These days, WAA and other disability advocacy organizations regularly get asked about whether unpaid in-home caregivers (usually family members) qualify for vaccine priority. Absent any contrary written guidance from DOH, our position is that the Department of Health’s (DOH) written guidance for Vaccine phase 1A/tier 2 currently includes many in-home unpaid and volunteer caregivers and companions of significantly disabled ID/DD individuals. 

In particular, the DOH guidance, linked here, top of page 4 says:

"We specifically use the terminology ‘workers in health care settings’ and not ‘health care workers,’ because health agencies should consider the full spectrum of workers who might fit these conditions. Health care agencies should consider all types of staff (e.g., contracted, part-time, unpaid/volunteer) and the spectrum of staff who provide services (e.g., ambulatory, direct patient care, support services). ACIP provides similar guidance regarding defining healthcare personnel..."

Phase 1A tier 2 guidance also clarifies that  “home healthcare” qualifies as a “healthcare setting”:

“The definition of healthcare settings as defined by CDC refers to places where healthcare is delivered and includes, but is not limited to, acute care facilities, long term acute care facilities, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, nursing homes and assisted living facilities, home healthcare, vehicles where healthcare is delivered (e.g., mobile clinics), and outpatient facilities, such as dialysis centers, physician offices, and others.”

So in light of existing DOH guidance, parents with children who have DDA waivers and who qualify for Medicaid personal care (IP) hours should be considered healthcare workers (workers in a healthcare setting) for determining vaccine status in the WA vaccine phase finder. If we receive written guidance from DOH that changes or further expands the current definition, we will be sure to update families on our blog.