COVID-19 Protocol Updates
April 6, 2020
Good evening,

Springbrook’s organizational approach to the COVID-19 virus has been proactive, focused on reducing exposure for our staff and residents. We have treated the virus as a threat worthy of serious attention, making programmatic and protocol changes well in advance of local, state, and federal recommendations.

This message is to inform you of important updates to our organizational protocols, as we continue to manage the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation. I want to stress that there have been zero COVID-19 cases associated with Springbrook. These updates to our protocols are part of our continuing effort to keep it that way for as long as possible.

All protocol updates and guidance in this email are in keeping with our aggressive and proactive response.
SPRINGBROOK COVID-19 PROTOCOL UPDATES

HOME UNIT STAFFING

Employees in Direct Support roles are critical to the health, safety, and well-being of the people we support. The following updates to Springbrook’s staffing procedure are effective immediately:

  • All direct support employees are assigned to work in only one home 
  • Direct support staff may not work in any location outside of the designated home unit, regardless of extenuating circumstances 
  • Managers may not assign employees to any home outside of the home unit assigned initially, regardless of extenuating staffing needs
  • Effective immediately, Springbrook’s CEO or COO will remain on-call (in addition to the assigned AOC), to support management with staffing decisions that may adversely affect the health and safety of any Springbrook resident
  • To support these residential home units in the most effective and safest way possible, a team of support staff have been assigned directly to each residence
  • Support staff include education/therapy staff via phone or Zoom, departmental administration (also via phone or Zoom), and maintenance staff
  • Facilities/maintenance staff have limited interior maintenance for Springbrook residences to issues of Life Safety and conditions of peril 

This “home unit” approach to staffing is being implemented proactively, to reduce exposure for the people we support and our entire team.


STAFF HEALTH MONITORING & EXPOSURE REDUCTION

Upon arrival for a shift, all staff must complete the Health Monitoring & Exposure Reduction Check-In Procedure. The layout of each Springbrook home is different. Below is Springbrook’s organization-wide recommended sequence for the required check-in procedure.

1.Complete the current health monitoring procedure using the Staff Symptom Log
  • Staff Name
  • Time In
  • Yes/No – Symptoms of Respiratory Illness
  • Heart Rate
  • Yes/No – 10-20 Respirations per minute
  • Temperature
  • Time Out

2.If all vitals on the Symptom Log are normal:
  • Immediately and thoroughly wash hands for a minimum of 20 secs
  • Put on a face mask
  • Thoroughly rewash hands after putting on a mask, before reporting for duties

3. Keep your assigned face mask on for entire work shift
  • Refer to instructions for use and storage distributed with face masks for more detailed guidance about surgical and N95/KN95 face masks.

If vitals are NOT normal, inform your manager and immediately go home.

Each Springbrook home will have its own SPECIFIC sequence of these required check-in procedures. Be sure you know your home unit’s specific sequence. 


STAFF TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS

  • All employees should follow all travel guidelines and warnings put forth by the CDC. There should be no international travel  
  • Springbrook strongly recommends the following travel restrictions:
  • Employees should avoid all unnecessary travel within our region, the state, or the US
  • Employees should only commute between their home and work location, or to access essential services like grocery stores or pharmacies
  • If a Springbrook employee travels either internationally or to any noted hotspot within New York State or the United States, the employee is required to report their travel to their supervisor
  • Before returning to work, the employee will be assessed by their supervisor using Springbrook’s Return to Work Procedure
  • Based on the Return to Work assessment, the employee may not be permitted to return to work until completing a mandatory 14-day self-isolation
  • If self-isolation is required, it will be unpaid (the employee may use PTO if they have it)
  • Springbrook management will use the most up-to-date hotspot listings from the CDC and New York State Department of Health
SPRINGBROOK COVID-19 STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS

COVID-19 spreads from person to person. The best means of prevention is to reduce your exposure to other people. We ask for your understanding, compassion for the people you support and your fellow employees, and above all, cooperation, as we issue the following Social Distancing health precautions.

PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING WHILE NOT AT WORK

HOW?
  • Stay at least six feet away from other people when in public, at the store, anywhere outside of your home
  • Avoid going to stores, etc. unless it is absolutely necessary
  • Go outside!
  • When you do go outside, do your best to maintain distance between you and anyone with whom you DO NOT share a living space
  • If you have kids, try not to use public facilities like playground structures – if you do, wash hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds after use.
  • If you must go into public for essential services, wear a mask (cloth/homemade is fine)
  • Springbrook is working to procure enough cloth masks to provide one to every employee
  • Cloth masks do not offer the same level of protection from contracting COVID-19 as medical PPE. However, they can help people from unknowingly transmitting the virus if they are asymptomatic
  • Wearing a mask is also a great reminder not to touch your face
  • It is also important to remember that facial hair (especially beards) keeps all masks from providing the tightest seal possible
  • Stay connected through phone, video, or social media - social distancing is about physical separation, not social disconnection

WHY?
  • Every Springbrook employee is ESSENTIAL! Each member of this community ensures in their own significant way that we deliver on our mission. That is why we need to take care of ourselves, our families, and others in our shared community by practicing social distancing at all times—especially when you are not at work
  • The BEST way to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus is to minimize contact with other people
  • When you practice social distancing, you reduce the chances of a Springbrook resident or student contracting the virus. Please, keep the people you support in mind when you consider your activities outside of work. 
Your partnership as we respond to this illness is critical. Please, follow these preventative measures to help us to reduce risk to all of the people who we support and employ.

Sincerely,

Katherine Ramiza, Chief Clinical Officer