The status of New Jersey’s workforce and staffing are explained beneath:

• New Jersey Department of Health (NJDH)
  • Medicare Coverage Help Line can answer any question regurading your benefits with covid and your medicare supplement insurance.
  • NJDH maintains a webpage dedicated to COVID-19 Information for Healthcare Professionals. Several guidance documents were updated in early August 2020, including: Guidance for COVID-19 Diagnosed and/or Exposed Healthcare Personnel, Quick Reference – Discontinuation of Transmission-Based Precautions and Home Isolation for Persons Diagnosed with COVID-19, Considerations for Cohorting COVID-19 Patients in Post-Acute Care Facilities, and Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings. https://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/topics/covid2019_healthcare.shtml
  • The Guidance for COVID-19 Diagnosed and/or Exposed Healthcare Providers worksheet provides guidance for health care providers to determine if and when they should return to work; and if they do, how to transition back safely https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/LINCS_Healthcare_Personnel_Return_to_Work.pdf
  • The State of New Jersey COVID-19 Jobs and Hiring Portal provides job postings for those out of work due to COVID-19 as well as an additional link for employers to post open positions related to COVID-19 https://jobs.covid19.nj.gov/?Facets.filterbox.filter0=%5B%5D&Facets.filterbox.filter1=%5B%5D
  • The Road Back: Restoring Economic Health Through Public Health references six key principles for stages of reopening businesses and safely staffing them in New Jersey https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/general-public/how-does-new-jersey-plan-to-lift-restrictions-what-does-a-responsible-and-strategic-restart-of-new-jerseys-economy-look-like
• New Jersey Poison Center
  • Introduced a health hotline to address the concerns of New Jersey residents. Anyone in the state of New Jersey can call 1-800-962-1253 to speak directly with a health care professional who can provide general information and answer questions about the current outbreak https://www.njpies.org/coronavirus
• Office of the Governor Phil Murphy
  • On June 3, 2020, Governor Phil Murphy issued a series of recommendations geared toward stabilizing facilities and bolstering the workforce by increasing the responsibilities of and support for New Jersey’s nursing homes and their workers https://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/562020/approved/20200603a.shtml
  • On March 28, 2020, Governor Phil Murphy issued an Executive Order waiving the requirements for registered medical technicians (RMT) and certified home health aides (HHA) and allowed them to function in the role of certified nursing assistants (CNA) in long term care facilities https://nj.gov/infobank/eo/056murphy/pdf/EO-111.pdf
  • Facilities are expected to provide basic safety and infection orientation
  • Facilities must document attempts to meet the staffing standards

Notable Groups: New Jersey Department of Health (NJDH), New Jersey Poison Center, Office of the Governor Phil Murphy

New Jersey’s cohorting practices are as follows:

• New Jersey Department of Health
  • New resource guides long term care facilities to amend outbreak plans to include plans for testing and retesting staff and residents, cohort COVID-19-positive residents, exclude staff who test positive, and set timeframes and requirements for returning to work in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Department of Health recommendations https://www.nj.gov/health/news/2020/approved/20200512a.shtml
  • On May 21, 2020, Governor Murphy took the step of prohibiting admissions to long term care facilities that could not cohort patients and staff https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/general-public/what-is-the-state-doing-to-protect-residents-and-staff-at-nursing-homes-or-long-term-care-facilities

Notable Groups: New Jersey Department of Health

New Jersey has established infection control “Strike Teams”, which are described in-depth beneath:

• Office of Congressman Josh Gettheimer
  • Sponsored Outside Support (SOS) Act of 2020 legislation to create strike teams of clinical and non-clinical staff to provide immediate support to nursing homes, long term care facilities, and skilled nursing facilities experiencing outbreaks of COVID-19 in New Jersey and across the country. Bill will authorize the U.S. Secretary Health and Human Services (HHS) to allocate investment to states for the creation of these strike teams https://gottheimer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2004
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
  • The VA organized five 10-person health care strike teams in five New Jersey nursing homes, consisting of VA medical workers, clinical staff, nurses, and nursing assistants https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/federal-va-to-send-strike-teams-to-coronavirus-stricken-nj-nursing-homes-as-deaths-mount/ar-BB145Fnr

Notable Groups: Office of Congressman Josh Gettheimer, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

New Jersey has established a number of infection control surveys and other state survey activities within their state’s boundaries:

• New Jersey Department of Health
  • The New Jersey COVID-19 Information Hub provides the most up-to-date information about COVID-19 and the state’s response, including information about services such as food support and small business assistance https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/ncov.shtml

Notable Groups: New Jersey Department of Health

The status of New Jersey’s nursing home (NH) communications during the Covid-19 pandemic:

• Deaf and Hard of Hearing COVID Communication Card
  • Communication cards in English and Spanish are available that enable deaf or hard of hearing patients or care partners to communicate COVID-19-related related symptoms and potentially related exposure https://nj.gov/humanservices/documents/covid/Corona%20Virus%20Card%20-%202%20up-RB_v2.pdfhttps://nj.gov/humanservices/ddhh/assets/documents/DDHH%20CVcard-WEB-SP.pdf
• New Jersey Department of Health
  • Provided daily COVID-19 updates, including COVID-19 cases by age and number of hospitalizations https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID_Confirmed_Case_Summary.pdf
• New Jersey Department of Health, Manatt Health
  • Rapid assessment of New Jersey’s COVID-19 response targeted toward the long term care system resulted in a set of actionable recommendations over the near-term (next four months) and intermediate to longer-term (5+ months) aimed at improving the quality, resilience and safety of the state’s long term care delivery system now and for the future https://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20200603/ca/d9/da/fc/201e7410ca8c06560498e758/Manatt_Recommendations_New_Jersey_LTC_Resilience_6-2-2020_final_2.pdf
• New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH), New Jersey Poison Control Center
  • A COVID-19 hotline is staffed by health care providers to answer questions and address concerns. The Poison Control Center works closely with the NJDOH to stay up-to-date on new or changing information, if people think they have been exposed to COVID-19 https://www.njpies.org/coronavirus
• Official Site of the State of New Jersey
  • The COVID-19 HUB website provides a county-based data dashboard, COVID-19 frequently asked questions (FAQs), a jobs portal, symptom checks, and state based updates https://covid19.nj.gov

Notable Groups: Deaf and Hard of Hearing COVID Communication Card, New Jersey Department of Health, New Jersey Department of Health, Manatt Health, New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH), New Jersey Poison Control Center, Official Site of the State of New Jersey

New Jersey’s ongoing actions to improve access to personal protective equipment (PPE):

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
  • By the beginning of July 2020, each facility will receive two separate packages containing a seven-day supply of eye protection, surgical masks, gowns, and gloves. Each package will be individualized for each nursing home based upon their level of staffing. Items are blue tarp material https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2020/04/30/personal-protective-equipment-medicare-and-medicaid-nursing-homes
• Office of the Governor Phil Murphy
  • The state of New Jersey has assembled a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Wholesale Supplier Registry Public Listing. The listing provides information about vendors and products for the purpose of assisting private businesses and organizations in New Jersey access to potential suppliers for PPE and other COVID-19 related goods and services https://forms.business.nj.gov/ppevendor/list

Notable Groups: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Office of the Governor Phil Murphy

New Jersey’s current actions to improving the utilization of personal protective equipment (PPE):

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • Shared resource guide with COVID-19 recommendations, including clarification that cloth face coverings are not considered personal protective equipment (PPE) because their capability to protect health care personnel (HCP) is unknown https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/long-term-care.html
• Sanford Health
  • Provided instructions on how to sew a face mask, how to make a no-sew face mask, and how to wear a face mask. Volunteers were asked to sew masks for health care personnel
• https://news.sanfordhealth.org/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/how-to-make-face-masks

Notable Groups: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Sanford Health

New Jersey’s actions to house and shelter at-risk populations and infected patients:

• Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey
  • Received funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to house COVID-19-positive individuals and families who required isolation using hotels, motels and dormitories. The five-category criteria includes:
    • o Homeless individuals and families who live in congregate shelters who are symptomatic or tested positive for COVID-19
    • Homeless individuals who require quarantine or isolation due to being symptomatic or having a positive test for COVID-19
    • Children and adults living in congregate living settings who have tested positive for COVID-19
    • First responders and health care workers who do not require hospitalization but nevertheless need to avoid direct contact with their families due to exposure to COVID-19
    • Other groups that may need assistance as the state continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as COVID-19 positive patients who do not require hospitalization in a traditional setting, but nevertheless require quarantine and isolation outside their residence to prevent the further spread of the virus https://www.hcdnnj.org/coronavirusresources#homeless
• New Jersey Department of Health
  • Funding for 21 counties has been allocated to support home delivered meals and other food to boost senior nutrition for older New Jersey residents during the COVID-19 pandemic https://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/news/pressreleases/2020/approved/20200501.html
• Office of the Governor Phil Murphy
  • The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved New Jersey’s request to use emergency, non-congregate sheltering for individuals impacted by COVID-19 that do not have the means or ability to isolate themselves https://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/562020/20200411a.shtml

Notable Groups: Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey, New Jersey Department of Health, Office of the Governor Phil Murphy

The state of New Jersey’s patient transfer routines below:

• New Jersey Department of Health
  • Resident Transfer Protocol aligns with the New Jersey health commissioner plan to work with long term care centers to identify which facilities can separate infected residents or those with symptoms from the resident population. Facilities without wing/floor cohort ability are prioritized for transfer https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/04/nj-looks-to-transfer-residents-from-hardest-hit-nursing-homes-as-48-more-die-from-coronavirus.html
• New Jersey Long Term Care Ombudsman (LTCO)
  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) drafted a memorandum to State Survey Agency Directors. The CMS memorandum directed notification requirements for facilities when transferring residents to an acute care facility on an emergent basis. The resource speaks to the LTCO responding to requests for clarification about what information facilities should send to LTCO when a resident is subject to a transfer to an acute care facility on an emergency basis, the background of this issue, and direction on what information the LTCO will accept https://ichoosehome.nj.gov/ooie/emergency.shtml

Notable Groups: New Jersey Department of Health, New Jersey Long Term Care Ombudsman (LTCO)

New Jersey’s current resources during the Covid-19 pandemic:

• LeadingAge
  • Resident engagement during social isolation: Presentations and recommendations from members to keep residents engaged during social isolation https://leadingage.org/resident-engagement-during-social-isolation?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiT1RReVlXSTFZekl3TkdVeiIsInQiOiJGRUJKZEhBckJuQ2hnM2tBWDZCcDZBV2xuNWJyXC9mTE1XQ1c1R1pZVnFnem8yUW45NkNSWTBYMkVBUE5CZXBycDJmc2xiYkt4Sm5zNlhaXC9RQzRHY09aelA1TWhGaXJkS1VubW5XeXpW
• Health Care Association of New Jersey
  • Statewide organization providing updates on most current and authoritative information on COVID-19 relevant to facilities in New Jersey https://www.hcanj.org/covid-19-information
• New Jersey Department of Health
  • The Tele-ICAR tool for long-term care and assisted living facilities was developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is intended to help long term care (LTC) and assisted living facilities (ALF) respond effectively to COVID-19 by evaluating the status of their current response activities https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID_Tele_ICAR_Assess_Tool.pdf
  • The Guidance for COVID-19 Diagnosed and/or Exposed Healthcare Personnel resource addresses the widespread transmission of COVID-19 in New Jersey, the likelihood of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic transmission, and the feasibility and benefits of formal contact tracing in health care settings https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/Guidance_for_COVID19_Diagnosed_andor_Exposed_HCP.pdf
  • The Quick Reference: Discontinuation of Transmission-Based Precautions and Home Isolation for Persons Diagnosed with COVID-19 tool helps health care facilities, health care providers, and local public health officials determine when to discontinue isolation for persons with confirmed COVID-19 https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID-QuickRef_Discont_Isolation_and_TBP.pdf
  • Developed the retrospective assessment tool for health care personnel (HCP) potentially exposed to COVID-19. This tool can be used to assess HCP exposure risk prior to the patient being identified as having COVID-19 https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/Retrospective%20Assessment%20Tool%20for%20Healthcare%20Personnel%20Potentially%20Exposed%20to%20COVID-19.pdf
  • This document can be used to assess the type of potential exposure health care personnel may have experienced while caring for the COVID-19 patient and assign risk level (high, medium, low, or no risk). It also provides guidance on the management of exposed health care personnel https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/Healthcare%20Personnel%20(HCP)%20Exposure%20to%20Confirmed%20COVID-19%20Case%20Risk%20Algorithm.pdf
  • This tool can be used to monitor and assess the appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health care personnel caring for the COVID-19 patient after they have been identified in the facility https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/NJDOH%20COVID-19%20Healthcare%20Personnel%20(HCP)%20Exposure%20Checklist.pdf
  • Tool incorporates recommendations and reporting requirements to assist in the control of outbreak at facility https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID_Outbreak_Management_Checklist.pdf
  • Information for providers and families on Physicians Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) and end of life conversations https://nj.gov/health/advancedirective/polst
  • Tool can be used by a health care facility or local health department to track HCP under active monitoring https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/covid2019_healthcare.shtml#2
  • This tool can be used by a health care facility or local health department to assist HCP with daily symptom monitoring https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/NJDOH%20COVID-19%20Fever%20and%20Symptom%20Monitoring%20Log%20for%20HCP%203.9.20.pdf
• New Jersey Department of Health Infection Control Assessment Response Team (ICAR)
  • New Jersey Department of Health ICAR team provides one-hour virtual consultations to nursing homes to support infection prevention and control (IPC) activities based on the nursing home’s completed tele-ICAR assessment https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID_Tele_ICAR_Assess_Tool.pdf
• New Jersey Department of Human Services
  • Funding used to expand access to counseling and other mental health support during the pandemic. The funds help New Jersey residents facing behavioral health issues during this crisis get the emotional support they need https://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/news/pressreleases/2020/approved/20200518.html

Notable Groups: LeadingAge, Health Care Association of New Jersey, New Jersey Department of Health, New Jersey Department of Health Infection Control Assessment Response Team (ICAR), New Jersey Department of Human Services

New Jersey’s Telehealth Inclusion:

• Exchange Physical Therapy Group
  • This provider was able to implement telehealth visits quickly to ensure that patients continued to receive rehabilitation services. The practice has maintained 10 percent of its patients via telehealth, continuing to employ six out of 11 therapists at about 40 percent of their pre-COVID-19 visit volume. The practice plans to continue telehealth availability for patients who are unable to get to the clinic https://www.exchangephysicaltherapygroup.com/blog/how-one-pt-clinic-adopted-telehealth-in-response-to-covid-19-by-webpt

Notable Groups: Exchange Physical Therapy Group

New Jersey’s notable organizations that are confirmed nursing home assistance for the pandemic:

• New Jersey National Guard
  • Set up an alternate care site in the Atlantic City Convention Center, which provided 250 beds for non-COVID-19 patients https://www.nationalguard.mil/News/Article/2145373/nj-national-guard-helps-set-up-3rd-field-medical-station/

Notable Groups: New Jersey National Guard