In response to increasing cases of COVID-19 in Virginia's long-term care facilities, Governor Northam established the Virginia COVID-19 Long-Term Care Task Force on April 10 to:
- Ensure long-term care facilities have the resources they need to combat the virus;
- Strengthen staffing, testing and infection control measures at long-term care facilities; and
- Keep stakeholders informed about the impact of COVID-19 on long-term care facilities.
Issue areas being reviewed by the Task Force include facility staffing and financing, infection control, personal protective equipment and supplies, COVID-19 testing, communications, and discharge planning.
Membership of the task force is broad based, including:
- State agency representatives
- Long term care facility representatives
- Medicaid managed care organizations
- The Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association
- Family members of long-term care facility residents and their advocates
Contact Information
If you have any additional input or suggestions pertaining to the task force, please contact Brenden Rivenbark at brenden.rivenbark@vdh.virginia.gov
Training Resources
COVID-19 Vaccine Overview/Update for Healthcare Workers (password:tVNhARi6) - Recorded December 9, 2020
Virginia COVID-19 Vaccine Update - Recorded November 2, 2020
Virginia Healthcare COVID-19 Vaccination Webinar - Recorded October 22, 2020
- Lunch and Learn: COVID-19 Resources for Assisted Living Facilities; Slides (12/22/2020)
- Lunch and Learn: COVID-19 Resources for Nursing Homes (12/2/2020)
- CDC: Mini Webinar Series – COVID-19 Prevention Training for Long-Term Care Staff
- CDC: COVID-19 Training for Healthcare Professionals
- VDH: COVID-19 Testing Training
- VDH: N95 Respiratory Fit Testing Train-the-Trainer Course
- Project ECHO COVID-19 Response
- Quality Improvement Organizations: Nursing Home Trainings
Guidance for Long-Term Care Facilities
- VDH Interim COVID-19 Antigen Testing Recommendations(10/28/20)
- VDH Portal for Reporting Point-of-Care COVID-19 Lab Results (9/16/20)
- Instructions: This portal will assist testing sites in meeting the requirement of the CARES Act to report every diagnostic and screening test performed to detect SARS-CoV-2 or to diagnose a possible case of COVID-19. This portal allows the rapid entry of person-level test results for positive and negative point-of-care results, and provides the ability to enter aggregate negative results as necessary for high-volume testing sites. All COVID-19 test results should be reported to VDH within 24 hours. Testing sites that are not conducting POC tests, should report results per standard protocols.
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Nursing Homes - Reporting POC results into VDH Portal versus NHSN (12/7/2020)
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HHS updated its reporting guidance on October 19, 2020 to indicate that CMS-certified nursing homes are required to use NHSN to report SARS-CoV-2 POC test data. CMS-certified nursing homes should continue to use the VDH Portal to report COVID-19 POC test results to VDH until more information from CMS regarding compliance is released. In order to not duplicate reporting efforts, facilities in Virginia should only report POC test results to the VDH portal at this time. While waiting for additional federal guidance, these facilities should be upgrading their SAMS access to Level 3. All other facility types, including assisted living facilities and licensed but not CMS-certified nursing homes, should continue to use the VDH Portal and report COVID-19 POC test results (positive and negative) within 24 hours.
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- Nursing Home Notification Form to Health Department Regarding Inability to Perform Routine Staff Testing (9/16/20)
- Instructions: Nursing homes can use this form to notify the local health department that your facility is unable to perform routine staff testing according to CMS requirements (i.e., access to point-of-care testing or a private/commercial lab with a turnaround time < 48 hours).
- CMS Nursing Home Testing Requirements(8/26/20)
- VDH Guidance for Public Health Prioritization of COVID-19 Point Prevalence Surveys (8/19/20)
- CDC Considerations for Interpreting Antigen Test Results in Nursing Homes (8/28/20)
- CDC – Testing for Coronavirus in Nursing Homes
- (New) Closing a Healthcare Facility to New Admissions or Readmissions during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Interim Guidance (1/11/21)
- Considerations for PPE and Cohorting during COVID-19 Response in LTC (12/21/2020)
- Infection Prevention & Control FAQs for Nursing Homes (12/17/20)
- VDH Interim Recommendations for Duration of Quarantine for Healthcare Personnel (12/15/20)
- Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Influenza and COVID-19 in LTCFs (12/7/20)
- Holiday Considerations for Long-Term Care Facility Residents and their Families (11/11/20)
- For more information on registering a facility for COVID-19 vaccine pharmacy partnerships, visit the VDH COVID-19 Vaccination Response Website
- Management of Hemodialysis Patients Residing in Long Term Care Facilities (10/1/20)
- Recommendations for Hospitalized Patients Being Discharged to a Long-Term Care Facility During the COVID-19 Pandemic (8/25/20)
- Department of Medical Assistance Services CARES Act Enrollment and Reimbursement
- (Under Revision) Virginia COVID-19 Long-Term Care Facility Task Force Playbook (7/10/20)
- VDH Facility Employee Daily Screening Form
- VDH Optimization Strategies for PPE
- VDH Role of Public Health and LTCFs in Preparedness and Response Efforts (6/15/20)
- VDH Guidelines for Cleaning and Disinfection
- VDH Line List for COVID-19 Outbreaks
- OSHA COVID-19 Guidance for Nursing Home and Long Term Care Facility Workers
- Infection Prevention & Control FAQs for Nursing Homes (12/17/20)
- CMS Holiday Recommendations (11/18/20)
- VDH COVID-19 Guidance for Nursing Homes (10/22/20)
- CMS Visitation Guidance for Nursing Homes (9/18/20)
*All references to phase reopening in nursing homes have been retired
- COVID-19 Response Toolkit for ALFs (12/21/2020)
- Recommendations for Reopening Assisted Living Facilities
- COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions Assisted Living Facilities
- COVID-19 Virginia Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Weekly Use Survey for Assisted Living Facilities
- Communal Activities Tips and Best Practices
- Transportation Tips and Best Practices
- COVID-19 Mitigation Plan for Assisted Living Facilities
- Barber and Cosmetology Tips and Best Practices
- Communal Dining Tips and Best Practices
- Visitors Tips and Best Practices
Primary Resources
- (NEW) Considerations for Nursing Home Residents with Acute Respiratory Illness Symptoms when Seasonal Flu and COVID-19 are circulating
- Mini Webinar Series - COVID-19 Prevention Training for LTC Staff (6/25/2020)
- Preparing for COVID-19: Long-Term Care Facilities and Nursing Homes
- Responding to Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Nursing Homes
- CDC Considerations for Preventing Spread of COVID-19 in Assisted Living Facilities
- (NEW) CMS Holiday Recommendations (11/18/20)
- CMS Visitation Guidance For Nursing Homes (9/18/20)
- CMS Nursing Home Testing Requirements (8/26/2020)
- CMS FAQ on Nursing Home Visitation (6/23/2020)
- CMS Nursing Home Reopening Recommendations (5/18/2020)
- CMS Nursing Home Reopening Recommendations FAQ (5/18/2020)
- CMS Guidance for COVID-19 in Long-Term Care Facilities (4/2/2020)
- CMS Nursing Home Five Star Quality Rating System Updates, Nursing Home Staff Counts, and FAQs(4/27/2020)
- CMS Program Guidance and Information About COVID-19
For Families
The Task Force understands the critical impact social interactions and mental well-being have on all Virginians, especially those residing in long-term care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Virginia's Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program can assist in resolving concerns about the quality of life or care services provided in long-term care settings.
On September 18, 2020, CMS released CMS Visitation Guidance for Nursing Home
Holiday Considerations for Long-Term Care Facility Residents and their Families
Limited visitation in an assisted living community is based on the facility's specific circumstances and available resources. Please refer to the Tips and Best Practices for Reopening to Visitors in Assisted Living Facilities provided by the Virginia Department of Social Services for additional guidance and considerations.
Below are some resources available to assist with coping with the stress of social isolation and social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- VDH: Coping with Stress
- VA DBHDS: Coping with COVID-19: General Resources for Mental Health and Well-Being
- CDC: Coping with Stress
- CDC: Stress and Coping
- AARP: How to Fight the Social Isolation of Coronavirus
Template Letters to Residents and Families – from VHCA and LeadingAge
VHCA - Confirmed Case in LTCF
LeadingAge – Positive Diagnosis
LeadingAge – Positive Diagnosis in Staff
LeadingAge – COVID-19 Death