 ā 2:00 pm on the new emergency preparedness final rule impacting Skilled Nursing Facilities...
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The California Association of Health Facilities and the American Health Care Association have put together the latest information on emergency preparedness regulations and procedures. The...
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The Department of Social Services (DSS) sent a notice to assisted living facilities (ALFs) encouraging preparation for possible severe weather from Hurricane Matthew, including guidance...
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AHCA is currently reviewing a new final rule on Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers published on September 16, 2016.Ā ...
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On June 16 in Fairfax, Russell Phillips & Associates will review recent disasters and best practices to improve your center's ability to prepare for, respond...
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A recording of this weekās webinar on the Long Term Care Mutual Aid Plan (LTC-MAP) detailing the project and site visits is available online. To...
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Join us for a webinar on April 26 at 2:00 pm to learn more about the Long Term Care Mutual Aid Plan (LTC-MAP) site visit...
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Join us for a webinar on April 26 at 2:00 pm to learn more about the Long Term Care Mutual Aid Plan (LTC-MAP) site visit...
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Virginia Commissioner of Health Dr. Marissa Levine, along with VHCA-VCAL President and CEO Keith Hare and LeadingAge Virginia Interim President and CEO Bob Gerndt, have...
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The Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) has asked us to pass along the following information to members. Due to the upcoming potential for inclement...
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The American Health Care Association (AHCA) is offering up its predictions for 2016 regulatory actions affecting nursing and assisted living providers. AHCA expects 2016 will...
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