The Role of DADS
Regulatory During
Disaster Events
OBJECTIVES

Ability to recognize DADS role in
disaster events

Share challenges and lessons learned
during disaster events
Regional Expectations
 DADS staff are on call
during all disaster events
 Staff are expected to
maintain communications
with their regional offices
to ensure the continuity of
services
PRE-DISASTER
Pre-Disaster
State Office / Regional Director
will initiate disaster plan for the
region.
Pre-Disaster
These individuals will assure that regional staff is informed of the
disaster and what actions need to be taken.
Initiate Internal Disaster Procedures
Implementing Staff Rotation Call List (both Support Staff and Survey
Staff) – Volunteers will be deployed first
Sharing Contact Information/List of Facilities
Initiating phone/fax/e-mail Contact with Facilities
Managers will assign facilities to their staff for the responsibility of maintaining contact
Information to include primary and secondary phone numbers.
Regional Communications
•
•
•
•
•
•
Prepare staff–explain expectations/timelines
Provide needed supplies
Persist with regional plan
Facility communications and tracking
Faxes/ Special communications
Tracking information and documentation
Regional Communications
• Communications with Director of operations
• Staffing with your Local EOC/ DDC/ RMOC
• Provider concerns-resistance to evacuation and
transportation
• Dividing responsibilities/ consistency
• Establish central point for information with
backup as needed
LTSS Staff Providing Disaster Support
(Pre-Disaster)
LTSS Staff and Local Ombudsman
Staff in the region will assist
Regulatory Services as needed with
disaster and shelter activities.
DISASTER EVENT
Shelter In Place
(Disaster)
 No mandatory disaster evacuation by local government
 Local offices responsible for all nursing facility, adult day care
center, assisted living facility, home health agency, in-patient
hospice, and ICFMR facility contacts
 Staff in effected areas are “on call” for the duration of event unless
needing assistance themselves.
 Some regional staff will provide support to DDC/ EOC/ RMOC
 Surveys or non-priority complaints will not be conducted in the
geographical area affected
 The ONLY investigations completed will be PRIORITY ONE
status
Evacuation
(Disaster)
1. Selected volunteer staff from regional offices
will be relocated outside the disaster area.
2. Regional Director and volunteer staff will
assist with facility evacuation according to
regional disaster plans. These plans will
vary from region to region. The affected
region is expected to assist with evacuation
until all regulated facilities have begun
relocation.
Evacuation
(Disaster)
Regional Director will initiate alerts to all
facilities/agency providers regarding the need for
evacuation.
Alerts include:
a. Nursing Facility evacuating and receiving
b. Home Health/Hospice and In-Patient Hospice
c. ICFMR evacuating and receiving facilities
Evacuation
(Disaster)
Regulatory Services will track essential information
during and after the disaster event for both
evacuating and receiving facilities.
•
•
•
•
•
Evacuation status/destination
Staffing issues
Food/Water
Medications
Available beds
Evacuation
(Disaster)
Shelter leads and volunteers will track evacuees
transitioning from a shelter to a nursing facility by DADS
staff.
Managers will instruct staff regarding frequency of
communication with evacuating facilities and receiving
facilities. (Managers will avoid duplication of calls and
coordinate with RD and State Office).
The only investigations to be completed in the region during
disaster at facilities that have been evacuated, facilities
accepting evacuees, and facilities heavily impacted by the
storm are PRIORITY ONE status.
Shelter Activities
(Disaster)
Regional staff will assist with the coordination of support activities in
shelters
Staff from Community Care Access & Intake will assist with
volunteers from their program areas
The following forms will be used for assessment and tracking of vital information:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Time Sheet
Evacuee Assessment
Shelter Procedures for Transfer to Nursing Facility
Special Needs Assessment and Instructions
Disaster Placements and Billing Information
Shelter Activities
(Disaster)
Nursing facilities that accept evacuees from shelters (non-Medicaid
Long Term Care residents) directed from State and Federal
Officials will be paid for services provided
The following resident identifying information must be collected
for timely admission to nursing facilities:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Name
Address
Social Security Number, if available
Date of Birth, Sex, Age, County of Residence
Dates services were provided
Transportation Challenges
(Shelters To Nursing Facilities)
• Type of transportation needed (if going by
ambulance do they need a bariatric size
gurney)
• Items needing to be transported (i.e. electric
wheelchairs)
• Is anyone traveling with them and do they
need a place to stay. Most nursing homes do
not have access for family members to stay.
POST-DISASTER
Shelter In Place
(Post-Disaster)
 Continue facility/provider communications and
tracking as needed
 Continue ROC/ DDC/ RMOC activities as
needed
 Resume Regulatory functions per State Office
and Regional Director instructions. Functions
will be resumed based on the degree of impact
to individual facilities
Evacuation
(Post-Disaster)
1.
Continue shelter activities as needed
2.
Continue ROC / DDC/ RMOC activities as needed
3.
Continue facility/provider communications and
tracking as needed
RE-POPULATION
Regional staff will be responsible for tracking evacuees
who have been transferred from shelters to nursing
facilities
Information will be communicated to DSHS for
purpose of determining where evacuees are located that
require transportation back to their homes
Regional staff will continue communication with the
evacuating and receiving facilities until re-population
complete
Transportation Challenges
(Nursing Facilities To Home)
• Assess the resident to make sure he/she is physically able
to make the trip home
• Call facility to make sure that they are expecting the
resident to return
• Contact the family and let them know the resident is being
sent back to the facility in which he/she came
• Make transportation arrangements, make sure you
document the type of transportation needed, pick up point,
any special items such as pets to be picked up, electric
wheel chairs, lots of clothing, etc.
General Information
1. Remind Nursing/ICFMR facilities to register with FIVES
2. Requests by Provider to exceed 20% licensed capacity can be done by:
a. Phone contact with Carol Ahmed
b. E-mail to Carol Ahmed
c. E-mail contact with Regional Director




Facility that is evacuating can continue to get paid daily rate.
Facility makes agreement with receiving facility for payment.
Provider can contact Claims Management with any questions.
Claims Management staff cannot guarantee payments for Providers who
admit evacuees, but will try to answer questions.
General Information
3. Toll free number for FEMA – 1-800-621-FEMA (3362)
or online at www.fema.gov
4. Regional Management contact numbers will be shared
with all staff
5. Emergency Prescription Assistance Program (EPAP)
information found at 1-866-935-4135. (THIS NUMBER
MAY CHANGE)
CONTACT NUMBERS





Dorothea Raiford, Regional Director, Region 4/5
Beaumont: 409-951-3236
Mark Kendall, Regional Director, Region 6
Houston: 713-767-2291
Janice Brister, Regional Director, Region 8
San Antonio: 210-438-6300
Jim Anderson, Regional Director, Region 11
San Benito: 956-361-4268
Carol Ahmed, Director of Survey Operations
Austin: 512-438-5695