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This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.

CDPH has issued several AFLs for post-acute care providers, including:

AFL 20-72, which waives certain requirements for home health agencies during the COVID-19 public health emergency. This includes provisions related to licensing, staffing and services, and supervision.
AFL 20-73, which provides guidance to skilled-nursing facilities to support residents’ ability to express their treatment wishes through proactive advance care planning. The AFL includes recommendations for all residents, including those who have tested positive for COVID-19.
AFL 20-74, which provides recommendations for use of personal protective equipment, cohorting, and staffing for skilled-nursing facility residents. The AFL includes a chart with guidance for each category of COVID-19 status, including COVID-19-positive residents, symptomatic residents awaiting test results, exposed and non-exposed residents, and new admissions.

This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued updated guidance for visitation in skilled-nursing facilities during the pandemic. The revised guidance notes that previous restrictions, which focused on protecting residents from COVID-19 by limiting visitation, have taken a physical and emotional toll on residents. It provides reasonable ways that facilities can safely accommodate in-person visitation to address the psychosocial needs of their residents.

While CMS notes that skilled-nursing facilities may continue to restrict visitation (except virtual visits) based on the county’s positivity rate, the facility’s COVID-19 status, or other factors, they may not restrict visitation without a reasonable clinical or safety cause. The new guidance, which is effective immediately, also provides that communal activities and dining can occur with alterations to adhere to guidelines to prevent transmission. Additionally, CMS notes that facilities may apply to use civil money penalties funds to purchase tents for outdoor visitation or dividers to create physical barriers and reduce risk of transmission during in-person visits.