Resident & Staff Testing at JAA

Friday, June 26, 2020

 

The Pennsylvania Department of Health has mandated that all PA skilled nursing facilities’ residents and staff test for COVID-19 by Friday, July 24. This includes JAA’s Charles Morris Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.

JAA has been working with several different resources to get this mandatory baseline testing completed.  Most Charles Morris residents and some staff have been able to complete free testing on JAA’s campus through a collaboration with the Squirrel Hill Health Center (SHHC), administering tests on behalf of the Allegheny County Health Department. As of Thursday, June 25, results from tests of all residents and staff through the SHHC have been negative.

We are so grateful for the opportunity to have these services on our campus and thank the County and the SHHC for this testing support.

Late today, the Department of Health issued a new mandate that similar baseline testing be conducted by August 30th for all residents and staff of Personal Care and Assisted Living Facilities.  All remaining staff and residents of Charles Morris, Weinberg Terrace, Weinberg Village and AHAVA, will continue to have options available to complete this testing.

In addition to on-site testing through the SHHC collaboration, we will also be offering free on-site testing on July 16th through CVS pharmacies. The state Department of Health has contracted with CVS to assist with nursing home mandatory testing.

Another resource that remains available is free testing through the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) with 35 sites located across the county.  Staff have been provided with choices of convenient locations, dates and times for this testing.

JAA  fully expects to meet the requirements of the Department of Health’s mandates and is thankful to have a variety of testing options to assist with this important initiative.   Should any positive cases arise, we will continue to provide timely, transparent communication.