COVID-19 FAQs

Facilities in Fort Bend

1. What are the State run facilities in Fort Bend? Richmond State Supported Living Center (RSSLC) is the only State supported living center in Fort Bend County.
2. What is the number of private facilities are in Fort Bend?

COUNTY ROLE IN INVESTIGATIONS

3. What are State guidelines/procedures for how the county oversees these facilities? The State of Texas Health & Human Services Commission (HHSC) regulates all long-term care facilities. Information can be found here: https://hhs.texas.gov/doing-business-hhs/licensing-credentialing-regulation
4. Specially, how is HHS carrying out investigations? What are they looking for? After a physician, hospital, or long-term care facility reports a case of an infectious disease at a specific facility to the Fort Bend County Health & Human Services department, the Health and Human Services department starts an epidemiological investigation to identify close contacts who may be at risk of exposure. Close contacts may include: family members, co-workers, emergency responders, and other contacts. Additionally, Fort Bend County Health & Human Services department works with other facilities to ensure that they have implemented the latest recommended guidance related to COVID-19 prevention and control for residents and staff. Particular measures taken for all long term care facilities include, but are not limited to:
   • Safety Pre-Cautions:
     • No visitation policies
     • Staff temperature and symptom checking before and after shifts
     • Residents temperature and/or oxygen saturation measures daily
     • Testing of patients with symptoms of COVID-19
     • Exclusion of high risk exposed staff from the facility for 14 days
   • Re-assessment of Patients’ Treatment Plans:
     • Referral of patients needing a higher level of care to the appropriate medical facility
     • Cohorting (grouping) of patients with COVID-19 and cohorting the staff who care for them
     • Isolation of residents who have tested positive away from the other residents
   • Re-assessment of Activities of Daily Living:
     • Temporary suspension of group eating and all social group gatherings
5. Expected length of investigations? The length of an epidemiological investigation varies on the number of people that are found positive.
6. Differences in investigations for state or private facilities? There is no difference in investigations for state or private facilities.

INVESTIGATION INFORMATION REPORTING

7. What data can the public/media get now? We are aware of Four (4) facilities that have reported positive cases. For public facilities, once the investigation is completed, the patients & their families are notified and then the Health and Human Services department will release more information related to the investigation if needed. The contact for state operated facilities is: RSSLC: Christine.Mann@hhsc.state.tx.us For private facilities, the recommendation is to contact the facility’s main number.
8. What is HHS procedure for reporting its investigations to the state? Long Term Care Facility Investigations are reported to the State only when additional resources or regulatory action may be needed. If the investigation is at a State run facility, we collaborate with the State to complete the investigation.

COVID-19 TESTING

9. Where can I go if I do not want to go to the county testing site? A person should call their primary care physician (PCP) if they are concerned that they may be ill with COVID-19. The PCP will help decide whether you need COVID-19 testing.  Many local pharmacies in Fort Bend County also provide no cost COVID-19 testing.
10. How are the testing numbers collected?
    1. The testing numbers displayed in the Response Hub are reflective of only the county-supported sites.
    2. People who get tested through a hospital, urgent care system, or a physician’s office, are not counted in the testing number total.
    3. Private testing sites are not required to report how many tests they have performed to local public health departments.
    4. Additionally, physicians, hospitals, and laboratories are not required to report the number of tests or negative test results of any infectious disease to health departments.
11. How is the case data on the Response Hub compiled?
    1. State law requires laboratories, hospitals, and health professionals to report positive test results of COVID-19 to the Texas Department of Health State Services (DSHS) or the local health department. If a positive test results goes directly to DSHS, they report it to the local health. If a positive test result goes directly to the health department, the health department will report it to DSHS.
    2. Once the local health department receives a report of a positive case, epidemiologists start an epidemiological investigation to identify close contacts who may be at risk of exposure. Close contacts may include family members, co-workers, emergency responders, teachers, classmates and other contacts.