STATE UPDATE

TA’s Can STILL Work to June 15th
In a recent change of stance, KDADS confirmed that Temporary Aides can still work until 11:59 PM on June 15th. You may recall that they gave May 28th as a final date, however with the extension of the emergency order, TA’s have been extended. Now is a great time to get the TA’s enrolled in a full CNA course so they can continue to work for your organization.

Free Telehealth Equipment Available for SE and SW Kansas Nursing Homes
The Healthcare Coalition Partners of Kansas have been working with KDHE over the last year on ideas to improve transitions between acute and post-acute settings. The HCC Partners now have funding from KDHE to provide 35-40 nursing homes with equipment to integrate with their local telemedicine system. Equipment includes a Surface Pro laptop, fingertip pulse oximeter and digital stethoscope.

Applications are due June 15th.

Read the full memo for details on program requirements.

FEDERAL NEWS

Vaccination Certificates
A vaccination certificate is created in VAMS after a healthcare professional logs a COVID-19 vaccine dose for a recipient in VAMS. The certificate will include information about the date(s) of vaccine administration and second-dose due date (if applicable), vaccine manufacturer, lot number, and clinic name. After the recipient receives the required number of vaccine dose(s) to complete the vaccination schedule, the certificate can serve as a recipient’s vaccination record documented in VAMS. Recipients can access their vaccination certificate in the Recipient Portal at any time. CDC added the following information pages in regard to VAMS: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) in VAMS, VAMS Inventory Management, VAMS Clinic Schedule Setup, Flexible Registration, Email Notifications from VAMS, Standard Workflow to Document Vaccinations, Clinic Types in VAMS, VAMS Clinic Schedule Setup, Clinic Data Reports Clinic Administrator, Clinic Appointment Reservation Tiers, Third-Party Clinic Operations in VAMS, User Access Troubleshooting Tips, and Access Jurisdiction Data Reporting Dashboards.

EEOC Guidance Says Employers May Offer Incentives for Vaccination
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) updated its COVID-19 guidance today regarding employers and COVID-19 vaccines. Employers may offer incentives to employees who provide documentation of receiving the COVID vaccine outside of work because requesting proof of vaccination is not “a disability-related inquiry” or an “unlawful request” under federal anti-discrimination laws. The revised guidance also says that employers are required to keep their staff’s vaccination information confidential because it is medical information about the employee. The EEOC also posted today a new resource for job applicants.  The Administration on Community Living published this summary of the new EEOC guidance. Key points are:

  • The guidance makes clear that federal EEO laws do not prevent an employer from requiring all employees entering the workplace be vaccinated, as long as other laws not under EEOC jurisdiction are not violated.
  • Federal law permits incentives to be offered.
  • Employers must not offer coercive incentives.
  • Employers may provide employees and their families information to educate them about COVID-19 vaccines.

LEADINGAGE KANSAS UPDATE


What’s New With COVID? Find Out on Our Weekly Webinar
David McDonnell, OSHA Compliance Assistance Specialist, will join us on June 11th to present on the COVID National Emphasis Program (NEP). Come prepared with your questions.

Do you have ideas on what we should cover in future updates? Let us know.

Make plans to join us each Friday at 10 AM. Register here.

Only Ten Spaces Remain for the COVID-19 Safety for CNAs Training
Don’t miss this unique, effective and free training opportunity. The final COVID-19 Safety for CNAs training series kicks off on June 16th. There are currently ten spaces remaining. Contact us today to get them reserved for your team.

This OSHA grant-funded training will provide CNAs tools and opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills needed to safety work during the pandemic and advocate for safety in the organization. Hands-on learning, facilitated discussions, and opportunities to practice learning will ensure they are actively engaged in the learning and ready to apply it in your organization.  

To register, contact Stephanie at stephanie@leadingagekansas.org

Don’t delay; these spaces will not last long!  

P.S. No cost resident care CE credits are available if you attend with your CNAs. 

This material was produced under grant number SH-99033-SH0 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

LEADINGAGE NATIONAL UPDATE

New Insights and Tools From LeadingAge
LeadingAge staff experts are developing essential advocacy, guidance and tools, and curating the most relevant resources for aging services providers, including: 

THANKS TO OUR BRONZE PARTNER

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