NEW! Nursing Home Media Toolkit

Check out the new Nursing Home Media Toolkit from the Maryland Department of Health. The password to access the materials is Vaccine2021.

Please use the materials in this media toolkit to spread the word about vaccination with staff. You'll find flyers, ads, social media posts, videos, and posters - see the examples below.
Action Required! Survey to Collect Vaccination Point of Contact

The updated MDH order for nursing homes requires each facility to identify a vaccination point of contact (more details below on the order). In order to assist with this effort, please fill out this brief SURVEY as soon as possible.
Reminder: Updated MDH Nursing Home and Assisted Living Orders

Please review the new MDH Nursing Home Matters order carefully. This new order brings Maryland into alignment with the CDC and CMS guidance. The Assisted Living Matters order has been rescinded; instead assisted living facilities must follow all relevant CDC guidance.

Per the new nursing home order:

  • Quarantine is no longer required for fully vaccinated newly admitted or readmitted residents. Newly admitted or readmitted residents who are not fully vaccinated, and residents with known exposures do still need to be in observation for 14 days.

  • When a visitor and the resident are both fully vaccinated, while alone in the patient/resident’s room or the designated visitation room, patients/residents and their visitor(s) can choose to have close contact (including touch) and to not wear source control.

  • Fully vaccinated HCP could dine and socialize together in break rooms and conduct in-person meetings without source control or physical distancing.

  • For group activities and group dining, if all patients/residents participating in the activity and all staff present are fully vaccinated, then the residents may choose to have close contact and to not wear source control during the activity

Also, please carefully review Section 10 of the Nursing Home Matters order regarding vaccination requirements:

  • Each facility shall identify a facility point of contact for coordination of administration of vaccines.

  • Again, please fill out this SURVEY as soon as possible to share your center's contact information.

  • Identify new staff and admitted residents to the facility to ensure the individual's vaccination needs are met,

  • Ensure that by May 30, 2021 their facility can demonstrate that they have established an ongoing relationship with a vaccine provider to maintain adequate access to meet their vaccination needs,

  • Note: This requirement may be satisfied by registering in ImmuNet as a vaccine provider or by entering into a partnership with a healthcare provider registered in ImmuNet as a COVID-19 vaccine provider.

  • Ensure that each facility’s vaccination data are reported via CRISP as outlined in Section 3.B to the Maryland Department of Health so that the information can be posted weekly on the Department of Aging’s website,

  • Please ensure that what you enter in to CRISP is accurate - it will impact the weekly update on Friday.

  • Ensure that each facility's vaccination data for staff and residents is displayed prominently to the public entering the facility.
National Skilled Nursing Care Week
The theme for National Skilled Nursing Care Week (NSNC​​W) 2021 is "Together Through the Seasons." NSNCW will take place May 9-15, 2021, and the theme​ will honor the collaborative commitment of skilled nursing care facilities and their staff in providing compassionate care to their residents during this unprecedented time. 
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Over the past year, despite the challenges of the pandemic, skilled care centers and their staff have shown an incredible and steadfast commitment to providing quality care and ensuring the safety of their residents. 
 
NSNCW 2021 will focus on this collective effort and the amazing strength and dedication of those who work tirelessly every day to care for and protect frail, elderly, and disabled adults in long term care. With each new season comes new beginnings, new strategies, and new information. Together we will get through this and together we will begin to heal. 
 
The 2021 HFAM Conference “Together We Re-Imagine” will be held in person October 4 – 7, 2021 at the Maryland Live Hotel and Casino in Hanover, Maryland. Hundreds of long-term care leaders will connect, share best practices and discuss actionable insights on how we can reflect, reform, rebuild, and revolutionize quality care. You and your teams will not want to miss this opportunity as we come together again.

Visit the conference website to learn more and register.
Thank you to our current sponsors!
#Get Vaccinated
With support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the AHCA/NCAL Get Vaccinated campaign now has a dedicated website –getvaccinated.us – to help educate and encourage caregivers and staff at long-term care facilities to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The website includes credible information from medical professionals, public health officials, and scientists to help answer common questions about the vaccines among staff members and other individuals.
Did you miss an update?

Visit our website to view all previous HFAM alerts, as well as guidance
from our federal and state partners.
Health Facilities Association of Maryland WW.HFAM.ORG