The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) joined WHA’s Council on Workforce Development (Council) September 18, 2020 as the Council focused on how to keep Wisconsin’s health care workforce working through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Child and family care is becoming a greater challenge as more children and their families attend school virtually or comply with quarantine recommendations. DCF’s Erin Arango-Escalante, administrator, Division of Early Care and Education, provided the Council with an overview of the work WHA and DCF accomplished early in the pandemic to ensure Wisconsin’s health care workers received priority for available childcare spots.
Escalante provided information on a resource for working families. Wisconsin’s
Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies work within eight regions of the state. Employers and members of Wisconsin’s health care workforce can contact these agencies for education, technical assistance for strategies to co-exist with COVID, and connections to childcare, community resources and support. Key contacts for each region can be found on the
Child Care Resource and Referral Map.
The Council discussed another important component to keeping the health care workforce working: the state’s efforts to prepare for the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine. Anne Allen, WHA clinical quality improvement advisor, provided an update on Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Communications, Vaccine Distribution, and Vaccine Administration workgroups. Health care workers will be in the top tier of those receiving vaccination, so hospitals should ensure they have an agreement signed with the designated distributor, McKesson. The CDC and DHS are planning logistics so that ultra-cold chain storage at each vaccinating facility is not necessary and facilities do not need to purchase freezers.
Allen advised Council members to stay in close contact with their regional Healthcare Emergency Response Coalition (HERC), make sure to connect with local public health to ensure their employee numbers are accurate within Public Health Emergency Preparedness Plans, and watch for updates from WHA on COVID-19 vaccination planning.
Finally, WHA ’s Kyle O’Brien, senior vice president, government relations; Jon Hoelter, director, federal and state relations; and Ann Zenk, vice president, workforce and clinical practice, provided an update on COVID-19 trends in the state, and WHA’s state and federal advocacy efforts.
Zenk noted that with COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations on the rise, WHA is working hard to ensure Wisconsin’s health care workforce is not hampered by issues such as unwieldy quarantine requirements for asymptomatic workers, and that state policies and processes support strategies needed to cope with coronavirus, such as licensure flexibility.