The Biden-Harris Administration announced efforts to ensure that the nation’s hardest-hit populations are receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Starting the week of Feb. 15, federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) will begin directly receiving vaccine supply. This program is part of a broader effort to ensure all communities are being reached in the national push to get people vaccinated. Community vaccination centers in underserved areas, the retail pharmacy program, mobile clinics, and efforts to increase vaccine confidence are also key tools to help states and communities vaccinate their most vulnerable populations. According to the administration, the program to directly distribute vaccine to FQHCs will be slowly phased in, with limited supply. Initially, only 25 health centers across the country will receive direct distribution of vaccine, and none of these health centers is in Pennsylvania. The following several weeks, vaccine will be sent directly to 250 of the nation’s 1,400 FQHCs. The Administration will increase overall, weekly vaccine supply to states, Tribes, and territories to 11 million doses nationwide, a 28 percent increase since taking office on Jan. 20.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health launched a new tool called Your Turn to help Pennsylvanians understand where they fall in the vaccine prioritization effort and to be alerted when it is their turn to schedule an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine. If an individual does not have internet access or is unable to use the Your Turn tool, they can call 877-PA-HEALTH and speak with a representative to determine eligibility. If an individual is eligible, the representative will help the individual locate nearby vaccine providers and provide contact information so the individual can make a vaccine appointment directly with a provider. Your Turn will be used for the sole purpose of determining eligibility for receiving a COVID-19 vaccination in Pennsylvania and will replace the current eligibility quiz on pa.gov. Click here to learn more.

The Wolf Administration provided an update on Pennsylvania’s progress administering COVID-19 vaccines to residents and staff of long-term and congregate care facilities eligible in Phase 1A. To date, more than 193,000 residents and staff of nursing facilities, personal care homes, and assisted living facilities have received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose through the federal Pharmacy Partnership Program. Additionally, nearly 10,000 residents and staff of other long-term and congregate care facilities licensed by the Department of Human Services (DHS) have received their first vaccine dose through the partnership with Pennsylvania-based Rite Aid, and this partnership is being expanded to include residential drug and alcohol treatment providers licensed by the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) who identified as needing a vaccine provider.

Vaccinating residents and staff of long-term and congregate care facilities – people who are often most at-risk of a severe case of COVID-19 if exposed – protects our most vulnerable residents who are not leaving their facilities and homes themselves but are most affected by rates of COVID-19 in our broader community,” said DHS Secretary Teresa Miller. “This progress is a much-needed reprieve for long-term care facilities that have been particularly challenged by COVID-19 and community transmission, and it’s a line of defense for our health care system as a whole.”

Pennsylvanians living in these facilities eligible for the federal program are receiving vaccines from CVS Pharmacy and Walgreens. As of February 19 all skilled nursing facilities have had their first round of COVID-19 vaccine doses, CVS has completed 100 percent of the second dose clinics and Walgreens is working to vaccinate the remaining second dose clinics before all nursing facilities are complete. More than 70 percent of personal care homes and assisted living facilities covered through the partnership have received their first round of vaccine doses, and CVS and Walgreens expect to finish first rounds before the end of the month. To date, the partnership has administered:

Through the work of the Federal Pharmacy Partnership’s (FPP) we are able to ensure every nursing home resident and staff member who wants a vaccine can receive it – and we are proud of the progress thus far,” Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said. “As nursing homes finish administering the remaining second dose clinics, we know that when the federal government’s mission for the FPP program is complete we will remain committed to getting vaccine to incoming residents and staff in the future. The Department of Health and long term care facilities remain vigilant and will continue to vaccinate through existing relationships with health care providers, just as with routine medication and flu vaccinations.”

Other long-term and congregate care settings included in Phase 1A of Pennsylvania’s Interim Vaccination Plan, including group homes for people with disabilities; residential treatment facilities and long-term structured residences for adults with behavioral health needs; and private psychiatric hospitals, are not included in the federal partnership but are still in the Phase 1A due to the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks in congregate settings.

These settings serve people who have co-occurring medical needs that put them at higher risk of severe cases and death if they contract the virus. Some personal care homes and assisted living facilities also were not enrolled in the Federal Pharmacy Partnership program and may be served by the Rite Aid partnership for DHS-licensed facilities.

Vaccine clinics for these facilities are being held on-site for facilities where people served are not able to travel off-site. Additional clinics are being scheduled at centralized locations when possible to accommodate more facilities and community group homes, which are typically small, private residences. To date, the partnership has administered:

Nearly 9,900 people have been vaccinated so far through this partnership. Approximately 3,660 people living and working in 147 DHS-licensed facilities and group homes are currently scheduled to be vaccinated through this partnership. Expected reach of this partnership has shifted as some facilities have ended up receiving vaccinations through other contacts.

Additionally, the Rite Aid partnership is expanding to vaccinate residential drug and alcohol treatment providers licensed by DDAP who identified as needing an established partnership with a vaccine provider through a survey administered by the department. Approximately 450 people will be vaccinated at 12 scheduled clinics at residential treatment providers where people served are not able to travel off site through early March.

“Often, residential drug and alcohol treatment providers are forgotten among other congregate care settings, however some of Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable citizens are receiving treatment for the disease of addiction in these facilities,” said DDAP Secretary Jen Smith. “The Rite Aid partnership is another tool in our COVID-19 toolbox to minimize community transmission and ensure all health care providers have established partnerships with vaccine providers.”

Learn more about the partnership with Rite Aid and view more data here.

COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

Every day tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians are receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccination numbers for Pennsylvania do not include Philadelphia, which is its own jurisdiction, or federal facilities, which are working directly with the federal government.

• This week, a total of 326,850 doses will have been allocated through February 20:
  • 183,575 first doses will have been allocated this week.
  • 143,275 second doses will have been allocated this week.
• To date, of the 2,766,400 doses allocated through February 20, we have administered 1,867,240 doses total through February 18:
  • First doses, 86 percent (1,387,443 administered of 1,610,175 allocated)
  • Second doses, 41 percent (479,797 administered of 1,156,225 allocated) 

Vaccine Order signed Feb. 12

Sec. Beam signed an order outlining appropriate steps and recognized best practices to ensure vaccine providers deliver 80 percent of doses within seven days of receipt, provide a phone number where people can speak to an individual to make an appointment and report race and ethnicity data for everyone vaccinated.

Your Turn tool

Last week, Pennsylvania launched the Your Turn tool to help everyone understand where they fall in the vaccination prioritization effort. The Your Turn tool directs eligible residents to the department’s vaccine provider map online to locate a trusted local provider and schedule a vaccination appointment. Your Turn also allows people to register to receive updates about vaccine distribution and allows the department to let you know when it is your turn to get vaccinated.

In addition to the Your Turn tool and while vaccine supply from the federal government remains limited, the Department of Health is working to ensure the vaccine is provided in a way that is ethical, equitable and efficient.

• A commonwealth COVID-19 vaccination guide explains the current process for getting one. Pennsylvanians with questions about the vaccination process can call the Department of Health hotline at 1-877-724-3258.
• Vaccine provider map to find a COVID-19 vaccine provider near you.
• All of the locations that received vaccine and how much they have received can be found on the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution webpage.
• Vaccine dashboard data can also be found on the website to find more information on the doses administered and showcase demographic information.
• Pennsylvanians can provide feedback on the Pennsylvania COVID-19 Interim Vaccination Plan by clicking on the Plan Feedback Form square under Popular Vaccine Topics here.
• Frequently asked questions can be found here.

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
• Clean surfaces frequently.
• Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
• If you must go out, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
• Download the COVID Alert PA app and make your phone part of the fight. The free app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by searching for “covid alert pa”.

Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, Graphics

• Daily COVID-19 Report
• Press releases regarding coronavirus
• Latest information on the coronavirus
• Photos of the state’s lab in Exton (for download and use)
• Coronavirus and preparedness graphics (located at the bottom of the page)

Community preparedness and procedures materials

The Pennsylvania Departments of Human Services (DHS) and Education (PDE) announced a temporary change in eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), expanding eligibility to certain college students who qualify based off their families’ income but normally would be ineligible for the program due to being a student.

Eligibility rules set by the federal government dictate that students ages 18 through 49 who are enrolled in college at least half time are not eligible for SNAP unless they meet certain exemptions, including working an average of 20 hours or more per week, participating in a state or federal work study program, having a disability, or being a parent of a child under age six. Even if students reside at home with parents who qualify for and receive SNAP, they are not counted in the household unless they meet one of the exemptions.

Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, college students who are eligible for a state or federal work study program, regardless of whether they are actually participating, or students who have an estimated family contribution of $0 on their federal student aid determination are now eligible for SNAP. For those under the age of 22 and living at home with their parents, the parents’ incomes are still factored into determining if college students qualify for SNAP but at least for now, these students will receive a benefit more commensurate to their household size that they would otherwise not get because they are a student.

This eligibility will remain in place until 30 days after the public health emergency ends. Since the Biden Administration has advised that the declaration will most likely remain in place at least until the end of 2021 and states will have 60 days-notice before it ends, this policy change will more than likely be something that can help families for the remainder of the crisis.

A Government Accountability Office report released in January 2019 found that at least one in three college students do not always have enough to eat. Additionally, 71 percent of college students today do not fit the model of a “typical” college student and may be financially independent, work at least part time, enroll in and stay in college at a later age, or have dependent children. These factors, when paired with other challenges students face like cost of tuition, lodging and/or transportation, books, and supplies, can create significant barriers to making ends meet. The report includes a literature review of 31 studies of college hunger and indicated there was a range of 9-50 percent of students who experienced food insecurity on campuses but that in 22 of these studies, food insecurity was estimated to be above 30 percent of the students surveyed.

Apply for SNAP online with COMPASS. For more information about food assistance resources for people around Pennsylvania impacted by COVID-19 and the accompanying economic insecurity, visit the Department of Agriculture’s food security guide. 

As COVID-19 vaccines begin rolling out across the country, CMS is taking action to protect the health and safety of our nation’s patients and providers and keeping you updated on the latest COVID-19 resources from HHS, CDC and CMS.

With information coming from many different sources, CMS has compiled resources and materials to help you share important and relevant information on the COVID-19 vaccine with the people that you serve. You can find these and more resources on the COVID-19 Partner Resources Page and the HHS COVID Education Campaign page. We look forward to partnering with you to promote vaccine safety and encourage our beneficiaries to get vaccinated when they have the opportunity.

The Importance of Community-Based Organizations during the Pandemic

With the COVID-19 national emergency, many people are facing unprecedented challenges. Some have lost their jobs, and have lost health insurance coverage for themselves and their families. Others may be underinsured with unaffordable health coverage, or may have health insurance, but aren’t sure how to access the services that they need for their health problems.

With these uncertainties, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) are key players who can help link community members to valuable resources, including how and where to obtain health insurance.  CBOs also play a major role in educating community members about COVID-19 vaccines, raising awareness about the benefits of vaccination, and addressing common questions and concerns.  As many communities are waiting for their turn to get the vaccine, CBOs can encourage them to take the time to consider their health insurance coverage.

What can CBOs do now to help your community access valuable resources on the vaccine and health insurance coverage?

• Use the NEW Community-Based Organizations COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit. Soon the communities you serve will have access to vaccines to help protect against COVID-19. CDC has designed a toolkit to help CBOs educate communities about this important new prevention tool. This toolkit is designed for staff of organizations serving communities affected by COVID-19.
• Share COVID-19 Vaccine information and Resources with the communities that you serve. Here’s some messaging to share with your communities through newsletters, e-mail listserv announcements or other channels:
  • You can receive the COVID-19 vaccine at no cost. People without health insurance or whose insurance does not provide coverage of the vaccine can also get the COVID-19 vaccine at no cost.
  • State governments are handling the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Look for updates from your state and local officials as more doses of the vaccine become available for additional priority groups.
• Link community members to information on how to obtain health insurance or use their existing coverage:
  • Consumers can take advantage of a special enrollment period (SEP) for individuals and families to apply and enroll in the coverage they need starting February 15, 2021 through May 15, 2021. This SEP will be available to consumers in the 36 states served by Marketplaces that use gov. Read the press release here.
  • Those in states with State Based Exchanges should check their state’s exchange website to find out specific enrollment options for their state. Go to gov to find out more information or be directed to your state’s exchange.
  • See if you qualify for Medicare, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program or check on your health benefits if you already have coverage.
  • The From Coverage to Care initiative, has resources such as the Roadmap to Better Care to help consumers understand their health coverage and connect to primary care and the preventive services that are right for them.
• Continue to promote safe practices and vaccine safety and encourage your community members to get the vaccine once it becomes available to them:
  • Remind them to continue practicing the 3Ws (Wear a Mask, Watch your distance, Wash your hands).
  • Encourage correct and consistent mask use, and share information on how they can make sure their mask works the best it can.
  • Share information on the benefits of the vaccine, and how it will help keep you from getting COVID-19.
  • Visit the CDC Things to Know page for additional information on the COVID-19 vaccine, which is also available in multiple languages.
  • Know the facts about COVID-19 vaccines.
  • Share what to expect after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine when it is their turn to get vaccinated.

Questions?  Please e-mail us:  Partnership@cms.hhs.gov

From Becker’s Hospital Review

More than 83,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in the 12-month period ending June 2020, the most ever recorded in a single year, according to data from the CDC.

Five things to know:

1. More than 20 million Americans have some sort of substance use disorder, but there are only 4,400 actively practicing certified addiction specialist physicians in the U.S., according to the American Society of Medicine, The Hill reported.
2. Much of the U.S. still lacks access to medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders, though medication-assisted treatment is considered the gold standard in addiction care, according to The Hill. Among the 1.6 million people in 2019 who had an opioid use disorder, only 18 percent received medication-assisted treatment, according to a survey from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration cited by The Hill.
3. Three drugs — buprenorphine, naltrexone and methadone — have been approved by the FDA to treat opioid use disorder by suppressing cravings and reducing or eliminating withdrawal symptoms, The Hill reported. Only 42 percent of substance use treatment facilities offered at least one of the drugs in 2018, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office released in December.
4. Forty percent of U.S. counties have no providers who can prescribe buprenorphine, according to The Hill. A waiver requires providers to undergo eight hours of training to prescribe the drug, which is one of the most effective drugs for reducing the risk of overdose deaths. Only about 7 percent of providers in the U.S. have obtained that waiver, which allows them to prescribe buprenorphine to 275 patients per year, The Hill reported.
5. Weekly counts of all drug and opioid overdoses increased by 45 percent from mid-April to October 2020 compared to the same weeks in 2019, The Hill reported. Anxiety, stress, depression and isolation caused by the pandemic, combined with a lack of treatment resources, have caused many people to relapse in their substance use disorder, addiction experts told USA Today.

On February 2, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) issued an amendment to the Emergency Declaration made last March in response to COVID-19.  The amendment allows additional categories of health care professionals – including physicians, registered nurses, and practical nurses with recently expired licenses – to administer COVID-19 vaccinations.