EVS Infection Prevention & Control Workshops

 

To: Healthcare Professionals From: CDPHE’s HAI Project Firstline Team Project Firstline provides infection control training for frontline healthcare workers on how to recognize and stop infection risks. CDPHE’s Project Firstline team has developed training specific to the role of our EVS professionals.   EVS-specific infection prevention and control training will be covered over the course of three sessions. Topics include the concept of infection control, environmental cleaning and disinfection, linen and laundry, and medical waste.   To accommodate various schedules, we have created four “tracks” that include three separate sessions to cover the curriculum in half hour sessions. Dates for each session are listed for each track below. Register in advance.   Track 1: July 16, July 23, and July 30 at 8:00 am Track 2: July 17, July 24, and July 31 at 10:00 am   Track 3: July 18, July 25, and August 1 at 2:00 pm  *Spanish* Track: August 13, August 20, and August 27 at 8:00 am     If you have questions, email cdphe_project_firstline@state.co.us. .

COVID-19 testing for home and community-based service providers

To: Home Health Agency Providers, Adult Day Service Providers, and Day Habilitation Service Providers. The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (CHCPF) and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) consider those providing Home and Community Based Services as critical in helping to mitigate the spread of the disease among these vulnerable populations. For this reason, we highly recommend that your employees who provide direct care to older adults or individuals with disabilities receive COVID-19 testing on a routine basis. To assist in meeting this recommendation, we have prioritized free testing through the State of Colorado for all home care and day program direct care providers. Best practices for repeated surveillance testing advise that asymptomatic individuals be tested weekly, on the same day each week. Please inform your workers that they are invited to participate in weekly testing at the following locations. No referral or insurance is required. We ask that you register in advance with our testing partner at https://www.primarybio.com/l/cdphe for testing at the following locations: Colorado Mesa University (Drive-Through Testing) 1280 Cannell Ave, Grand Junction, Colorado 81501 All City Stadium 1495 South Race Street, Denver, CO North High School 3125 Eliot Street, Denver, CO 80211 Cherry Creek High School 4700 South Yosemite Street, Greenwood Village, CO Instructional Support Facility (ISF) 5416 South Riviera Way, Aurora, CO 80015 Mountain Range High School 12500 Huron Street, Westminster, CO 80234 St. Vrain Valley Schools Innovation Center 33 Quail Road, Longmont, CO 80504 APS Professional Learning Conference Center 15771 E 1st Ave, Aurora, CO 80011 Additionally, the following community based testing sites are available: Water World 8801 N. Pecos St., Federal Heights at the Water World parking lot adjacent to W. 90th Ave. Aurora Center for Active Adults parking lot, 30 Del Mar Circle, Aurora Centennial Center Park 13050 E. Peakview Ave. (East of Arapahoe Rd & Peoria) Citadel Mall in the parking lot just south of JCPenney 750 Citadel Dr. E, Colorado Springs Again, no referral or insurance is required. Additionally, individuals do not need to identify as home and community based services workers. We appreciate your ongoing support to keep both your staff and the individuals you serve safe from the COVID-19 pandemic and encourage you to take advantage of these resources. View the full letter from Randy Kuykendall and Bonnie Silva here.

 

Adult Day and Day Habilitation Meeting Opportunities

 

Hello Medicaid HCBS Day Program Provider,  The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) seeks to engage providers, waiver members, family members, advocates, and Case Managers through a series of stakeholder meetings to work towards implementing and operating flexible day program services in HCBS waivers. HCPF plans to continue collaborating with stakeholders on this topic. Day program engagement opportunities are being divided into two groups, Adult Day Services (ADS) stakeholders and Day Habilitation stakeholders. Each group will have two opportunities to provide comments, suggestions and ask questions, as well as review potential waiver application and regulation changes. Stakeholders interested in this topic are encouraged to hold the dates for the following engagement opportunities: Engagement Opportunities for Adult Day Service (ADS) Stakeholders Date and Time: Thursday, September 24, 2020 at 9:00 a.m.– 11:00 a.m. & Thursday, October 8, 2020 at 9:00 a.m.– 11:00 a.m. To access these ADS Stakeholder Meetings, please use the following link: https://cohcpf.adobeconnect.com/ads/ Engagement Opportunities for Day Habilitation Stakeholders Date and Time: Thursday, September 10, 2020 at 9:00 a.m.– 11:00 a.m. & Thursday, October 1, 2020 at 9:00 a.m.– 11:00 a.m. To access the Day Habilitation Stakeholder Meetings, please use the following link: https://cohcpf.adobeconnect.com/idd/ Here is a link to the Informational Memo announcing these upcoming meetings: IM 20-039 Questions can be sent to: hcpf_hcbs_questions@state.co.us

Public Health Order 20-20

To: License Facilities/Community Providers not subject to Public Health Order 20-20 From: Randy Kuykendall, Health Facilities and EMS Division Director The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is working with you to stop the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The attached Public Health Order is in effect for all skilled nursing facilities, assisted living residences and intermediate care facilities. Facility access restrictions and mandatory entry exclusions are identified. Please review the Public Health Order and consider using this information when limiting access, restricting visitors or screening individuals coming to your facilities, as you work with us stop the spread of COVID-19. NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER 20-20 RESTRICTING VISITORS AT ALL COLORADO SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES, ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENCES AND INTERMEDIATE CARE FACILITIES For more information contact: Margaret Mohan at 303-692-6486 or Margaret.mohan@state.co.us

Sugerman Excellence in Caregiving Award

To: Assisted Living, Memory Care, SNF, and Adult Day Program Providers From: Greg Schlosser, HFEQ Branch Chief The Alzheimer's Association Colorado Chapter recognizes professional direct care providers for the exemplary work they do in caring for people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementia through the Sugerman Excellence in Caregiving Award. Please share the attached information with your clients and residents' families so that they may nominate their favorite caregiver for this prestigious award. Caregiving Award Letter for Organizations Excellence in Caregiving Nomination Form Caregiving Award Letter to Families 2020

Updated Interim Infection Control Recommendations for 2019 Novel Coronavirus in Healthcare Facilities

To: Please deliver this message to the individual responsible for infection prevention activities at your facility. Please share this message widely with your facility staff.

From: CDPHE Disease Control

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have updated the interim guidelines for caring for a patient or a patient under investigation for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus.You can find the guidance at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t68afI-J7Fv9SrSccsACKULHMrLv-UeW/view?usp=sharing

This is a rapidly evolving response, please share this message widely with facility staff members. The guidance has been updated to include ALL health care facility environments. To stay updated on the current situation please continue to monitor the following website resources.

CDC Coronavirus page: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html

CDPHE Coronavirus page: https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/2019-novel-coronavirus

The included guidance document will be posted to the CDPHE Coronavirus webpage that you can access as a future resource. If you have general questions about 2019-nCoV, please call CO-Help at 303-389-1687 or 1-877-462-2911, or email COHELP@RMPDC.org, for answers in English and Spanish.

Emergency Rule – HB 19-1174

A message for all licensed facilities from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Health Facilities and Emergency Medical Services Division:

House Bill 19-1174, Concerning Out-of-Network Health Care Services Provided to Covered Persons, was passed by the legislature to help protect patients from out-of-network balance billing. To accomplish this, the bill directed the Division of Insurance, Department of Public Health and Environment, and the Executive Director of the Division of Professions and Occupations to coordinate rules regarding how insurance, facilities and agencies, and healthcare service providers will disclose to covered persons information on their rights.

On December 18, 2019, an emergency set of rules were adopted by the Board of Health under 6 CCR 1011-1, Chapter 2 - General Licensure Standards, which are applicable to all licensed facilities effective January 1, 2020.

In preparation for a final rulemaking hearing before the Board of Health in February, 2020, the department will host a stakeholder meeting on January 24, 2020 to discuss the out-of-network rules contained in Chapter 2, General Licensure Standards, part 7.1.3 and Appendix A.

For information on the meeting:

HB 19-1174 Out of Network Health Care Services Stakeholder Meeting

9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South, Room C1A
Denver, CO 80246

or -

Join via Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/5914062529

Meeting ID: 591 406 2529
Dial by your location

+1 669 900 6833 US
For more information on the adopted emergency rules and disclosure notice please click on the link below and refer specifically to part 7.1.3 and Appendix A:

https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/GenerateRulePdf.do?ruleVersionId=8446&fileName=6%20CCR%201011-1%20Chapter%2002

Please send any comments or questions to Grace Sandeno at grace.sandeno@state.co.us.

Behavioral Health Entity Implementation and Advisory Committee

To: all Health Facilities

From: HFEMSD

Meetings are open to the public.

When: January 9 at 1 pm

Where: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
4300 Cherry Creek Dr. South
Denver, CO 80246
Conference room C1E
(visitors, please check in at the front desk in building A, doors near the flag pole)

Audio line: 669-900-6833, conference code: 706 298 107
Webinar: Zoom meeting (https://zoom.us/j/706298107)

Meeting documents, schedules and archived agendas are available on the department website :
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/behavioral-health-entity-implementation-and-advisory-committee

To sign up to receive email communications regarding BHE-IAC go to:
https://forms.gle/SK5bzRVhtDcQCdXE6

For further info:

Email crystal.cortes@state.co.us

New Webinar Recording on Evacuating Persons with Dementia From Health Care Communities

To: Administrators and Directors

From: Greg Schlosser, Branch Chief, Health Facility Education and Quality Branch

The Health Facility Education and Quality Branch has just posted a recorded webinar on “Considerations for Evacuating Persons with Dementia from Health Care Communities.” It reviews actions providers can take before, during, and after an evacuation to prepare and protect their clients, patients and residents’ health and safety. This information may also be relevant to persons with other cognitive impairments.

To view the recorded webinar, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhdHxoX_2DA&feature=youtu.be

If you have questions, please contact Melanie Roth at Melanie.Roth-Lawson@state.co.us or 303-692-2819.

Emergency Rule – HB 19-1174

All Licensed Facilities

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Health Facilities and Emergency Medical Services Division

House Bill 19-1174, Concerning Out-of-Network Health Care Services Provided to Covered Persons, was passed by the legislature to help protect patients from surprise billing. To accomplish this, the bill directs the Division of Insurance, Department of Public Health and Environment, and the Executive Director of the Division of Professions and Occupations to coordinate rules regarding how insurance, facilities and agencies, and heath care service providers will disclose to covered persons their rights. These disclosures will need to be provided starting January 1, 2020.

Due to the statutory deadline that facilities and agencies subject to Department licensure begin providing disclosures by January 1, 2020, the Department is requesting an emergency rule making so that the proposed regulatory language and disclosure may be effective by January 1, 2020. The Department is proposing the legislatively required regulations be placed in 6 CCR 1011-1, Chapter 2 - General Licensure Standards, as the requirements will apply to all facility types that do or could have in-network and out-of-network services.

The emergency rule making hearing will be held before the Board of Health on December 18, 2019 following opening comments at 1:45 p.m. This particular Board of Health meeting will be held away from the department campus at the following location:

Developmental Pathways
14280 E. Jewell Avenue
Aurora, CO 80012

Following the adoption of these emergency rules, additional stakeholder comments will be sought during a meeting scheduled for January 24, 2020 at CDPHE in preparation for a final rule making hearing before the Board of Health in February, 2020. More information concerning this planned stakeholder meeting will be sent out in the near future.

For more information on the proposed rules and disclosure notice, along with information on the Board of Health hearing, please visit the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Board of Health web page at the following link:

https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/board-health-meetings


Any comments or questions can be sent to Grace Sandeno at grace.sandeno@state.co.us.

Behavioral Health Entity Implementation and Advisory Committee

To: all Health Facilities

From: HFEMSD

Meetings are open to the public.

When: December 12 at 1:30 pm

Where: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
4300 Cherry Creek Dr. South
Denver, CO 80246
Conference room C1C/C1D
(visitors, please check in at the front desk in building A, doors near the flag pole)

Audio line: 669-900-6833, conference code: 706 298 107
Webinar: Zoom meeting (https://zoom.us/j/706298107)


To view the BHE-IAC meeting agenda go to:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jeNcWU2etRCvpsOGuVdGVt_X4Wv91Nb2/view?usp=sharing

Meeting documents, schedules and archived agendas are available on the department website :
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/behavioral-health-entity-implementation-and-advisory-committee

To sign up to receive email communications regarding Chapter 2 go to:
https://forms.gle/SK5bzRVhtDcQCdXE6

For further info:

Email crystal.cortes@state.co.us

Tuberculosis for Health Care Workers

Medical Directors, Directors of Nursing and Local Public Health Agencies

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

SPACE STILL AVAILABLE!!!

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is offering a full day training on Tuberculosis (TB). This free training will enable you and your team to feel comfortable diagnosing both TB infection and TB disease via interactive education and skill building activities on the following topics:

- Introduction to TB
- Diagnosis and Treatment for TB infection
- Diagnosis for TB disease
- Cultural considerations for engaging with individuals born outside of the U.S.

We invite nurses and other interested personnel who provide health services to patients at risk for tuberculosis in Colorado to attend the TB for Health Care Workers training on February 18th from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm at the Daniels Fund offices, 101 Monroe St., Denver, Colorado 80206.

Note: This course serves as a prerequisite for the train-the-trainer tuberculin skin test (TST) course, which will be release later in the spring. TB for Health Care Workers trainings are only provided annually or bi-annually in each region.

For more details and registration, go to: www.train.org/colorado/homeand search for course #1071602

Registration cost is FREE
Space is very limited so please register early.

For more information please contact Tavia Mirassou-Wolf at 303-692-2638 or tavia.mirassou-wolf@state.co.us with any questions.

Denver TB Training Flier

Colorado Health Facilities Interactive (COHFI) Webinars and Launch Timing

Thank you so much for your participation in our recent series of webinars introducing and training you on the new Colorado Health Facilities Interactive (COHFI) system. Each of the four session is linked below for you to view if you were not able to participate or you want to view them again. These videos will be linked in the system user manual which will be accessible in the COHFI system on launch.

Oct 1: Administration Recording
Oct 8: Occurrence Reporting Recording
Oct 22: Survey Tracking (POC) Recording
Nov 5: Licensing Recording

In our last webinar we talked about how we our moving our expected launch date as several bugs have been discovered. While we don't have a new launch window yet, we do know that we will not be going live during the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Years.

Behavioral Health Entity Implementation and Advisory Committee

To: all Health Facilities

From: HFEMSD

Meetings are open to the public.

When: November 14 from 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Where: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
4300 Cherry Creek Dr. South
Denver, CO 80246
Conference room C1C/C1D
(visitors, please check in at the front desk in building A, doors near the flag pole)

Audio line: 669-900-6833, conference code: 706 298 107
Webinar: Zoom meeting (https://zoom.us/j/706298107)

To view the BHE-IAC meeting agenda go to:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1g8GWaSWNuimrtYRnDfQD3I24l9RhLR7k/view?usp=sharing

Meeting documents, schedules and archived agendas are available on the department website :
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/behavioral-health-entity-implementation-and-advisory-committee

To sign up to receive email communications regarding Chapter 2 go to:
https://forms.gle/SK5bzRVhtDcQCdXE6

For further info:

Email crystal.cortes@state.co.us

*Rescheduled* Colorado Health Facilities Interactive (COHFI) Licensing Preview and Training

We are rescheduling today's licensing preview and training due to the weather and other extenuating circumstances. It is being delayed 1 week to November 5th.

Our fourth and final webinar session will introduce you to the Licensing functions, as well as train you how to:
- Submit an application for an initial, renewal, or change of license
- Pay for your license
- Upload your documents

Time: Nov 5th, 2019, 2:00 - 3:00 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/162515656

Call-in Number
1 408 638 0968 US

Meeting ID: 162 515 656

If you are unable to attend the webinar, all sessions will be recorded and posted in the user manual.

Scheduled Sessions:

Oct 1: Administration Recording
Oct 8: Occurrence Reporting Recording
Oct 22: Survey Tracking (POC) Recording
Nov 5: Licensing

Colorado Health Facilities Interactive (COHFI) Licensing Preview and Training

You are invited to participate in our upcoming Webinar introducing you to the new Colorado Health Facilities Interactive (COHFI) system. This system will be replacing the Health Facilities Portal that you currently use to submit license applications, occurrence reports, and plans of correction for the surveys you receive.

Our fourth and final webinar session will introduce you to the Licensing functions, as well as train you how to:
- Submit an application for an initial, renewal, or change of license
- Pay for your license
- Upload your documents

Time: Oct 22, 2019, 2:00 - 3:00 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/162515656

Call-in Number
1 408 638 0968 US

Meeting ID: 162 515 656

If you are unable to attend the webinar, all sessions will be recorded and posted in the user manual.

Scheduled Sessions:

Oct 1: Administration Recording
Oct 8: Occurrence Reporting Recording
Oct 22: Survey Tracking (POC) Recording
Oct 29: Licensing

Colorado Health Facilities Interactive (COHFI) Licensing and Survey Tracking Preview Delayed

In order to provide our system developers an opportunity to resolve some identified bugs we are delaying our demonstration by 1 week to Oct 22, 2019.

You are invited to participate in our upcoming Webinar introducing you to the new Colorado Health Facilities Interactive (COHFI) system. This system will be replacing the Health Facilities Portal that you currently use to submit license applications, occurrence reports, and plans of correction for the surveys you receive.

Our third webinar session will introduce you to the Survey Tracking functions, as well as train you how to:
- Submit a plan of Correction
- Submit plans to correct a deficiency
- Submit desk revisit documentation
- Request an IDR

Time: Oct 22, 2019, 2:00 - 3:00 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/162515656

Call-in Number
1 408 638 0968 US

Meeting ID: 162 515 656

If you are unable to attend the webinar, all sessions will be recorded and posted in the user manual.

Scheduled Sessions:

Oct 1: Administration (Recording)
Oct 8: Occurrence Reporting (Recording)
Oct 22: Survey Tracking (POC)
Oct 29: Licensing

Tuberculosis for Health Care Workers

To: Health care personnel who provide services for those with or at risk for tuberculosis infection and disease

From: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

SPACE STILL AVAILABLE!!!

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is partnering with the Rio Grande Public Health to host a 2-day training on Tuberculosis (TB). This free training will enable you and your team to feel comfortable managing TB by providing information and skill building activities on the following topics:

- Introduction to TB
- Diagnosis and treatment for TB infection and disease
- TB case management
- TB contact investigation
- Interviewing skills

We invite nurses and other interested personnel who provide health services to patients with or at risk for tuberculosis in Colorado to attend the TB for Health Care Workers training on October 9th from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm and October 10th from 8:30am - 12:30 pm at the Alamosa Public Health Department. Address: 8900 Independence Way A-B, Alamosa, CO 81101. Please note, day one is applicable for all health care providers while day two is geared towards public health professionals.

For more details and registration, go to: www.train.org/colorado/home and search for course #1080090. Lunch will be provided, please keep your registration up to date.

Registration cost is FREE
Space is very limited so please register early.

For more information please contact Tavia Mirassou-Wolf at 303-692-2638 or Tavia.mirassou-wolf@state.co.us with any questions.

For additional training opportunities, please visit the calendar on our website: https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/tb

Training Flyer

Hepatitis A Resource for Health Care Providers

To: Administrators

From: Greg Schlosser, Branch Chief, Health Facility Education and Quality

As many of you are aware, the State of Colorado is currently experiencing an outbreak of Hepatitis A affecting people experiencing homelessness, people with substance issues, and people who are incarcerated in city and county jails.

In an effort to support the public health response to this outbreak, several organizations have come together to develop a poster targeted at providers, and focuses on identifying, reporting and preventing Hepatitis A. View and download the poster at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10b8OJp6P3xIM2n3QHj9ORbBdBVwpYx5O/view?usp=sharing .

Additionally, if you are interested in outbreak data, you can access the Colorado Hepatitis A Outbreak Report at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSrN6YvR6zibn7hg7g78DpjhpQYEZR3H7H34_Pl1As8Uo237X82NmRRxdpscSyNuJ6gWIKyFBWt7pG3/pub?urp=gmail_link

If you have any questions, please reach out to your local public health agency. Public health agency phone numbers are:

Boulder: 303-413-7523
Broomfield: 720-887-2220
Clear Creek: 303-670-7545
Denver: 303-602-3614
Gilpin and Jefferson Counties: 303-232-6301 

Colorado Health Facilities Interactive (COHFI) Occurrences Preview & Training Webinar

You are invited to participate in our upcoming Webinar introducing you to the new Colorado Health Facilities Interactive (COHFI) system. This system will be replacing the Health Facilities Portal that you currently use to submit license applications, occurrence reports, and plans of correction for the surveys you receive.

Our second webinar session will introduce you to the Occurrence functions, as well as train how to:
- Submit an initial report
- Submit a final report

Time: Oct 8, 2019, 2:00 - 3:00 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/162515656

Call-in Number
1 408 638 0968 US

Meeting ID: 162 515 656

If you are unable to attend the webinar, all sessions will be recorded and posted in the user manual.

Scheduled Sessions:

Oct 1: Administration (Recording)
Oct 8: Occurrence Reporting
Oct 15: Licensing
Oct 22: Plan of Correction