I have been in the field of human services for nearly forty years and have never experienced or anticipated anything like the scenarios we are working so hard to stay ahead of, given the rapid and all-encompassing spread of COVID-19. Who would have envisioned our current landscape - non-life-sustaining businesses shut down; ensuring safety by practicing social distancing and limiting visitors during this unprecedented period. We are working resourcefully to prioritize access to needed supplies and diligently researching every avenue for daily essentials, as well as addressing personal protective equipment needs  (N95 masks, gloves, isolation gowns and goggles). It is clear we are living and working through this pandemic, in the way Melmark has always worked - being focused on the best outcomes for those we serve. We are operating within each state Governor's guidance as well as making decisions in the framework of health and safety given the provision of care amidst COVID-19.

The decision to close our day programs was difficult, but as soon as public schools closed, we lost a significant amount of our workforce due to coverage issues for employees' own children. We had to stretch staff across our residential programs to continue serving those who call Melmark home. Even with these changes in coverage, we have asked families to take their loved one home if at all possible to ensure the well-being of individuals with the highest acuity. The reality is that we are living amidst a global pandemic, one in which we are taking appropriate precautions to continue Melmark's mission-first work.

For all of us at Melmark, our focus remains on the safety and well-being of the children and adults we serve, many of whom are too medically fragile or have behavioral challenges too severe to go home to their families; some who have no families to go home to. Our dedicated and highly-skilled staff continue to work selflessly, always putting the children and adults at Melmark first. I applaud them for their understanding that COVID-19 does not change our mission, even though it has greatly changed how we implement it.

Today's message includes the framework that will guide us through the coming days, weeks and perhaps months as we continue our very important work for our most vulnerable citizens. Members of Melmark's Leadership Team and COVID-19 Medical Subcommittee are in constant contact with one another, as they redesign best practices, tweaking and updating plans as evolving information surrounding this illness emerges. We are closely following news and recommendations from the CDC, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Pennsylvania Department of Health, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. We are working with advocacy and trade organizations throughout the regions in which our service divisions are located, sharing resources and collaborating with other providers. Our advocacy efforts stretch beyond state lines in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina, as we work to reshape legislation affecting all individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism and medical fragility - efforts that are more important today than ever.