Dept of Ed Briefing on Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund

The Department of Education held a briefing on their implementation of CARES Act provisions. Secretary Betsy DeVos opened the call with praise for higher education officials and reviewed the steps the Department has already taken, such as federal student loan relief, opening of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund-Student Portion (HEERF), and collaboration with accreditors. Acting undersecretary for postsecondary education Diane Jones followed Secretary DeVos with HEERF clarifications found in the Department’s FAQs documents: Student Portion FAQs and Institutional Portion FAQs. Assistant Secretary Bob King shared that institutions may now apply for the Institutional Portion of HEERF at this link.

Additional information and documents about HEERF can be found on the Department’s website.

The COVID-19 Pandemic's Impact on Clinical Education for Community College Students

Two articles examine how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting clinical education for nursing and allied health community college students.

The articles may be accessed here and here.

Four Upcoming Webinars Highlight IPE and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Next week, four webinars will highlight IPE and the COVID-19 Pandemic. The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education hosts the following:

• Interprofessional Teaching and Collaborative Practice During COVID-19: A Community Conversation, Thursday, April 23, 2020, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern

The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education hosts the following:

• Improving Health Access for Public Housing Residents: Washburn University’s Nexus Team, Tuesday, April 21, 3:00pm Eastern

• Living in the Nexus: Leadership Discussions to Advance IPE, Wednesday, April 22, 1:00pm Eastern

• Taking it Statewide: Online IPE and Assessment in a Pandemic, Thursday, April 23, 2:30pm Eastern

More information may be accessed here and here.

FDA Update On Convalescent Plasma

The FDA provided an update on a potential treatment called convalescent plasma and is encouraging individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 to donate plasma to help others fight this disease. This plasma is an antibody-rich product made from blood donated by patients who have recovered from the disease caused by the virus. The agency also launched a new webpage to guide recovered COVID-19 patients to local blood or plasma collection centers to discuss their eligibility and potentially schedule an appointment to donate.

The update can be obtained at https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-encourages-recovered-patients-donate-plasma-development-blood?utm_campaign=041620_PR_Coronavirus%20%28COVID-19%29%20Update%3A%20Daily%20Roundup%20April%2016%2C%202020&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua and the webpage can be obtained at https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/donate-covid-19-plasma?utm_campaign=041620_PR_Coronavirus%20%28COVID-19%29%20Update%3A%20Daily%20Roundup%20April%2016%2C%202020&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua.

Technology’s Role in Fighting COVID-19

The MIT Technology Review considers academic proposals, hurdles, and various paths forward in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The article may be accessed here.

Making A Case For Expanding Medicaid

In the context of the coronavirus, a post from the Commonwealth Fund discusses why the 14 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid would benefit immensely from doing so, now more than ever. Medicaid expansion could provide an urgent source of federal funding for states to pay health care providers and ensure their residents receive coronavirus treatment.

The post can be obtained at https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2020/covid-19-crisis-giving-states-havent-expanded-medicaid-new-reconsideration.

FDA Authorization Of An Infusion Pump To Deliver Nebulized Medications

Based on review of available evidence, FDA has concluded that using an infusion pump connected to a nebulizer for tracheal delivery of nebulized medications allows for prolonged treatment with these medications, while risks to patients are the same as for other routes of administration.

Additional information can be obtained at https://www.fda.gov/media/136894/download.

Quantifying Undetected Cases Of Coronavirus Infection

The National Institutes of Health launched a study to determine the number of adults in the U.S. without a confirmed COVID-19 history who have antibodies to the virus. By collecting blood samples from volunteers, researchers hope to model the degree to which the virus spread undetected in this country.

More information can be obtained at https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-begins-study-quantify-undetected-cases-coronavirus-infection.

U.S. Capacity To Respond To COVID-19 Compared To Other Countries

A new paper from the Commonwealth Fund discusses America’s capacity to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic compared to other high-income countries, including those that have had high numbers of coronavirus cases, like China, Italy, and South Korea.

The report can be obtained at https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2020/how-us-compares-other-countries-responding-covid-19-populations-risk-health-system?utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=International%20Health.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos Allots $6 billion in CARES Act Funding for Students

Today, Secretary DeVos allotted $6 billion in emergency financial aid to institutions directed to be utilized by students for technology, course materials, food, shelter and health care. In order to receive this aid, institutions must sign an attestation this funding will be used for students in accordance with the law. Department officials do not plan to specifically direct how institutions allocate the funding among their students but it was designed to target students based on need.

DeVos indicated that she will provide information to institutions regarding the $6 billion in CARES Act funding targeting the institutions themselves in the next two weeks.

A copy of the letter to college and university presidents can be found here The allotments to individual institutions are found here

Americans Experiencing Significant Disruptions In Life

According to a report from Gallup, the vast majority of Americans report their lives have been disrupted by the coronavirus situation, and an increasing proportion expect those disruptions to continue for an extended period.

The report can be obtained at

https://news.gallup.com/poll/307649/eight-experiencing-significant-disruption.aspx?utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_content=morelink&utm_campaign=syndication.

Institutions Await Reliefs Funds

As part of the over $2 trillion relief bill passed by Congress last month, about $14 billion for higher education is to be distributed to institutions based upon the number of enrolled students eligible to receive Pell Grants, and based on enrollment numbers of full-time students, regardless of Pell eligibility. Advocates have voiced concern that such a funding system may slow the time in which institutions receive these funds.

Inside Higher Ed provides an overview of this issue here.

COVID-19 Blueprint From Washington State

Washington State reported the first COVID-19 case in the United States in January. A new issue brief outlines major initiatives taken and lessons learned over the past six weeks.

The brief can be obtained at

https://www.milbank.org/publications/on-the-front-lines-of-covid-19-a-blueprint-for-health-and-human-services-from-washington-state/.

ASAHP Joins Letters to White House & Congress

ASAHP joined over 200 organizations requesting the White House to take action to provide additional ventilators and personal protection equipment (PPE) for health professionals. Additionally, ASAHP signed another letter to Congress recommending $4.5 billion in additional annual funding for CDC, state, local, tribal and territorial core public health infrastructure to pay for such essential activities as disease surveillance, epidemiology, laboratory capacity, all-hazards preparedness and response; policy development and support; communications; community partnership development; and organizational competencies.

Letters can be found below:

Joint Letter to White House

Joint Letter to Congress

State Medicaid Waivers To Address Coronavirus Pandemic

CMS recently approved its 44th state Medicaid waiver delivering urgent regulatory relief to ensure States can quickly and effectively care for their most vulnerable citizens. In light of the urgent and evolving needs of states during the COVID-19 crisis, CMS developed a toolkit to facilitate expedited application and approval of State waivers requests in record time. 

The toolkit can be obtained at https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-releases-covid-19-checklists-and-tools-accelerate-relief-state-medicaid-chip.

Paid Leave Under The Families First Coronavirus Response Act

The Department of Labor issued a temporary rule to enable new paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave requirements established under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The rule is necessary for the new policy to become operational on April 1, 2020, effective on April 2, 2020, and expire on Dec. 31, 2020. It codifies changes to the federal definition of “health care provider.”

The rule can be obtained at https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2020-07237.pdf.

Department of Education Proposes New Distance Learning Regulations

The U.S. Department of Education today proposed new distance learning regulations. The Department will publish the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register for a 30-day public comment period, and will publish a final regulation prior to November 1, 2020. The proposed regulations are based on the 2019 negotiated rulemaking session. Its Distance Learning and Innovation Subcommittee included Jody Feder, who addressed the 2019 ASAHP Annual Conference, and several individuals from ASAHP institutions.

The proposed rulemaking may be accessed here.
The Department of Education press release may be accessed here.

Anticipating And Managing Precipitous College Closures

A report from New America examines what happened at Mount Ida and 11 other colleges that recently closed. The document presents ways to reduce the number of colleges that shutter without warning.

The report can be obtained at https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/reports/anticipating-and-managing-precipitous-college-closures/background-on-college-closures/.

Connecting at the Nexus: COVID-19 Webinars

The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education is hosting a series of webinars addressing interprofessional education and practice while programs are moving online. Best practices and resources will be shared at these webinars. All sessions will be recorded and archived.

• Transitioning to Online IPE in a Pandemic, April 2 @ 1:30 PM EST

• Building a Stronger IPE Program: Document What You Are Learning Today, April 7 @ 1 PM EST

• From Our Team to Yours: Strategies for Successful Remote Teaming, April 9 @ 1 PM EST

More information and webinars can be accessed here.

House and Senate Pass Coronavirus Relief Bill

The House this afternoon passed the CARES Act by voice vote after more than four hours of debate. On Wednesday evening the Senate passed the bill 96-0. The President has stated that he intends to sign the $2 trillion legislation. Our newswire update from Wednesday provides an overview of the bill, which is the largest of three major Coronavirus related funding bills to be passed by both legislative chambers this month. House Democrats have outlined their priorities for a potential fourth and fifth Coronavirus related stimulus bill. 

The legislation may be accessed here. 
Wednesday’s newswire overview of the bill may be accessed here.