Family & Children’s Center is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for all our staff and clients. To ensure that, we have developed the following COVID-19 Reopening Plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially as we prepare for when the safer at home orders lift. All of us are responsible for implementing this plan. Our goal is to mitigate the potential for transmission of COVID-19 in our workplaces and communities, and that requires full cooperation among our staff and clients. Only through this cooperative effort, can we establish and maintain the safety and health of our workplaces.
All FCC staff, clients, guests and building tenants are responsible for implementing and complying with all aspects of this COVID-19 Reopening Plan. This plan is aligned with FCC’s Response Plan and will focus on FCC’s practices once the safer at home orders lift. FCC has eight (8) sites to be considered. All decisions related to “opening” a building back up to clients and guests or relaxing any protocols implemented because of COVID-19 shall be approved by the President/CEO in conjunction with the Senior Leadership Team. Any changes to the plan shall be communicated via the Depot. Family & Children’s Center is and continues to be an essential business, and has been operational thru the public health emergency. No major changes are likely to occur immediately upon the safer at home orders lifting. The purpose of this Reopening Plan is to reiterate and reinforce implemented protocols and identify and outline any changes to protocols based on the Safer at Home order lifting.
Our staff are our most important assets. We are serious about safety, health, and keeping our staff working at Family & Children’s Center. Staff involvement is essential in developing and implementing a successful COVID-19 Reopening Plan. We have involved our staff in this process by inviting all staff thru the Virtual Leadership and Town Hall Meetings to offer suggestions and input. Additionally, Directors solicited input from their teams. Finally, we have utilized a Survey to garner input from the Leadership at FCC.
Our COVID-19 Reopening Plan follows Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and addresses:
- hygiene and respiratory etiquette;
- administrative controls for social distancing;
- client controls and protections for drop-off, pick-up and delivery;
- housekeeping, including cleaning, disinfecting and decontamination;
- prompt identification and isolation of sick persons;
- communications and training that will be provided to managers and staff; and
- Management and supervision necessary to ensure effective implementation of the plan.
- Specific program modifications highlighted
Screening and policies for employees exhibiting signs and symptoms of COVID-19
Staff have been informed of and are encouraged to self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. The following policies and procedures have been implemented to assess staff’s health status prior to entering the workplace and for staff to report when they are sick or experiencing symptoms.
- Staff are required to stay at home if sick and should advise their supervisor if not “reporting” to work.
- All staff upon entering any facility will continue to complete a health assessment.
- Any staff entering FCC’s three main sites shall also have their temperature checked and documented. We recognize body temperature of staff may vary. Any temperature over 100 degrees will be flagged.
- Temperature checks for clients wherein direct services are being provided is expected
- As is part of the FCC Response Plan COVID-19, Staff are required to self-report if they have been exposed to COVID-19 and/or if they have been tested for COVID-19 based on their own symptoms
FCC has implemented leave policies that promote staff staying at home when they are sick, when household members are sick, or when required by a health care provider to isolate or quarantine themselves or a member of their household. The agency has established Sick Time (HR 510) and FMLA (HR 202) Procedures, and both will always begin with a conversation between an employee and his/her supervisor regarding the need and circumstances to be absent from work. These procedures contain guidelines for the need to attend to personal and/or family member issues. In addition, The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) contains guidelines for economic support in the event of a work disruption directly related to COVID-19. Additional information on the FFCRA can be found at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-employer-paid-leave and you can get additional assistance from the HR Director.
FCC has implemented a practice for informing staff if they have been exposed to a person with COVID-19 at their workplace and requiring them to quarantine for the required amount of time. Staff who have been exposed at work will be notified in person (or by phone of a live contact is not possible) and also receive a documented notice in writing which will be placed in their employee file. Staff will be directed to quarantine and not to return to work for at least fourteen calendar days if symptom free (10 days since testing positive AND 3 days of no fever without medication). Employees experiencing symptoms will be directed to their medical provider for testing, and will be asked to follow those directives. Employees who were tested and/or had symptoms will not return to work until after a written clearance from a medical provider has been received from the employee and reviewed in HR. Follow the flow chart on the next page for a better understanding of the protocol for testing and symptoms.
All staff receive Privacy and Confidentiality training in Day One Orientation and during program onboarding, including HIPAA requirements, in order to assure the privacy of staff health status and health information.
Handwashing
Basic infection prevention measures have been implemented at our workplaces at all times. Staff are instructed to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water frequently throughout the day, but especially at the beginning and end of their shift, prior to any mealtimes and after using the toilet. Upon entering the building at FCC properties all are expected to use hand-sanitizer dispensers (that use sanitizers of greater than 60% alcohol). Hand dispensers can be used for hand hygiene in place of soap and water, as long as hands are not visibly soiled.
Supplies for handwashing and sanitation will continue to be provided thru the facilities team. Further, staff are required to wash their hands before and after any contact with clients
www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html
Respiratory etiquette: Cover your cough or sneeze
Staff and visitors are being instructed to cover their mouth and nose with their sleeve or a tissue when coughing or sneezing and to avoid touching their face, in particular their mouth, nose and eyes, with their hands. They should dispose of tissues in the trash and wash or sanitize their hands immediately afterward. Respiratory etiquette will be demonstrated on posters and supported by making tissues and trash receptacles available to all staff and visitors.
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html
www.cdc.gov/healthywater/hygiene/etiquette/coughing_sneezing.html
Social distancing
Social distancing will continue to be implemented in the workplace through the following administrative controls:
- Teleworking will continue to be permitted as their position allows
- Flexible Work hours will continue to be supported
- Staggered shifts as needed is allowable
- Sharing of office space is cautiously allowed. Specifically, in all FCC sites… any shared office space shall be reviewed by supervisors to determine measures to social distance, where possible, and when not possible, what measures shall be put in place or continue to support health and safety.
- Use of agency vehicles is prohibited, where possible. Programs shall review protocols to encourage clients to come to their services. When this is not possible, use of agency vehicles is allowable, but all those in cars shall wear masks. Clients shall sit in the back passenger side to be in line with social distancing.
- PPE (Masks) is encouraged when meeting directly with clients
- While masks are not being required, staff should be sensitive to others, ensuring they practice social distancing.
- Meeting directly with clients is permissible but social distancing is an expectation
- Telehealth platforms will continue to be encouraged and is the preferred method of client contact. This assumes telehealth laxed requirements continue.
- Staff, visitors and clients are prohibited from gathering in groups larger than 10. Any public group space that might be utilized should be cleaned and sanitized before and after each use.
- Staff and visitors are prohibited from gathering in confined areas and from using other staff’ personal protective equipment,
- Phones, computer equipment, desks, offices or other personal work tools and equipment should NOT be shared whenever possible. If not possible, Cleaning and sanitizing equipment is an expectation before and after each use.
Housekeeping
Regular housekeeping practices have been implemented, including routine cleaning and disinfecting of work surfaces, equipment, and areas in the work environment, including restrooms, break rooms, lunch rooms, meeting rooms, etc. Frequent cleaning and disinfecting will be conducted in high-touch areas, such as phones, keyboards, touch screens, controls, door handles, elevator panels, railings, copy machines, etc. Any use of shared public spaces/equipment should be sanitized both before and after each use.
Communications and training
This Reopening Plan was communicated via the Depot to all staff 5/14/2020, due to the unexpected Safer at Home orders lifting because of the WI Supreme Court ruling. Necessary training was imbedded inside this Reopening plan. Instructions will be communicated to clients about social distancing and how their services will be delivered. This COVID-19 Reopening Plan has been approved by Family & Children’s Center management and will be updated as necessary.
Specific program modifications:
The specific program modifications relates to all changes to implemented program protocols because of COVID-19. This section of the plan is fluid and will be updated as protocols change once the Safer at Home orders lift and FCC discerns changes are necessary. As has been indicated, initially, programs will operate, as has been the norm during this public health emergency. FCC will monitor the situation closely and will make edits and advise the workforce via posts on the Depot. It is expected that Supervisors/Coordinators/Directors monitor their programs and make recommendations for program modifications. These changes may include but are not limited to:
- Opening up residential beds
- Continued use of telehealth
- R-YNC reopens their doors to programming
- Etc…
Approved by:
Tita Yutuc, LCSW, LICSW
President/ CEO