In order to support long term care providers who are caring for COVID-19 positive individuals, the State Emergency Operations Center has developed a process for requesting reserve resources from the strategic national stockpile.

The following providers are eligible to request PPE from the process:

• Any entity licensed by DQA as a residential facility.
• All licensed or certified Adult Family Homes.
• Home Health, Personal Care, and Supportive Home Care Providers caring for a COVID-19 positive patient in the patient’s home.
• Participant hired providers caring for a COVID-19 positive patient in the patient’s home (applies to all Medicaid Long Term Care Programs).
• Adult Protective Services providers responding to a home with a COVID-19 positive person in their home.

This process is only intended to be used when a provider has exhausted all attempts to secure PPE from other local sources.

In order to request PPE, eligible providers must complete this form, and submit to their county emergency manager.

Once received, the county emergency manager will determine whether the request can be filled at the local level. If the request cannot be filled locally, the county emergency manager will submit the request to the State Emergency Operations Center.

Additional details regarding when the provider can expect to be contacted, and how soon the provider may receive the resources are available here.

Inclusa continues to follow the guidance of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), alongside local public health agencies across Wisconsin. Providers licensed by the State of Wisconsin should continue to watch for operations guidance in relation to COVID-19 from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Division of Quality Assurance (DQA).

The DHS and CDC websites are updated regularly as circumstances are changing and evolving. Also be sure to connect with your local health department, the first line of contact for situations that impact your community’s health.

In addition, the following are the most recent memos issued by DHS:

• Department of Health Services (DHS) | REVISED Recommendations for Long-Term Care and Assisted Living Facilities
• Department of Health Services (DHS) | AFH Guidelines – Letter
• Department of Health Services (DHS) | Adult Day Services Guidelines – Letter