100 Million Mask Challenge - Communities
I want to help … what can I do?
During this time of crisis, we are truly seeing the strength and spirit of our communities. The response from individuals across the country has been overwhelming. We are grateful to the many individuals who have offered their time, energy and resources to support hospitals, health systems and our health care work force.
We appreciate all of your efforts and encourage you to visit the websites and social media accounts of your local hospitals and health systems to determine what needs exist and how you can best support them. At this time, hospitals and health systems have a variety of needs:
- Donations of PPE
- Donations of Supplies (disinfectants, wipes, etc.)
- Monetary Donations
Protect the Heroes
The AHA has partnered with The Creative Coalition and the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy to launch the “Protect the Heroes” campaign, which allows the general public to make direct monetary donations to America’s hospitals and health systems. Every dollar raised from Protect the Heroes goes directly to the donor’s choice of local hospital or health system to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) and other support for their local organizations to fight COVID-19.
Individuals can visit www.ProtectTheHeroes.org and, with a single click, be connected to the website of a local hospital of their choosing and contribute to hospital emergency relief funds. Each hospital will determine where funds should be applied to make an important difference during this unprecedented time.
Other ways to help . . .
Our nation has come together with a desire to respond and meet the needs of our friends, families and communities. We invite you to support the many COVID-19 response efforts underway including:
- Monitor the needs of your own hospital and health system
- Review the guidance and outreach of local and state health departments, including guidance on the importance of wearing a mask, physical distancing and washing your hands
- Support the efforts of social services organizations like the American Red Cross, United Way, local food banks and variety of other service clubs in your community
Many other community organizations are providing COVOID-19 related resources and services.
CDC Guidance: Continue Taking Precautions to Protect Yourself
Given increasing evidence that infected individuals without symptoms can spread COVID-19, the CDC has put out important guidance to the public in the battle to reduce the spread of the disease.
In all cases where these masks are used, individuals should continue to protect themselves appropriately from the virus, which includes social distancing, limiting time with others, avoiding touching your face and handwashing, recommended by the CDC.
As organizations representing health care professionals and caregivers, we call on the public to be mindful of the need to ensure N95 respirators and medical grade face masks remain prioritized for—doctors, nurses and other front line caregivers and workers—and individual community members should use non-medical reusable masks, instead, as the CDC suggests.
Resources
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If you would like to make a mask, below are some resources that you may find useful.
CDC
- As CDC guidance on cloth face masks has evolved they have made the following patterns and instructions available.
Atlantic Health
Atrium Health
Children's Wisconsin
Deaconess Health System Pattern & Video Tutorial
Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin
Hendrick Health
Hingham Mask Pattern & Video Tutorial
Lehigh Valley Health Network
North Memorial Health
Operation We Can Sew
Pocket Pediatrician
Phoebe Health
Providence Pattern & Video Tutorials
For community mask makers interested in connecting with local hospitals and health systems consider these steps.
In the event that they are not needed, these masks can be used by you, your family and friends in your community. They can also be distributed to other facilities, such as homeless shelters or to support essential workers at grocery stores or food delivery services.
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Ensuring the safety and well-being of our health care workforce is a key priority for our nation’s hospitals and health systems. In addition to a national shortage of protective equipment (PPE) there are also workforce shortage issues related to COVID-19. AHA is expanding our 100 Million Mask Challenge to support the state, regional and metro hospital associations as they assist hospitals both locally and across their states address growing workforce shortages.
This platform and effort is not intended to replace any state or local efforts but to complement and augment existing efforts to identify health care workers and volunteers who may be interested in returning to or joining the workforce to help with the COVID-19 crisis.
Nationwide our members and the hospital associations are facing an emergent issue of workforce supply in “hot spots.” Certain regions are in urgent need of additional providers today, while other areas are preparing for the surge over the next weeks. Some localities have begun a process to call up volunteers and have successfully worked with their state government to match volunteers to hospitals.
This effort will evolve, and as such the website will be updated to provide the latest information we have. We encourage you to provide feedback, share resources and identify strategies to address the workforce needs to combat the pandemic.
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Workforce and Staffing Support Options During COVID-19 Surge PDF
As the rates of COVID-19 continue to rise in certain areas across the country, the need for greater coordination and even an expanded health care workforce may become critical. There are several organizations with the interest and the capacity to help partner with hospitals and health systems to be part of the solution. Include below, please find several organizations that each offer a unique approach – and even complimentary services and expertise - to supporting the field through the pandemic.
COVID Staffing Project
The COVID Staffing Project unites collaborators from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Michigan Medicine’s Center for Surgical Training and Research (C-STAR) and Department of Learning Health Sciences, and the Procedural Learning and Safety Collaborative (PLSC). They share a common goal of creating a toolkit that supports hospitals of all sizes in projecting their frontline workforce needs as patient demand and staff availability evolve during the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID Staffing Collaborative
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Workforce and Staffing Support Options During COVID-19 Surge PDF
We are aware of the following efforts seeking volunteers to help. If you are interested in helping or learning more please visit the following sites for more information. If you are a state or locality looking to add your information to this list please contact us at mfenwick@aha.org.
State-Specific Efforts
Connecticut
Florida
Florida Hospital Association (FHA)
Aya Healthcare, in partnership with FHA's endorsed staffing company Qualivis, has enacted an emergency preparedness and rapid response staffing unit to assist facilities in planning and caring for increased patient census and/or low core staff availability due to COVID-19. Contact covidresponse@fha.org for additional information.
Idaho
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Online registration system for public health, health care and emergency response volunteers
Michigan
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
North Carolina
Oregon
South Carolina
Tennessee
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Don’t see your state’s volunteer efforts listed above? Please share information and resources for us to add by emailing mfenwick@aha.org.
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Missouri Hospital Association
A Framework For Managing The 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic Response
Ohio Department of Health
Center for Health Workforce Studies
Workforce Strategies in Response to the Pandemic
New Jersey Hospital Association
Healthcare Provider COVID-19 Staffing Resource Toolkit
New Mexico Department of Health
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Webinar: Pandemic Surge Staffing: Insights from the Front Lines in N.Y.
Hear from nurse leaders from across the state of New York who are in various stages of planning and implementing surge staffing.
Webinar: Leading Through COVID-19: Nurse Executive Perspectives
Learn from two California nurse executives about how they are leading their organizations' COVID-19 preparedness and response efforts.
Workforce Social Needs
Even in normal circumstances, working in health care delivery is hard, stressful and tiring work; COVID-19 makes it especially exhausting physically and mentally. Here are some ways we can help care for and support our health care heroes.
Please read and review the information provided on this website before reaching out due to the large volume of inquiries. If you still have questions please call 800-424-4301 or click on the link below to fill out the form and we will get back to you as soon as we are able.Thank you!
The American Hospital Association (AHA) is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of the specifications and guidance provided above (the Information). The Information was obtained from hospitals, health systems and other third parties, and was not developed by the AHA. The AHA is providing the Information for informational purposes and has not independently, tested, confirmed or verified the Information. Any use of the Information is at the user’s own risk. The AHA is not a health care provider, and it does not actively monitor or approve any Information on this site and are not responsible or liable for verifying the accuracy of the Information. The AHA provides this Information and these materials on an “as is” basis, with no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, including with respect to accuracy, completeness, quality, non-infringement, merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. AHA and its affiliates, will not be liable for any damages of any kind arising from the use of, or reliance on, any Information made available to you by AHA.