Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Medical Emergency Services Managed in Hospital Emergency Departments During COVID-19 Pandemic

Illinois hospitals work closely with Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA) rape crisis centers across the state to provide trauma-informed care and treatment for sexual assault survivors pursuant to the Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment Act (SASETA), 410 ILCCS 70. Hospitals also play an integral part in delivering treatment and care for domestic violence survivors. In order to reassure survivors that hospital emergency departments (EDs) are safe, equipped, and ready to provide treatment for sexual assault and domestic violence during the COVID-19 outbreak, the Illinois Department of Public Health, in consultation with ICASA, the Illinois Health and Hospital Association, and the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, offers the following guidance.

Illinois Hospitals Are Ready and Safe for Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Survivors to Receive Medical Care

Sexual assault and domestic violence survivors come to hospitals to seek important medical and forensic care in their most vulnerable moments. During these tumultuous times, it is imperative that survivors know hospitals remain committed to providing these essential services to survivors who seek them. Hospitals work in collaboration with Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault rape crisis centers, the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and other advocacy organizations to assist survivors.

On May 29, Gov. JB Pritzker signed Executive Order 36 – Restoring Illinois – Protecting Our Communities – to safely and conscientiously resume activities that were paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While continuing to protect communities, the Governor’s action is part of the Restore Illinois plan and is designed to reopen the state’s economy and begin to repair the economic damage brought on by the pandemic.  For more information, see below.

Q: Does the latest Executive Order mean the stay at home mandate is over?

A: Yes.  However, when outside your residence you must always and as reasonably possible maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people who do not live with you. Keeping space between you and others is one of the best tools to avoiding being exposed to the virus.

Practice Social Distancing

Pursuant to Executive Order 2020-32 (Stay at Home Order), your employer must comply, to the greatest extent feasible, with social distancing requirements. This means that your employer should:

How to leave COVID-19 behind when you come home

CDC states that COVID-19 is typically transmitted through respiratory droplets. Providing patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic means you and your family are at risk for exposure. The ideas or recommendations below, are compiled from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance and describes how to limit the risk to your family as you return home at the end of your workday.

Provisional EMS Certificates are NOT an IDPH State License. This is only an EMS System approval recognized by the state

Who is eligible for a Provisional EMS Certificate?

EMS whose licenses have been expired for less than 60 months as of 3/23/2020 and based on the EMSMD recommendation;

Due to rising cases of COVID-19 the Illinois Department of Public Health will be cancelling all Ambulance Inspection appointments for the month of May. At the end of the May the department will re-evaluate if department ambulance inspection cancelations will continue.

Providers, if your ambulance was due to be inspected (ie: annual ambulance inspection, new ambulance, vehicle was OOS and going back into service, etc .. ) you'll need to self-inspect your own vehicles and send those inspections to an IDPH ambulance inspector.

Inspections need to be e-mailed accordingly:

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Trauma Nurse Specialist course availability combined with hospital travel restrictions may impact TNS staffing at Illinois Trauma Centers. The Illinois Department of Public Health is announcing a temporary waiver for TNS staffing. The waiver is in effect until May 31, 2020 when it will automatically expire, without further notice. Prior to the May 31, 2020 expiration, the situation will be re-evaluated.

This temporary waiver shall only be implemented as a last resort, and only after all reasonable measures have been exhausted to remain compliant with TNS staffing for Illinois Trauma Centers. This waiver shall not be construed as approval to disregard TNS staffing requirements. Compliance is the expectation.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Illinois Department of Public Health is announcing a special statewide extension of EMS Licenses. For those EMS licenses due to renew in March, April, and May, the licenses will be extended to a renewal date of June 30, 2020. It is the Department's goal to provide this extension to allow EMS personnel to focus on the global pandemic and the safety and well-being of the Illinois community.

EMS licenses impacted by this extension include: EMT, A-EMT, EMT-I, Paramedic, TNS, ECRN, EMD, PHRN, LI, EMR, Transport Vehicles, Non-Transport Vehicles, Ambulance Assist Vehicles, and Emergency Medical Dispatch Agencies.

As the COVID-19 situation develops further, the department will keep you up to date with the most current information we have available. Thank you for your continued support to EMS and stay safe.

As Illinois is now in a state of emergency and the COVID-19 response escalates, there may be requests for variations to the EMS rules and regulations in order to meet the high demand of patient requests.

In addition, many EMS providers may see many of their personnel now on quarantine or isolation due to exposures. Considering this, EMS Systems should submit the following information whenever requesting any waiver for any EMS rule or requirement: