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Lehigh Valley Health Network to become regional hub in fight against coronavirus in nursing homes
Morning Call - 7/14/2020
Lehigh Valley Health Network is among seven organizations across Pennsylvania picked by state government to receive a grant to support readiness and response planning for the coronavirus in nursing homes, personal care homes and other long-term residential care facilities.
The state Department of Human Services said in a news release that LVHN and Geisinger Clinic will receive a combined $24 million for work in the northeast region of Pennsylvania. The other five organizations will serve other parts of the state.
The state Legislature approved a total of $175 million in funding for the new effort, which is called the Regional Response Health Collaboration Program.
It is intended to support COVID-19 readiness and response planning in the facilities; improve infection prevention; expand COVID-19 testing; and help continuity of care in an attempt to curb virus spread.
The state has logged 6,931 deaths from the coronavirus, and more than two-thirds of them have been associated with long-term care facilities.
Partnerships created under the new program will “be a resource to long-term care facilities as COVID-19 evolves. Through these collaboratives, long-term care facilities will have a network to learn, respond, and prepare for what is ahead in the fight against COVID-19,” state Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller said.
More than 45,000 Pennsylvanians live in more than 1,200 personal care homes and assisted living residences, and more than 80,000 residents live in 693 skilled nursing facilities in the state.
This story will be updated. Morning Call Capitol correspondent Ford Turner can be reached at fturner@mcall.com
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