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Beyond the Byline: Be safe out there, folks

Virus outbreak poses massive challenges for US charities

WILKES-BARRE &mdash; The Department of Human Services this week implemented a series of proactive measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health of residents and staff at Pennsylvania&rsquo;s state centers, state hospitals, youth development centers, and youth forestry camps.
				These measures, which are consistent with guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Pennsylvania Department of Health, include significant restrictions on visitation.
				&ldquo;The Wolf administration is committed to serving vulnerable populations every day, and that commitment will not waiver in the face of an emergency,&rdquo; said DHS Secretary Teresa Miller. &ldquo;We will take any and all steps necessary to protect the health and safety of anyone in one of our state centers, state hospitals, youth development centers, or youth forestry camps, and I have the utmost confidence in the DHS employees who work at these facilities to continue providing professional and compassionate care even under stressful circumstances.&rdquo;
				All visitors are currently prohibited from all state center and state hospital campuses, youth development centers, and youth forestry camps, and the policy will remain in place until guidance from public-health professionals changes. Exceptions to the policy are in place for visits of medical necessity, visits by probation departments or legal counsel, and family or clergy visits approved by the facility director. Residents of state hospitals maintain their rights to attorney consultations. Any visitor permitted will be screened for health concerns upon their arrival.
				Whenever possible, staff at the hospitals and centers are encouraging and facilitating the use of phone and video technology to help residents stay in touch with loved ones and maintain their connections to activities and interests beyond the campus.
				Pennsylvania&rsquo;s four state centers, which serve individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism, are: White Haven Center in Luzerne County, Ebensburg Center in Cambria County, Polk Center in Venango County and Selinsgrove Center in Snyder County.
				Pennsylvania&rsquo;s six state hospitals, which provide comprehensive psychiatric treatment and substance abuse services to people with mental illness, are: Clarks Summit State Hospital in Lackawanna County; Danville State Hospital in Montour County; Norristown State Hospital in Montgomery County; Torrance State Hospital in Westmoreland County; Warren State Hospital in Warren County; and Wernersville State Hospital in Berks County. This also applies to South Mountain Restoration Center, a long-term care facility operated by the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
				Pennsylvania&rsquo;s youth development centers and youth forestry camps provide treatment, care, and custody services to Pennsylvania&rsquo;s most at-risk youth. The three youth development centers are South Mountain Secure Treatment Unit in Franklin County, North Central Secure Treatment Unit in Montour County, and Loysville Youth Development Center in Perry County. The commonwealth&rsquo;s two youth forestry camps are in Hickory Run State Park in Luzerne County and in Trough Creek State Park in Huntingdon County.
				Other actions that have been implemented at the state centers and hospitals to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and protect residents and staff include but are not limited to:
				&#8226; Updated emergency staff shortage plans and pandemic emergency plans.
				&#8226; Identified quarantine areas and established quarantine plans.
				&#8226; Posted signage at each facility with information from the PA Department of Health about COVID-19.
				&#8226; Increased frequency of cleaning/disinfection of doorknobs, light switches, etc.
				&#8226; Provided additional training to staff and residents about hand washing and other infection-control measures.
				&#8226; Reviewed inventory of cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment and ordered additional supplies as needed.
				&#8226; Trained supervisors and managers to screen for COVID-19 symptoms.
				DCNR closing state
				park, forest facilities
				Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn last week announced that all facilities at state parks and forests in Pennsylvania will be closed for 14 days to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
				The public will still be able to access trails, lakes, forests, roads, and parking areas for passive and dispersed recreation, such as hiking.
				&ldquo;People will have access to state-owned open spaces to continue to enjoy the healthful benefits of recreation and being outdoors,&rdquo; Dunn said. &ldquo;However, as part of Pennsylvania&rsquo;s COVID-19 mitigation efforts, all of the buildings at state parks and forests including the park and forest offices, and all restrooms will be closed, and all events and public educational programs are canceled.
				&ldquo;We encourage practicing social distancing while enjoying open spaces including avoiding groups and crowds, and visitors should use the bathroom before they leave home,&rdquo; Dunn said.
				Pennsylvania has 121 state parks, and 20 forest districts.
				Information about state parks and forests is available on the DCNR website. Updates also are being provided on DCNR&rsquo;s Facebook and Twitter accounts.
				Closed facilities include:
				&#8226; Park and forest offices and visitor centers
				&#8226; Restrooms
				&#8226; Campgrounds, cabins and all forms of overnight accommodations
				&#8226; Public programs, events, and trainings are canceled
				While travel isn&rsquo;t restricted, the best advice to slow the spread of COVID-19 is to stay home.
				To help avoid exposure to COVID-19 and still enjoy the outdoors:
				&#8226; Adhere to the social spacing guide (minimum 6 feet) between people and don&rsquo;t recreate in groups
				&#8226; Take hand sanitizer with you and use it regularly
				&#8226; Avoid touching your face, eyes, and nose
				&#8226; Cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing with a tissue or flexed elbow
				&#8226; If you are sick, stay home
				PACE offers prescription
				extensions during crisis
				With the ongoing directive from Gov. Tom Wolf and the Pennsylvania Department of Health to stay home and limit social interaction during the COVID-19 mitigation effort, Department of Aging Secretary Robert Torres last week announced that the Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the Elderly Program can help older adult enrollees with refill extensions.
				&ldquo;The department has fielded several calls from older Pennsylvanians who are heeding the state directive and who are concerned about potentially running out of their needed medications,&rdquo; Secretary Torres said. &ldquo;To help alleviate those fears, PACE is working to ensure older adults remain in their residences and receive their prescriptions when they desire them. All enrollees should be able to receive free home delivery of their medications from their pharmacies.&rdquo;
				Under regular circumstances, enrollees with prescriptions must use 75% of their supply before refills will be reimbursed. PACE will now reimburse refills even though the required 75% of the days&rsquo; supply has not passed &#8211; except for opioids and other controlled substances &#8211; which will be handled on a case by case basis.
				Enrollees wishing to receive that exception must have their pharmacy provider call PACE at 1-800-835-8040, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to make that request. The program has traditionally not offered this exception unless an enrollee&rsquo;s medications were lost or stolen. Enrollees who have difficulties obtaining their refills can call cardholder services at 1-800-225-7223.
				AG urges refunds for
				students sent home
				Auditor General Eugene DePasquale last week urged Pennsylvania&rsquo;s 14 state-owned universities, shuttered due to COVID-19, to start creating a process for refunding students for room and board services they did not receive.
				&ldquo;Our state universities did the correct thing by quickly closing down in order to protect public health,&rdquo; DePasquale said. &ldquo;Suddenly cash-strapped families are wondering if they&rsquo;ll be refunded for the unused portion of their room and board charges.&rdquo;
				DePasquale praised the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education for quickly assembling a COVID-19 response team and helping state universities switch to online instruction. Because each school manages its own finances, decisions about refunds rest with university administrators.
				According to PASSHE, housing plans range from $3,144 to $11,380 and board plans range from $1,780 to $4,924 per year.
				&ldquo;A pro-rated refund could add up to thousands of dollars,&rdquo; DePasquale said. &ldquo;I encourage our universities to find a way to minimize the financial pinch that so many Pennsylvania students and families are feeling as a result of the COVID-19 situation.&rdquo;
				DePasquale said his department will monitor how each university intends to handle requests for room and board refunds, calling it a matter of simple fairness.

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DHS restricts visitation at all state-run facilities during crisis