You're receiving this email because of your relationship with the Office of Inspector General, Division of Health Care. Thank you for your continued commitment to serving the citizens of our Commonwealth!

Cabinet for Health and Family Services

Office of Inspector General

Division of Health Care

David Lovely Appointed Acting Deputy IG

As of November 1, David Lovely became the Acting Deputy Inspector General, replacing Kara Daniel who recently retired. His new duties will include overseeing the Certificate of Need program, the Civil Monetary Penalty Grant program, regulatory affairs, and additional projects as his expertise is needed. Lovely says he is “more than excited to see how this new role will further my career and most importantly the Commonwealth.”

Online MDS Training Available

Minimum Data Set training, hosted annually by the Kentucky Office of Inspector General and presented by Myers and Stauffer LC, is available in TRAIN. Each webinar in this "Back to the Basics" series covers a different chapter of the RAI Manual:

OIG DHC MDS RAI Manual Chapter 1 October 2023 1113709

OIG DHC MDS RAI Manual Chapter 2 October 2023 1113710

OIG DHC MDS RAI Manual Chapter 3 October 2023 1113711

OIG DHC MDS RAI Manual Chapter 4 October 2023 1113712

OIG DHC MDS RAI Manual Chapter 5 October 2023 1113713

OIG DHC MDS RAI Manual Chapter 6 October 2023 1113714

The Kentucky Board of Nursing has approved contact hours for Kentucky RNs and LPNs upon completion, assessment, and evaluation of some sessions. Kentucky LTC Administrators will also receive contact hours. (Please note that you must have an individual TRAIN account in order to receive credit.)

Please contact Darlene Cox with any questions by email or at 502-564-5805.

CMS Facility Questionnaire

Facility-Wide Wireless Internet

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is interested in learning more about wireless internet access for residents within certified nursing facilities. If your facility does not have facility-wide wireless internet (Wi-Fi) for residents, please complete the questionnaire. CMS’ goal in collecting this information is to gain a better understanding of the barriers that exist to having facility-wide Wi-Fi internet availability to residents. Your response will help inform their efforts to make potential funding supports available to facilities in need.

Click here to access the questionnaire: Facility-Wide Wireless Internet Questionnaire

Free Training for Nursing Facility Staff

The month of December brings five (5) new trainings for you to attend and end the year strong by crushing your professional development goals. These sessions are being held at no cost to you and CE credits are available.

REGISTER HERE

The Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities (COE-NF) was established by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It provides mental health and substance use training, customized technical assistance and resources to certified Medicare and Medicaid nursing facility staff who care for residents with a variety of behavioral health conditions at absolutely no cost.

Check out resources today!

www.nursinghomebehavioralhealth.org

CMS Developed Global Public Health Emergency (PHE)

Grants Funds Still Available

CMS developed three applications to facilitate visitation and prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection. These one-time grants will continue beyond the PHE to allow all certified nursing facilities access to the products. CNFs can apply for all three programs for up to a total of $9,000.

Communicative Technology: Up to $3,000 for tablets and accessories to allow residents to communicate remotely with family and friends

Visitation I: Up to $3,000 for in-person visitation aids such as outdoor shelters and clear dividers

Visitation II: Up to $3,000 for portable fans and/or room air cleaners with HEPA filters (H-13, -14)

Want the funds but too busy for paperwork? We can help!

Contact Lena Mullins-Datko, CMP Grants Administrator, for assistance with applications at: Lena.mullinsdatko@ky.gov, CMPapplication_OIG@ky.gov, or (502) 564-5771

For more details on the Kentucky CMP Reinvestment Fund and applications visit the Civil Money Penalty Funds - Cabinet for Health and Family Services website or contact Lena Mullins-Datko.

Division of Health Care Contact Information

Central Office

Belinda Beard, Director

Marissia Izlar, Assistant Director

Andrea Willhite, Assistant Director

275 E. Main St., 5E-A Frankfort, KY 40621

Phone: 502-564-7963

Fax: 502-564-6546

Western Enforcement Branch

Terri Gipson, Regional Program Manager

901 B South Main Street, Hopkinsville, KY 42240

Phone: 270-889-6052

Fax: 270-889-6089

Northern Enforcement Branch

Patricia Hinson, Regional Program Manager

L & N Building 10-W, 908 W. Broadway, Louisville, KY 40203

Phone: 502-595-4958

Fax: 502-595-4540

Southern Enforcement Branch

Casey Shelley, Human Services Program Branch Manager

116 Commerce Ave., London, KY 40744

Phone: 606-330-2030

Fax: 606-330-2054

Eastern Enforcement Branch

Will Hendrickson, Human Services Program Branch Manager

455 Park Place, Suite 120A, Lexington, KY 40511

Phone: 859-246-2301

Fax: 859-246-2307

Kentucky's Top 10 Citations

for Nursing Homes

Health Care

Life Safety Code

Emergency Preparedness

Informal Appeal of Survey Findings

Every Long Term Care provider has the right to both an informal and formal appeal process following receipt of a completed Form CMS-2567. There are two informal appeal processes: Informal Dispute Resolution (IDR) and Independent IDR (IIDR).

Interested in Serving on an IDR Panel?

Kentucky requires one member of the IDR panel to be "a person currently engaged in the provision of Long Term Care services who has no affiliation with the provider disputing a deficiency." Typically, a Long Term Care Administrator is on each IDR panel. There is no payment or travel reimbursement for an Administrator serving on a panel. Administrators will be rotated. If a Long Term Care Administrator is interested in serving on a panel, a confidentiality statement must be signed prior to the participation in the first IDR panel.

Please complete the Confidentiality Agreement and submit via email, fax, or mail to:

All certified nursing facilities are required to sign up for ePOC. Please be diligent about keeping your account and password up to date. All correspondence is handled in the ePOC system, including the plan of correction. Furthermore, if there is a change in administrator, it is incumbent upon the facility to update the system.

Click here for the CMS security rules.

If your facility is not yet signed up, see the Account Setup instructions.

Not sure if your facility has any ePOC accounts or have other questions? E-mail ePOC.Support@ky.gov or contact Melissa Richard, Training & QA Branch Manager, at MelissaD.Richard@ky.gov or (502) 564-5817.

Cabinet for Health and Family Services

Office of Inspector General

Division of Health Care 

DHC Leadership Team:

Adam Mather

Inspector General

David Lovely

Acting Deputy Inspector General

Belinda Beard

Director

Marissia Izlar

Assistant Director

Andrea Willhite

Assistant Director