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Maine DLC Releases Revised Guidance Documents

Last week the Maine Division of Licensing and Certification (“DLC”) distributed revised guidance for facilities regarding a progression of options and things to consider as part of each facility's emergency staffing plans. As this pandemic continues and the availability of staffing resources and assistance becomes more challenging, we are revising the December 8, 2020 staffing guidance. This Revised Crisis Staffing Guidance (“Guidance”) clarifies the expectations and process for the extreme option of allowing COVID-19 positive units to be staffed by COVID-19 positive, asymptomatic, staff. DLC has noted that they are again urging facilities to implement mutual aid mechanisms to address these extreme staff shortages.
 
 Additionally DLC released a memorandum to clarify: the applicability of the surveillance and outbreak testing requirements in the revised QSO-20-38-NH, updated by CMS on September 10, 2021; its applicability to visitation; facility admissions expectations. This included notification that the Department will no longer be reimbursing facilities for surveillance testing of unvaccinated staff once the staff vaccination requirement is being enforced.

We urge our members to closely review these two documents. MHCA will be working on a simplified summation in the days to follow. 

Staff Contact: dwatford@mehca.org
 

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