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Missourinet

Your source for Missouri News and Sports

You are here: Home / Archives for Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten

Missouri makes progress on building up its personal protective equipment supply

August 26, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

Missouri continues to work on its supply of personal protective equipment to help battle COVID-19. State Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten tells Missourinet the pricing for the gear is better than it used to be.

Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten (Photo courtesy of governor’s Flickr page)

“For example, the N95 masks that you’ve heard a lot of people talk about – in March and April timeframe, those were around $4 to $5 per mask. Now we’re getting them for 67 cents on up to 73 cents. It just varies,” she says.

The equipment, like masks, face shields, gowns and gloves, are used by Missouri’s first responders and healthcare workers.

The state gets daily shipments of the items – allowing Missouri to make regular deliveries to first responders and healthcare workers and to build up a stockpile.

“I feel better with where we are now compared to where we were earlier – at the beginning of this COVID, but we still have got a long way to go to get to the levels we need to have a sustained supply of PPE. I feel better but I wouldn’t say good yet,” Karsten says.

The Office of Administration will soon take over that equipment responsibility from the State Emergency Management Agency.

“It looks like we are going to be positioning ourselves for the next year to year and a half,” she says.

Karsten was at a State Emergency Management Agency warehouse this week in Jefferson City when 400,000 masks were being loaded and delivered to schools in St. Louis and St. Charles Counties.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Filed Under: Health / Medicine, News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten, Missouri Office of Administration, State Emergency Management Agency

Missouri Capitol dome and law enforcement memorial lit blue this weekend

May 1, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Motorists and pedestrians in downtown Jefferson City will see “blue skies” at night throughout the weekend. The Missouri Capitol dome and the nearby Law Enforcement Memorial will be lit blue through Sunday night.

The Missouri Capitol dome will be lit blue throughout the weekend in Jefferson City (April 30, 2020 photo courtesy of Governor Mike Parson’s Flickr page)

Governor Mike Parson has ordered the dome and the memorial to be lit blue, in honor of Missouri law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. The memorial is located on the Capitol’s north side, which is the Missouri River side. Two names were added to the memorial this year.

The deadly COVID-19 pandemic has forced the cancellation of this year’s annual candlelight vigil and Missouri Law Enforcement Memorial Service, which normally take place this weekend every year.

The governor notes members of the law enforcement memorial board organized a small ceremony that took place Thursday evening, on the Capitol’s north side.

“Each year, the Missouri Law Enforcement Memorial ceremonies bring comfort and strength to this state’s law enforcement community as they gather to remember our brave fallen,” Governor Parson said, in a statement. “While we miss the ceremonies this May, I have ordered the Capitol and the law enforcement memorial to shine blue to honor all of our law enforcement heroes who have paid the ultimate price. They will never be forgotten.”

Missouri Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Sandy Karsten says Missourians will “always remember those who lay down their lives for their fellow citizens.”

There were two names added to the memorial’s Wall of Honor this year, for those who died in the line of duty in 2019. Both deaths happened in June 2019, in the St. Louis area.

Governor Parson says Lakeshire Police Chief Wayne Niedenberg was driving home on June 6, 2019, when he saw a rollover crash. Chief Niedenberg radioed for assistance, and provided aid to the crash victims. The governor says the chief then suffered a fatal heart attack, after arriving at his home.

North County Police Cooperative Officer Michael Langsdorf was shot to death in the line of duty on June 23, 2019, after responding to investigate a call about a man trying to pass a bad check at a Wellston business. Governor Parson says that, during a struggle, the suspect pulled a handgun from his waistband and shot Officer Langsdorf to death.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Filed Under: Crime / Courts, News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: COVID-19, governor mike parson, Lakeshire Police Chief Wayne Niedenberg, Missouri Capitol dome in Jefferson City, Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten, Missouri Law Enforcement Memorial, North County Police Cooperative Officer Michael Langsdorf, Wellston

(VIDEO) Top takes from today’s COVID-19 briefing in Missouri

April 20, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

Gov. Mike Parson is freezing another $47 million in the current state budget to help Missouri fight the coronavirus. The largest chunks of funding being withheld are nearly $16 million to K-12 education and $7.1 million in school bus transportation costs. During today’s virtual briefing, Parson says the restrictions will be felt by seven other state agencies, the Attorney General’s Office and the Legislature.

Gov. Mike Parson (Photo courtesy of governor’s Flickr page)

“COVID-19 is unlike anything we have ever dealt with before, and like many families during this time, we are having to make adjustments and cut back on our state expenditures,” says Parson. “These are not easy decisions, but this is the right thing to do to ensure our budget is balanced and that we are financially prepared to deal with the impacts of COVID-19 going forward.”

To view the full list of funding restrictions, click here.

On April 1, Parson announced $180 million in budget withholds – more than $81 million was to the Missouri Department of Higher Education. Other agencies affected were the Missouri Office of Administration, Transportation, Economic Development and Natural Resources.

Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten (Photo courtesy of governor’s Flickr page)

Meanwhile, a vendor has given a refund to the state for an order of protective masks that did not fit correctly. The Columbia Daily Tribune reports Missouri paid $9 million in advance to NMS LLC of St. Louis to secure 3.9 million masks. Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten says discussions determined that the vendor remains committed to helping Missouri get more protective equipment to fight the coronavirus.

“During those talks, it became clear the vendor was no opposed to and never was opposed to refunding the state the deposit paid for the order,” says Karsten.

Karsten says the agreement resolves all refund issues with vendors used to get personal protective gear. She says the state will no longer be buying KN95 respirator masks.

More than 5,800 people have tested positive in Missouri for the coronavirus and 177 people have died as a result of the respiratory disease.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Filed Under: Business, Education, Health / Medicine, Legislature, News, Politics / Govt, Transportation Tagged With: coronavirus, COVID-19, governor mike parson, Missouri Attorney General’s Office, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten, Missouri Department of Transportation, Missouri legislature, Missouri Office of Administration, NMS LLC

Florissant hotel is Missouri’s first alternate care site for COVID-19; three patients there now

April 18, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s first alternate care site to assist St. Louis-area hospitals in treating COVID-19 patients has opened in north St. Louis County. A Florissant hotel has been converted into the care facility.

Missouri Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Sandy Karsten and Governor Mike Parson speak at a media briefing on April 17, 2020 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr)

Governor Mike Parson (R) announced on April 8 that Missouri was moving forward with the first alternate care site. Construction began last weekend. In response to a question from Missourinet at the governor’s Friday briefing in Jefferson City, state Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Sandy Karsten announced that it’s opened.

“Keep in mind why this site was constructed, and that was to assist the hospitals in the St. Louis area,” Karsten says. “And today, there are three patients at this alternate care site being cared for by the medical group from the 139th Missouri Air Wing.”

Governor Parson says since Missouri is under a federal disaster declaration, FEMA is paying 75 percent of construction costs and the costs of caring for the patients there.

The governor says that, if necessary, the Florissant site could accommodate more than 100 people and be used to house those who test positive for COVID-19 with mild or no symptoms. It could also be used to house those exposed to COVID-19 and identified and referred by health care professionals as requiring treatment but not hospitalization.

“This alternate care site, which will include medical staffing from the Missouri National Guard and SEMA’s Disaster Medical Assistance Team, can significantly increase their (Missouri hospitals) capacity by freeing up hospital beds for patients with more acute medical needs,” Parson said on April 8.

SEMA is the State Emergency Management Agency. SEMA and the Missouri National Guard are both part of DPS.

The Florissant site was chosen because it’s located in an area with the potential need for additional beds. Utilities were also available to begin immediate construction.

State Rep. Alan Green, D-Florissant, told Missourinet this week that the COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately impacting African-American communities, especially in pockets of north St. Louis County. Green says black residents are feeling a disproportionate impact of the disease.

State health officials say there are now 5,517 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Missouri, along with 175 deaths. The state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) announced the updated numbers on Saturday afternoon.

The deaths have increased by ten, from Friday’s number of 165.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Filed Under: Business, Health / Medicine, News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: 139th Missouri Air Wing, COVID-19, FEMA, Florissant, governor mike parson, Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten, Missouri's first alternate care site, State Department of Health and Senior Services, State Rep. Alan Green

Missouri auditor raises questions about faulty masks recalled by state

April 15, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

State Auditor Nicole Galloway wants more information about 48,000 defective masks recalled by the state.

State Auditor Nicole Galloway

During a briefing this week about the state’s COVID-19 response efforts, Missouri Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten announced the recall of the KN95 masks from China for not meeting testing standards. They were shipped to first responders around the state on April 2 and 8.

Galloway has sent a letter to Karsten asking for information about the ordering, purchase and funding of the masks. She is also questioning whether other masks delivered by the state might not meet standards and what plans the department has to get its money back for the masks that did not meet standards.

“As our state faces this unprecedented challenge, the safety of our first responders should be our first priority,” Galloway says in a press release. “I am committed to making certain those on the frontlines of this health emergency are protected while ensuring Missourians’ tax dollars are safeguarded.”

The state auditor copied Gov. Mike Parson and other officials in the letter. Galloway, a Democrat, is running for governor.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Filed Under: Health / Medicine, Legislature, News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: governor mike parson, Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten, Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway

(VIDEO) Highlights from today’s COVID-19 briefing in Missouri

April 13, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

At least 114 people have died and 4,388 have tested positive for the coronavirus in Missouri. Two of the most recent deaths include in western Missouri’s Bates County and northern Missouri’s Linn County.

Gov. Mike Parson

During today’s Capitol briefing, Gov. Mike Parson said Missouri’s first makeshift hospital will begin taking coronavirus patients Tuesday. The former Quality Inn hotel in the St. Louis suburb of Florissant can serve more than 100 patients. The temporary care site is the first one in Missouri and the nation.

St. Louis and St. Louis County have consistently made up about half of Missouri’s total positive cases.

State Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten says National Guard members, emergency management employees, public health workers, and others have been working for the past few days to convert the location.

“We are facing an unprecedented challenge,” says Karsten. “And this was an unprecedented rapid response to support our medical personnel and potentially save lives.”

Karsten says the National Guard’s 139th Air Wing and the State Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Medical Assistance Team are providing the medical staffing.

The State Emergency Management Agency is recalling 48,000 KN95 masks used in the fight against the coronavirus. Karsten says the masks were delivered to first responders statewide on April 2 and 8.

“Testing over the weekend by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services showed that some of these masks did not meet standards,” says Karsten.

Karsten says first responders should immediately pull the masks out of circulation and make sure the items are not used. The State Emergency Management Agency will be collecting the masks.

“We put out the specifications for the vendors. We also check references and we ask for samples. In some cases when samples cannot be provided, we ask for photographs of the product that is to be produced. Now since our experience over the weekend, we are establishing a working group to look into this more closely.”

Missouri has about 2,000 ventilators available among its roughly 150 hospitals to help patients suffering from the coronavirus. State Health and Senior Services Director Randall Williams says he watches daily the number of ventilators being used in Missouri.

“Every day we’re using about 1,000 of them – 1,100. So at this point, we’re encouraged as we think about surge that at this point we are equipped, even in areas that have more concentration, like St. Louis, to meet that surge capacity,” says Williams.

Of the state’s roughly 10,800 hospital beds, about 4,100 are available.

President Donald Trump says he has the authority – not governors – to lift any social distancing orders at the state level. Gov. Parson, a fellow Republican, says the president “well knows” what the authorities of the states are and what the president’s are.

“I think he, like all of us, are anxious to get the economy back on its feet, moving forward. And I think that’s what he cares about when he says things like that,” says Parson.

The coronavirus crisis has led to many business closures and mass layoffs.

“The president is going to work with us governors. He’s proven that time and time again,” says Parson.

During a briefing Monday, Trump said numerous provisions of the Constitution give him such authority but did not name them.

View today’s briefing below.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Filed Under: Health / Medicine, Legislature, News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: coronavirus, COVID-19, governor mike parson, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten, Missouri National Guard 139th Air Wing, President Donald Trump, State Emergency Management Agency, State Health and Senior Services Director Randall Williams, tate Emergency Management Agency Disaster Medical Assistance Team

(VIDEO) Key points from today’s COVID-19 briefing in Missouri

April 10, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

At least 96 people have died in Missouri from the coronavirus. The latest state data shows nearly 3,800 people have tested positive for the respiratory virus.

Gov. Mike Parson (Photo courtesy of Governor’s Flickr page)

During today’s briefing about COVID-19, Gov. Mike Parson says he has signed into law a coronavirus relief package. The plan, passed this week by the Missouri Legislature, gives the governor up to $6.2 billion in spending power. It takes into account nearly $6 billion in federal aid but whether Missouri ends up getting that much is still up in the air.

The plan includes:

  • $1.5 billion in federal funds to local governments
  • $600 million for temporary hospital sites
  • $150 million for personal protective equipment
  • $100 million for hotel rooms that doctors and nurses can stay in to prevent their families from getting sick
  • $90 million for nursing homes
  • $40 million for food banks and Meals on Wheels
  • $20 million in childcare funding to help keep daycares afloat
  • $20 million in block grants for quarantine and treatment facilities, testing and diagnoses and delivering meals to quarantined individuals
  • $11 million for continued activation of the Missouri National Guard

Parson announced today that he has launched an advisory work group to study the state’s greatest use of the funding. State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick will head the panel.

State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick (Photo courtesy of Governor’s Flickr page)

“As we all adapt and respond to these unprecedented times, we need to make sure these dollars are put to work and put to work in the best way for Missouri to get back on its feet, put the economy back to work and get Missouri families moving forward again,” says Fitzpatrick.

Missouri Public Safety Department Director Sandy Karsten says the state is delivering more than 96,000 surgical masks to front line workers. The state is expecting another 41,000 face shields and 41,000 other shields to arrive today and through the weekend. She says about 3.5 million surgical masks are expected to be delivered to Missouri next week. Karsten says shipments are also starting to come in from Missouri businesses who have been working to make these items for the state’s response efforts.

Some states have reported being outbid by the federal government for medical equipment, like ventilators, surgical masks, N95 respirator masks and gowns. Sometimes it’s the Federal Emergency Management Agency coming in and buying all the supplies from under them. Neighboring Kentucky, Colorado, and Massachusetts have reported FEMA swooping in and outbidding them.

Missouri Public Safety Department Director Sandy Karsten (Photo courtesy of Governor’s Flickr page)

“Never again will I be dependent totally on foreign countries or companies outside the state of Missouri. We’ve got too many opportunities in this state – too many good people. And next time we’re going to be prepared with our own state companies to take care of Missourians and not be dependent on other states and other countries to meet our needs,” says Parson.

Missourians who are overdue on child support and qualify for a stimulus payment might not end up reaping the benefits. Under the plan, Americans who make $75,000 or less a year would get a check for $1,200 – $2,400 for married couples – plus $500 per kid.

“It’s pretty simple for me – if you owe for your children, you need to pay for your kids. They should be a priority of yourselves,” says the governor. “If there’s an opportunity to take that money and make sure we get it to those kids where they need it, by all means we’ll be taking it.”

Ahead of Easter Sunday, today’s briefing also included a chunk of time devoted to observing the religious holiday.

The full video of today’s briefing is below.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: coronavirus, COVID-19, FEMA, governor mike parson, Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten, Missouri legislature, State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick

(VIDEO) Summary of today’s press briefing about coronavirus in Missouri

March 31, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

Gov. Mike Parson announced today that more than 1,300 people have tested positive for the coronavirus and fourteen people have died. Some 15,600 people have been tested for the respiratory disease.

Gov. Mike Parson (Photos courtesy of Parson’s Flickr page)

Parson opened up the briefing by mentioning that state and federal officials are looking at several potential temporary hospital sites around the state to care for coronavirus patients if needed. Parson says they have three main questions in mind.

“Including located in areas with the possibility of deficient bed counts, areas large enough for patient population and areas where utilities are available to start immediate construction if necessary,” says Parson.

Potential sites include the Kemper Arena and Independence Event Center in Kansas City, Hearnes Center in Columbia, the Edward Jones Dome and America’s Center in St. Louis, the Show-Me Center in Cape Girardeau, Hammons Student Center and JQH Arena in Springfield and Missouri Southern State University’s Leggett and Platt Athletic Center in Joplin.

Missouri’s website to file unemployment claims apparently crashed after too many people were trying to submit claims. Parson says the problem has been fixed but the office continues to be flooded with calls and claims.

“There’s just thousands upon thousands of people trying to reach that office every day,” says Parson. “And we’re doing everything we can to process those claims and we’ll continue to do that. We’ve got people working around the clock over there and again, these are just things that’s never happened before and we’ve just got to work through them.”

For the week ending March 21, more than 42,000 unemployment claims were filed, up from nearly 4,000 filed the previous week.

State Auditor Nicole Galloway is calling on the governor to issue a statewide stay-at-home order to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. Galloway, a Democrat running for governor, says public health experts, organizations representing healthcare workers, business and faith leaders, local governments and others have urged Parson to issue the order. Parson responded to Galloway’s call.

Missouri Department of Natural Resources Director Carol Comer

“I would say the state auditor needs to worry about being the state auditor right now,” says Parson. “All of us elected officials right now need to have one thing in mind – it’s what do we do to help with the COVID-19 situation. This is not the time to play politics out of this issue and try to figure out who gets one up. There will be plenty of time for that down the road. Plenty of time, but today is not the time.”

To address overcrowding and social distancing problems over the weekend, state Department of Natural Resources Director Carol Comer says Missouri is temporarily closing four state parks and partially closing another one.

The state parks closing are Castlewood, Elephant Rocks, Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site and Park, and Weston Bend. St. Joe State Park will close the off-road vehicle riding area. The changes take effect at 5 p.m. on Thursday and are scheduled to continue until April 30.

Missouri Department of Corrections Director Anne Precythe

At the time of the press conference, Missouri Department of Corrections Director Anne Precythe says there are no positive cases within the prison system. She says a prisoner who previously tested positive for COVID-19 has since tested negative twice. He remains in the hospital for other health problems.

Two staff who do not work in a prison have tested positive. Eighteen inmates have been tested. Thirteen have tested negative. Four are pending and the other one is the case that is now negative.

The toilet paper craze has led the TP factory within the former Crossroads Correctional Center in northwest Missouri’s Cameron to boost its hours of operation. Precythe says the factory has ramped up production by 20%.

“Increasing hours of run time by adding an additional shift, has allowed us to manufacture approximately 3,500 cases of tissue each week,” says Precythe.

Each case contains 96 rolls of tissue. Government agencies and nonprofits can buy the TP through Missouri Vocational Enterprises.

The Jefferson City Correctional Center in mid Missouri is making 4,000 protective gowns.

“The Veterans Commission reached out to us with the need for protective gowns,” says Precythe. “Our clothing plant in Jefferson City created a prototype, which has been approved.”

Missouri’s seven veterans homes are in Cameron, Cape Girardeau, Mexico, Mount Vernon, St. James, St. Louis and Warrensburg.

Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten

Keeping social distance during severe weather could be complicated. The tornado shelter director in southern Missouri’s Houston, Glenn McKinney, reached out to Missourinet this week, to say he hadn’t received any direction from the state about how to strike that balance. At today’s press briefing, state Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten says the number one priority is to take shelter.

“I know it has to be on the minds of many Missourians as we face severe weather forecasts and certainly watch what has happened in our neighboring states,” says Karsten. “In the situation of tornado safe rooms, we would ask that you also have a plan in which you consider the social distancing – the no more than 10 people and six feet apart. We understand that that may be difficult in certain situations.”

Missourians can take shelter and also protect themselves from coronavirus germs by covering their face, eyes and body.

Watch today’s press briefing below.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Filed Under: Business, Entertainment, Health / Medicine, Legislature, Military, News, Outdoors, Politics / Govt, Weather Tagged With: governor mike parson, Missouri Department of Corrections Director Anne Precythe, Missouri Department of Natural Resources Director Carol Comer, Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten, State Auditor Nicole Galloway

Key takeaways from today’s COVID-19 press briefing

March 19, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

Gov. Mike Parson is holding daily press briefings to get the word out about how the state is dealing with COVID-19. Several cabinet members joined him. Here’s what they had to say:

Gov. Mike Parson

There have been 28 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus. One of those patients – from mid-Missouri’s Boone County – died Wednesday from the respiratory disease.

Parson opened up today’s briefing by saying he is not ready to order businesses to close. He pointed to the diversity within Missouri’s urban and rural communities.

“Making a decision like that is much easier said than done,” says Parson. “I don’t think it’s the right thing to do at this time. There is a lot more that goes into the decision than simply just telling businesses to close their doors. That being said, this is not a decision we are taking lightly.”

Parson says the state is reviewing whether Missouri will speed up the process to get benefits to unemployed workers affected by the coronavirus. He expects thousands of Missourians to lose their jobs due to consequences of the respiratory virus.

Department of Labor Director Anna Hui says the state’s Shared Work program is an alternative for businesses facing a decline of 20% to 40% in available work.

Missouri Department of Labor Director Anna Hui

“For the hours that they actually work, then they are paid at their regular rate,” she says. “For the hours they are no longer working, they will then be able to collect unemployment insurance for that day. This program, in particular, helps to lower the immediate impact on the unemployment insurance trust fund. It also allows for employees to be paid at a higher rate.”

Benefits are available up to 52 weeks.

As for state workers, Parson says state government must still function. However, departments are taking precautions to ensure the health and safety of employees.

The Missouri House has passed a plan that would include $33 million in emergency federal funds during the current state budget year to handle the coronavirus outbreak. The governor’s state emergency declaration freed up another $7 million in state funding elsewhere in the current budget. Several Democrats say the amount is not enough and Republicans think it is but say lawmakers could add more money later if necessary. The plan heads to the Senate, which is on break until at least March 30.

Governor Parson says he’ll be meeting with House and Senate leaders soon to discuss the budget.

“We’re going to all have to rethink the budget process this year about where we are financially. But this is a lot more than COVID-19. This is thousands of people losing their jobs. This is businesses closing down. There’s a lot of things that are going to be at stake. For me as governor, I want it to be about as wide open as we can make it to deal with COVID-19,” says Parson.

MO HealthNet Director Todd Richardson

Through the end of the federal emergency declaration, the Missouri Department of Social Services will not remove patients from Medicaid unless they ask to have their coverage stopped or move out of state. MO Healthnet Director Todd Richardson says the move is consistent with a federal coronavirus response plan passed by Congress this week.

“Additionally, Missouri HealthNet will be extending 90 days of coverage to Missourians age 19 to 64 who meet the income and resource requirements to the current program and test positive for coronavirus 19,” says Richardson.

Richardson, a former speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives, says Missourians who are on Medicaid will not be charged copays for coronavirus testing. The state has also relaxed early refill policies to allow those on Medicaid to more easily get their prescriptions.

Missouri will be asking the federal government to let the state streamline some requirements for healthcare providers responding to the coronavirus. Richardson says the changes involve prior authorization requirements, enrollment, licensing and revalidation of providers.

“As well as removing restrictions as necessary on the number of beds and length of stays that can happen at a critical access hospital,” says Richardson. “It will also give our providers the flexibility to provide care in alternative settings.”

To enable health providers to serve Medicaid patients, the state is fast-tracking new provider enrollment applications and waiving requirements like application fees and on-site visits.

For 90 days, the state is also waiving all food stamp work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents.

Child Care subsidy benefits have been extended for 90 days. The Child Care Subsidy program will work on a case-by-case basis to approve additional hours of care for families affected by COVID-19. Child Care Subsidy provider application renewals are extended for 90 days.

Missouri Department of Public Safety workers are organizing personal protective gear for health providers and first responders on the front lines. So far, 27 hospitals and 44 emergency management service agencies have requested the equipment. Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten says the state will get the supplies to first responders after more comes in next week.

All of Missouri’s K-12 public and charter schools have closed. Parson did not order them to shutter – locals school leaders made the decision. The governor has defended his decision many times since day one as being a local control issue.

Missouri prison inmates will also be doing their part. They will be making hand sanitizer to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Parson says they will produce more than 2,400 gallons of sanitizer every two days.

Listen to the full briefing below:

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Filed Under: Business, Education, Health / Medicine, Legislature, News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: coronavirus, COVID-19, governor mike parson, missouri department of labor director anna hui, Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten, Missouri Medicaid Director Todd Richardson

Missouri now has 24 confirmed cases of coronavirus; first death is in Columbia area

March 19, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s governor announced Wednesday evening in Jefferson City that there are now 24 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state, and says the first recorded death has happened in the Columbia area.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson addresses Capitol reporters in Jefferson City, after he declared a state of emergency in Missouri for coronavirus (March 13, 2020 file photo courtesy of the Governor’s office)

Governor Mike Parson held two Statehouse press conferences on Wednesday. He held the first one in the afternoon, where he was joined by Columbia Mayor Brian Treece about the death. Mayor Treece says the death involves the patient who tested positive Tuesday for coronavirus, and that it’s a travel-related case.

The governor is urging you to wash your hands and to follow the advice of health professionals.

“If the people of Missouri want to protect themselves and protect their families and their loved ones, it will be through social distancing and using common sense, and taking on personal responsibilities,” Parson says.

Parson spoke at a Wednesday evening press conference outside his Capitol office, where he was joined by state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Director Dr. Randall Williams, State Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Sandy Karsten, State Department of Economic Development (DED) Director Rob Dixon and other officials.

Governor Parson has signed an executive order, authorizing state agencies to waive regulations that interfere with Missouri’s coronavirus response. Parson says the order also expands telemedicine.

Director Karsten has announced that DPS and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) are working to get hundreds of thousands of pieces of personal protective equipment to local law enforcement officers and other first responders.

She emphasizes the importance of equipment like masks and gowns.

“We expect the first orders of that to arrive March 24, and we’re already making plans to distribute those pieces to our partners,” says Karsten.

Karsten tells reporters her office is responding to requests from hospitals and first responders, adding the equipment will come from the National Strategic Stockpile.

Governor Parson and Mayor Treece note that the Columbia-area first responders who made contact with the coronavirus patient who died were wearing proper equipment.

The governor also discussed the economy on Wednesday evening. He is warning that thousands of Missourians will lose their jobs because of coronavirus, and says his top priorities continue to be public health and public safety.

Missourinet asked Governor Parson if he’ll need to tap into the state’s Rainy Day Fund.

“I am not worried about the funding source of it right now, to be honest about it,” Parson says. “I believe we will have the money, we’ll put the money wherever it needs to be. It’s going to be tremendously expensive to get through this next year or two, however long it might be.”

The governor also emphasizes he put $100 million into the state budget for emergencies, saying that will help.

Thousands of Missouri autoworkers at the General Motors and Ford plants in Wentzville and Claycomo will be heading home soon, as the plants close temporarily over coronavirus concerns.

Director Dixon tells Missourinet the Big Three automakers and the UAW reached an agreement, to do that.

Governor Parson’s next scheduled press conference about the coronavirus is set for Thursday afternoon at 3 at the Capitol.

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Filed Under: Business, Health / Medicine, News, Politics / Govt, Transportation Tagged With: Columbia, Columbia Mayor Brian Treece, coronavirus, Ford Claycomo plant, governor mike parson, Missouri Department of Economic Development Director Rob Dixon, Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten, Wentzville GM plant



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