Arkansas Department of Human Services

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ALERT: CMS Updates Nursing Home Guidance with Revised Visitation Recommendations (March 10, 2021)

For additional details on the revised nursing home visitation guidance released 03/10/2021, visit here: https://www.cms.gov/medicareprovider-enrollment-and-certificationsurveycertificationgeninfopolicy-and-memos-states-and/nursing-home-visitation-covid-19-revised

The CMS press release on this revised nursing home visitation guidance can be found here: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-updates-nursing-home-guidance-revised-visitation-recommendations

A Fact Sheet can be found here:  https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/cms-updates-nursing-home-guidance-revised-visitation-recommendations

ALERT: March 3 Advisory Memo from DPSQA/OLTC re: Visitation Guidance

• DPSQA Testing Guidance for Nursing Home Providers (9/11/2020)
• COVID-19 Focused Survey - Infection Control Survey Tool
• Model Competency Checklist for Nursing Assistant Training
• Link to PASRR Guidance and Rule Suspensions
• Link to Guidance for Background Checks for Employees of LTC Facilities During COVID-19 Outbreak
• CMP Grant Applications
  • Communicative Technology Request
    • Grant Application
    • Submit grant applications to Sandra Broughton at Sandra.Broughton@dhs.arkansas.gov.
  • In Person Visitation Booth Request
    • Grant Application
    • Submit grant applications to Sandra Broughton at Sandra.Broughton@dhs.arkansas.gov.
• DHS Rule Suspensions during COVID-19
  • Procedures for Determination of Medical Need for Nursing Home Services
    • Rule I, concerning the prohibition on admission of applicants with diagnoses of mental illness or developmental disabilities prior to evaluation and approval by the Office of Long-Term Care is suspended.
    • Rule II, concerning the requirement to complete a Level 2 assessment within seven (7) to nine (9) workdays for applicants diagnosed with a mental illness or developmental disability under the initial screening is suspended.
  • Rules for the Arkansas Long-term Care Facility Nursing Assistant Training Program
    • Sections IV, VII(A)(3), and VII(B), are suspended to the extent that they: (1) Require persons acting as nursing assistants to pass an examination, or (2) Prohibit facilities from employing individuals acting as a nursing assistant for more than 120 days unless the individual passes an examination.
    • Section IV.B.5 is suspended to the extent that it limits in-class instruction to one (1) instructor for every 24 students.
    • Section IV.B.4 is suspended to the extent that it requires 16 hours of non-classroom instruction be completed “in a facility”.
    • Use this Model Competency Checklist to document the competency of nursing assistants who are not able to complete their examination within 120 days. This checklist from DHS is based on the current Nursing Assistant Training Program curriculum for all of the knowledge and skills that CNAs would need to have to meet the needs of facility residents under that curriculum.
    • Documenting competency is required because even though rules relating to nursing assistant examination requirements have been temporarily suspended during this public health emergency, both state and federal rules still require that all nursing assistants become "competent" after 120 days. This means that facilities must still ensure that nursing assistants are able to demonstrate competency in skills and techniques necessary to care for residents' needs.
  • Rules for Conducting Criminal Record Checks for Employees of Long-term Care Facilities
    • Section 304 requiring an applicant for employment at a Long-Term Care Facility to provide specific forms and a fingerprint card to law enforcement is suspended.
    • Section 304 requiring law enforcement to complete the forms, place the forms in a sealed envelope, and return the forms to the applicant is suspended.