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THE CORONA VIRUS (COVID-19) IS REAL AND WE ALL NEED TO PROTECT OURSELVES... IT CAN BE AS SIMPLE AS WASHING OUR HANDS, AVOIDING CROWDS AND KEEPING OUR DISTANCES FROM THOSE WHO MAY BE INFECTED AND/OR BELIEVE THEY HAVE SYMPTONS.  WE WILL INFORM YOU AND WE WISH YOU WILL DO THE SAME FOR US.

Many of us want more information... a good place to start is at:

https://www.vcuhealth.org/news-center/news-center-category?&id=11

March 13, 2020

To our Comfort Facilitators’ families,

On behalf of myself and the Comfort Facilitators Team, I wanted to personally reach out to you regarding the current COVID-19 pandemic.

We’ve been thinking a lot about you lately – our clients, associates, families and other individuals in the medical industry in which we work.  We want to make sure that everyone’s service’s continue without any interruptions.  As of today, we haven’t received any direction as to whether or not home visits should continue to take place and/or if paperwork is not sent to the insurance companies they will continue services without interruptions or not.  For this reason, we decide to take simple steps to continue to abide by the guidelines in which Medicaid has set forth.

While there are no known COVID-19 cases impacting anyone associated with any Comfort Facilitators associate, we believe that the best direction for us to take at this time is to continue making monthly visits as scheduled, bring gloves, hand sanitizer and face masks with us to make sure you’re comfortable with us visiting and to prevent any of us from contracting the COVID-19 virus and/or any of its symptoms, as many of us haven’t been tested and/or the testing hasn’t been made available to us etc.  In addition, we will be shortening our visit time to 30 minutes or less and therefore, we respectfully ask that if there are any changes in your care, medications, diagnosis, attendants, EOR, insurance, recent discharges, etc., please have this information available for us upon arrival... until further notice.

The health and safety of our clients, associates, families and other individuals in the medical industry in which we work is our top priority and we are taking this action out of an abundance of caution as the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic continues to elevate concerns across the nation and around the world.  In taking this action, we’ve following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for social distancing as well as following directives made for the health and welfare of all Virginians by Governor Ralph Northam.

We encourage our clients, associates, families and other individuals in the medical industry in which we work to seek medical attention if they experience symptoms consistent with COVID-19. We value you all and will continue to encourage everyone to follow the guidelines established by the CDC and our state of Virginia to protect themselves, loved ones and families to reduce any health risks.

Sincerely,

^{Charlotte Comfort}

What is a Service Facilitator?

A “Service Facilitator” is a Medicaid-enrolled provider who is responsible for:

• Supporting you (or your family member / caregiver when he or she is acting as an employer on your behalf), by ensuring the development and monitoring of the Consumer-Directed Services as described in your services plan (companion, personal assistance, and/or respite services);

• Providing you with training on how to be an effective employer; and 

• Completing ongoing services review activities as required by you and the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS).

More specifically, a Service Facilitator:

• Makes sure that you are signed up for the services you need, that these services are on your service plan, and that the services are approved and preauthorized.

• Helps you develop your service plan.

• Reviews the Consumer-Directed (CD) Employer Manual and this Self-Direction Easy Speak Questions and Answers document with you and your family or caregiver, as appropriate.

• Trains you on the tasks required of an employer, including how to fill out required paperwork.

You may discuss your employer concerns and questions with the Service Facilitator at any time.

The Service Facilitator must be an enrolled Medicaid provider, but cannot be:

1. You;

2. Your spouse;

3. Your parent, if you are a minor; or

4. A family member or caregiver who is also the CD employer.