Update: April 22 8:00 p.m. – State Response to Coronavirus

Friends and Neighbors,

Governor Lamont this evening announced Executive Order 7DD.

The Order modifies state statutes to expand the definition of telehealth providers to include dentists, behavioral analysts, art and music therapists and more. It also allows the DPH Commissioner to suspend certain licensing requirements, including licensing, supervision and continuing education, for healthcare professionals during the pandemic.

To watch the full video of the governor’s afternoon press conference, please click here:
Executive Order No. 7DD enacts the following provisions:

• Additions to the definition of telehealth provider: Modifies state statutes to add any licensed dentist, behavioral analyst, genetic counselor, music therapist, art therapist, and veterinarian to the definition of telehealth provider.
• Flexibility for Medicaid-enrolled providers and in-network providers for commercial fully insured health insurance to perform telehealth through additional methods: Modifies Section 5 of Executive Order No. 7G regarding the delivery of telehealth with an updated definition and requirements for telehealth.
• Additions to permissible out-of-state healthcare providers: Modifies state statutes to additionally allow the commissioner of the Department of Public Health to issue an order to suspend, for a period not to exceed sixty consecutive days, the requirements for licensure, certification, or registration for occupational therapists; alcohol and drug counselors; radiographers, radiologic technologists, radiologist assistants, and nuclear medicine technologists; dentists; dental hygienists; behavioral analysts; genetic counselors; music therapists; art therapists; dietician-nutritionists; and speech and language pathologists.
• Participation in intern, resident physician, or United States Medical Officer candidate training programs prior to permit issuance: Modifies state statutes to allow a person to participate in an intern or resident physician program or United States Medical officer candidate training program prior to issuance of a permit by the Department of Public Health provided that the hospital administrator documents that the person has satisfied the requirements for such a permit set forth in the statute.
• Participation in resident physician assistant program prior to permit issuance: Modifies state statutes to allow a person to participate in a resident physician assistant program in a short-term hospital that provides a postgraduate medical education program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, without a license or temporary permit or a training permit issued by the Department of Public Health, provided that the hospital administrator documents that the person is to be appointed a resident physician assistant in such hospital and has satisfied certain requirements.
• Temporary suspension of physician assistant supervision restrictions: Modifies state statutes to suspend the supervision requirements for physician assistants authorized to practice in the State of Connecticut.
• Temporary suspension of in-person supervision requirement for advanced practice registered nurses: Modifies state statutes to suspend the requirement that a physician, medically directing the prescriptive activity of an advanced practice registered nurse who is prescribing and administering medical therapeutics during surgery, must be physically present in the institution, clinic, or other setting where the surgery is being performed.
• Provision of services by respiratory care therapist and respiratory care technician students: Modifies state statutes to allow a respiratory care therapist student or a respiratory care technician student to provide services except that the services are not required to be a component of such person’s course of study.
• Suspension of continuing education requirement for health care providers: Suspends certain continuing education requirements for one year for occupations and professions with annual education requirements, and for other occupations and professions the continuing education completion period and reporting requirements are suspended for six months.
• Modification of 36-month age limit for Birth-to-Three services: Modifies state statutes to authorize the commissioner of the Office of Early Childhood to temporarily expand the definition of “eligible children” to include children who are receiving Birth-to-Three intervention services but reach the age where they would no longer be eligible.

The governor’s full press release can be read here: https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/04-2020/Governor-Lamont-Coronavirus-Update-April-22

The Executive Order can be read here: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Office-of-the-Governor/Executive-Orders/Lamont-Executive-Orders/Executive-Order-No-7DD.pdf

*****

Lamont administration initiates discussions with New York and New Jersey on a regional contract tracing strategy

The Lamont administration announced today that it has initiated discussions with the governors of New York and New Jersey regarding a regional contact tracing strategy. New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced a partnership with former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg through the Bloomberg Philanthropies. Governor Lamont expressed the need for a regional approach concerning contact tracing that complements existing staff, volunteers, processes, and technology as all of the states’ residents are in contact with each other on a regular basis, especially commuters in and out of New York City.

*****

Update on the processing of unemployment claims by the Connecticut Department of Labor

As of today, the Connecticut Department of Labor has processed more than 320,000 of the 397,000 unemployment claims it has received since March 13.

Prior to a software improvement that was implemented last week, the processing time was about six weeks. With the new technology enhancements, that processing time has been reduced to about three weeks, and the agency is on target to reduce that time further to one week by the close of this week. Benefits will be retroactive to the date a person needed to apply. Anyone who is filing for benefits is strongly encouraged to select direct deposit since this is the quickest method to receive the benefits.

*****

Connecticut receives $2 million federal grant for mental health services in response to pandemic

The State of Connecticut has been awarded a $2 million grant from the federal government to address behavioral health care needs of specific populations in the state that have been heavily impacted by the pandemic. The grant, awarded to the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, will support service needs over the next year and a half. Its primary focus is to address the needs of persons with severe mental illness, substance use disorders, co-occurring disorders, youth with severe emotional disturbances and their families, individuals with less severe mental health conditions, and healthcare practitioners.

The funding will be used by DMHAS to launch the Connecticut COVID-19 Behavioral Health Response and Assistance (Connecticut COBHRA) initiative. It will be a collaborative effort that includes the Department of Corrections (DOC) and the Department of Children and Families (DCF). The grant will support a number of activities focused on improving the health outcomes of those individuals affected by COVID-19 including:

• Purchasing telehealth equipment for DMHAS providers and DOC health care practitioners;
• Enhancing eight DMHAS-funded mobile crisis teams with additional clinicians;
• Providing staffing to a new statewide call center for adult crisis calls at United Way 2-1-1; and
• Expanding the DCF Family Based Recovery services for youth and their families.

The grant will also increase services for victims of intimate partner violence and support the behavioral health needs of health care practitioners. A final component of the grant will provide support to employee assistance programs at DMHAS-funded agencies.

More information can be found here: https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/04-2020/Governor-Lamont-Coronavirus-Update-April-22

*****

Insurance Companies Cover Cost of Testing/Treatment

All fully-insured plan health plan members, including those with high-deductible health plans, are now receiving testing and treatment for COVID-19 with no out of pocket costs.

Connecticut Insurance Department Commissioner Andrew N. Mais commended the state’s insurance carriers that offer fully-insured health plans for waiving COVID-19 all pandemic related out of pocket costs for testing and treatment. The Commissioner also urges all employers who offer workers a self-funded plan under ERISA to waive testing and treatment costs as well.

More information can be found here: https://portal.ct.gov/CID/News-Releases/Press-Releases/Press-Releases-20200415B

*****

Stimulus Check Information for Those Who May Not File a Tax Return

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Internal Revenue Service is sending ‘Economic Impact Payments’ to American households. To track those payments, the IRS created a special website at: www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments.

According to the Department of Social Services, Even if you don’t make enough money to file a federal tax return, you are probably eligible for an Economic Impact Payment. Special information for non-filers can be found at: www.irs.gov/coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-here.

A group of non-profit Connecticut legal aid organizations has also posted helpful information at www.CTLawHelp.org/coronavirus.

**Please note: receiving Economic Impact Payments will NOT affect eligibility for Medicaid/HUSKY Health, SNAP or other DSS programs.

More information can be found at: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/how-to-use-the-tools-on-irsgov-to-get-your-economic-impact-payment

The Department of Social Services continues to update information on their COVID-specific web page: https://portal.ct.gov/DSS/Communications/DSS-Response-to-COVID-19

*****

As of 4:00 p.m. tonight – Wednesday, April 22^nd – the state has diagnosed a total of 22469 cases of Coronavirus. Updated virus totals and Town-by-Town statistics can be accessed here: https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus

The total statewide number of COVID-19 associated fatalities is 1544.

Latest COVID-19 Testing Data in Connecticut

Updated 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Total patients who tested positive: 22469

Fairfield County: 9883

Hartford County: 4128

Litchfield County: 722

Middlesex County: 525

New Haven County: 5811

New London County: 397

Tolland County: 331

Windham County: 122

Pending address validation: 550