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SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom today issued an executive order to help increase the availability of CLIA-waived COVID-19 testing and address a variety of issues in response to the pandemic.
The order allows the California Department of Consumer Affairs, in consultation with the California Department of Public Health, to issue waivers permitting pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to conduct CLIA-waived COVID-19 tests, which detect the presence of the virus.
The order also enables certain adoption paperwork to be completed remotely, and for birth parents known or suspected to be COVID-19 positive, waives the requirement that relinquishment for adoption and other acts related to the process occur in-person.
The order increases the income-eligibility threshold for the Community Service Block Grant program to support economic and community development efforts in response to the pandemic, and waives certain requirements under state law so that additional Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funding made available under the CARES Act can be used to maximize direct assistance to Californians most in need.
In addition, the order waives a time limit to allow individuals to continue receiving California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) benefits; permits the Franchise Tax Board to share tax return information with the Department of Social Services, to inform individuals of CARES Act “Recovery Rebates” available to them; and increases the health care capacity of home health agencies and pediatric day health and respite care facilities.
The text of the Governor’s executive order can be found here and a copy can be found here.
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