- This guidance applies to those individuals identified as requiring emergency housing due to their status as either a person who has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus or awaiting testing results and therefore in quarantine status according to current PA DOH guidelines and not having the ability to return to their residence post discharge from a hospital, or while under medical testing and surveillance, either because of lacking a permanent resident, being transient and without residence in PA, or a change in domicile resulting from infection with COVID-19.
- Arrangements and costs for emergency housing should be born by the County or Municipal Health Department when available due to HHS funding streams. Support for locating these potential facilities can be made available to the health system partners.
- For those without a local health department, unmet emergency housing needs that meet the quarantine and “homeless” criteria will be assisted through the PEMA resource request process.
- Process for requesting assistance will not change from the normal resource request process through PEMA, with the exceptions of hospitals which may discharge arrangements through the PA Dept of Health. Requests should be made through county emergency management agencies, not directly to PEMA.
- Local POC is required to receive hotel keys/key cards. POC should evaluate the guest room prior to occupancy for damages and room contents. Local POC will also need to coordinate check-out and again evaluate room for damages and missing contents. Report any discovered issues to the state POC who provided the lodging information.
- Some wrap-around services are available and should be requested, when required, as part of the resource request. If feeding is needed, please determine if the hotel can support this or if a third party is needed to provide food service. Please recommend a local vendor willing to deliver 3 meals daily and provide contact and cost information on the resource request. If emergency behavioral health assistance (EBH) is needed, please also include the EBH need on the resource request.
- Emergency Housing will be made available based on location, the willingness of local hotel vendors to accept and other availability. Pre-identified state managed facilities will be utilized when there is no hotel availability.
- Transportation arrangements will need to be made on a case by case basis. Resource requests should only be made after all local resources have been exhausted to fulfill this need. Please consult hospitals, wheelchair van services, and other local resources such as the Area Agencies on Aging for transportation assistance. Unmet needs for transportation should be included in the resource request along with an explanation of why the resource is not available locally.
References:
County Emergency Management Coordinators – https://www.pema.pa.gov/County-EMC/Documents/EMC-List.pdf
County Health Departments
- Allegheny County Health Department
- Bucks County Department of Health
- Chester County Health Department
- Erie County Department of Health
- Montgomery County Health Department
- Philadelphia Department of Public Health – Direct Funded by CDC and not currently eligible for state funding
- Municipal Health Departments
- Allentown Bureau of Health
- Bethlehem Health Bureau
- Wilkes-Barre City Health Department
- York City Health Bureau
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