Support, Inc. was proud to recently showcase it’s Host Home Provider services on Fox 31 News. Heather, Shaunti and Cathy were recently interviewed before Shaunti and Heather embark on their 6 week road trip across the country.
Behind the scenes at Fox31 News- 15 minutes before we went live!
Earlier this year 667 spots became available through Colorado’s developmental disability waiver program. For many eligible Coloradans – who have waited an average of 15 years – this means they are finally be able to access 24-hour community-based services, either at home or in host homes.
With more than 32 years of experience, Support, Inc. a leading provider of community based solutions is here and ready to help. Support, Inc. team offers a wide range of residential, day and clinical services to clients across the front range of Colorado. Support, Inc. has a unique, whole-person approach that allows caregivers to develop a deep understanding of each individual’s needs.
Support, Inc. is redefining the life experience for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Recently, we were thrilled to highlight one of our favorite Host Home matches, Shaunti and Heather. Heather has truly become a part of Shaunti’s family; since beginning their road trip, we have truly enjoyed their adventures from a vicarious standpoint, living through their photos and recent videos.
Check out a few photos from Heather, Shaunti and Brent’s road trip! To learn more information, please follow this link.
You can apply to become a Host Home Provider with Support, Inc. by applying at www.supportinc.com
And if you have a family member or a loved one searching for placement, please email us at placement.team@supportinc.com
Recently, our Day Program participants have enjoyed dressing up and getting outside for some Halloween fun! Lucas and Mikey, along with a few others, visited Nick’s Garden Center where they were able to check out the pumpkins and plants.
While we continue to offer services on-sight at our Day Program in Aurora, it’s the outings that we greatly look forward to. The people we serve have a chance to develop their skills, such as learning about new plants, counting back change at the register and socializing with others.
We’re grateful for the fun that was had at Nick’s Garden Center, thanks in part to our wonderful staff. Check out the photos below- for more information on our Day Services, please contact Cathy at cathy.kellogg@supportinc.com
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended the emergency
use authorization for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to allow for a single booster
to select populations. The booster dose is to be administered at least 6 months
after completion of the primary two dose series. The following individuals, if
they were initially vaccinated with Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, may get a
booster shot at this time.
People
aged 65 and older
People
aged 18-64 at high risk of severe COVID-19
Medical
conditions that may put people at higher risk of severe COVID-19
Cancer
Chronic
kidney disease
Chronic
lung disease including COPD, asthma (moderate to severe), interstitial
lung disease, cystic fibrosis, and pulmonary hypertension.
Stroke
or cerebrovascular disease which affects blood flow to the brain
Substance
use disorders (alcohol, opioids cocaine use disorders)
People
aged 18-64 whose frequent institutional or occupational exposure to
COVID-19 puts them at high risk for serious complications of COVID-19
including severe COVID-19.
Occupations
at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission include front
line essential workers and health care workers in the following
positions:
First
responders (healthcare workers, firefighters, police, congregate care
staff)
Education
staff (teachers, support staff, daycare workers)
Food
and agriculture workers
Manufacturing
workers
Corrections
workers
U.S.
postal service workers
Public
transit workers
Grocery
store workers
At this time only the above individuals who received the
Pfizer vaccine are eligible for a booster dose. The decision to get a booster
dose should be made between the individual and their primary care physician.
Over time, we may see additional populations being recommended to receive a
booster dose as more data becomes available. People in the recommended groups
above who received Johnson & Johnson or Moderna may need a booster in the
future, more data on the effectiveness of booster doses with these manufactures
is being conducted. The need for a booster dose doesn’t mean the COVID-19
vaccines aren’t working. Current data continues to show all three COVID-19
vaccines are working to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death even
against the Delta variant. However, public health experts have started seeing a
reduced protection, especially among certain populations, against mild to
moderate disease.
If you or someone you support received the initial two dose
series of the Pfizer vaccine AND meet the criteria for a booster above, please
contact their primary care physician to discuss eligibility criteria and to
schedule a booster dose.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to myself or your supervisor. We will continue to provide updates through email, our website and our Facebook page.
Thank you, Laura Viers Associate Director of Quality Assurance
Please join us in congratulating our recent Host Home Provider of the Month, Diana and Kenny Wijaya!!!
The following write-up was produced by the Denver Metro Three Team: We would like to nominate Diana and Kenny for providers of the month. They have been HHP’s with Support since 2008 and a 3-bed home since 2014. They do such an amazing job that they set a high standard that other providers can look up to. It’s hard to know where to start in saying why these two providers deserve this award. Their file compliance is excellent and needs very little follow up (MAR’s are signed off when medication given and log notes completed according to Agency policy). They know all their individual’s needs very well and support them with the best services a provider can give. Appointments are made before the RPC even needs to ask or remind them and then it is put in Therap well advance of the appointment day. I truly appreciate the communication we have. They let us know right away when they need support or something is needed.
Beyond the incredible work they do with file compliance and taking care of medical needs is the individuals they serve. They provide wonderful access to the community. Kenny has taken D on trips out of state. One of our favorites was a trip to California, where D not only got to enjoy Disney Land but gong to the ocean for the first time. Rich will never forget when D moved into their home. It is a treasured moment working in the field. D was moved from a home that wasn’t supporting his needs and care was questionable. Rich remembers dropping off D at Diana and Kenny’s home and then going back to get the rest of his personal belongings. When Rich returned to Fnu’s home, D was sitting out of his wheelchair and in a recliner with his feet up and being pampered like a king. We knew D had found his home and has been with them ever since (over 10 years).
Rich only has one other individual in the home, but over the years has gotten to witness how the other 2 individuals’ quality of life has improved with the wonderful supports provided to them by Diana and Kenny!! Diane and Kenny, we want to say we appreciate all you do and have the upmost respect for the care you provide to the individuals you serve in your home.
At Support, Inc. we enjoy our weekend outings; when the
weather is warm and the air is clear, what better time to enjoy a trip to the
lake?
Richard Shaw looked forward to his annual trip with Jeremy and Mikey recently. For the last 5 out of 7 years, the boys would rent a cabin together and take a trip on the lake with a pontoon boat. Although the trip was cancelled last year due to COVID-19, Rich reports the group had a blast recently getting back together for a late-summer adventure.
Carter Lake, located near Fort Collins, offers a secluded feeling without being too far from civilization. Rich rent a pontoon for 3 hours, so the three of them could fish off the ledge. When asked how Jeremey and Mikey know each other, Rich replied, “They live in separate host homes, but they’ve know each other from BACPAC. Mikey and Jeremey used to participate in horse-back riding together. This eventually transformed into a camping event. They’ve known each other for over 10 years through various activities at Support, Inc.”
When the boys aren’t hanging out at the cabin or fishing on the lake, they’re shopping in downtown Estes Park. Jeremey and Mikey enjoy spending money in the downtown area, walking around and checking out the shops. Going out to eat is also a welcomed reprieve from the midday heat. From fishing and shopping to the overall sense of comradery, it’s the connections in this group that make the weekend trek well worth the trip.
Rich relays how excited Jeremey and Mikey were to catch up-this
marked their first face-to-face interaction in over two years. In the midst of
this pandemic, we fully support maintaining safe connections and increasing
supports for people with IDD. The friendship Mikey and Jeremey have developed
over the last 10 years is something we hope all of our People Receiving
Services (PRS) can achieve through the events that we host at Support, Inc.
We thank Rich for taking the time to make these trips happen, and we also thank our Host Home Providers (HHPs) for preparing Mikey and Jeremey as the weekend approached. It takes planning and dedication to gather supplies, medications and fishing gear for these weekend excursions; with the help of Linda Johnston and Jim Pendleton over the last 10 years, Rich has been able to provide valuable and meaningful life experiences to many folks in the IDD community, including Mikey and Jeremy.
We greatly appreciate the help of our staff and providers
that ensure our individuals have a fun and safe weekend. Although Rich
attributes most of the work to the HHPs, we wouldn’t have a successful BACPAC
program without Rich and our wonderful staff!
For similar events, keep an eye out for BACPAC
opportunities. We continue to closely monitor COVID-19 updates at the federal
and local levels. As such, health and safety remain the top priority. When
Support, Inc. is able to plan additional trips, we will most certainly share
details and information on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/supportinc1989
At Support, Inc. we give a lot of thought to the matches we
make, to ensure the health and safety and fulfillment of the people we serve.
When Jesse came to us for services, we knew he was looking for a long-term
placement, one that’s stable and feels like home. The Intake Team had an idea
for the perfect match, and the rest is history! Today, we share a success story
that we’re proud to reflect upon. From introductions to placement, Jesse’s
story remains a favorite.
Herry and Val (Support, Inc. Host Home Providers) started getting to know Jesse in October of 2019. The Intake Team and providers wanted to respect Jesse and his family’s desire of taking the process slow. We began with short meetings initially and gradually increased the time to overnight visits. Val relayed they practiced several weekend visits before Jesse agreed to move-in. “It was a slow process at first, but we enjoyed getting to know Jesse without the rush or pressure of needing to move right away”, Val relayed. The slow pace was welcomed by all parties involved, to ensure Jesse would be happy in his new home. By the time Jesse moved in with Herry and Val, it was late March 2020, and the pandemic had just begun.
Jesse, Val and Herry were still getting to know each other during quite a tumultuous time. But despite the circumstances, Jesse and Val report that things ran smoothly. Jesse’s mother, Nancy, agrees that the match happened just in time for the couple to shelter in place with Jesse and another individual in the home.
For the last year and a half, Jesse has eased into his new home without a hitch, and we couldn’t be more proud of him for taking this step. When asked about their favorite memories over the last year, Jesse relays he enjoyed the Christmas lights. Val discussed how Christmas in Color, located in Morrison, was such a nice reprieve from the pandemic. Jesse reports that the Christmas lights were really special. “The lights allowed us to step away from COVID”, Val relayed. Christmas was quiet for their family last year, and so the lights were something safe to look forward to from the comfort of their vehicle.
Jesse has also taken the time to work with a writing coach, to hone in on his writing skills. His first assignment was a letter to Herry/Val. In this, Jesse describes his positive experiences since moving in with the providers. The timing couldn’t be better, as this letter was delivered around the time of their one-year anniversary living together.
In the letter, Jesse relayed
Based on our first meeting, the way you treated me and answered my questions, I felt like all these things could work out well. After we had met and talked awhile, for the first time I felt real hope that there could be people I would enjoy living with.
More recently, Herry, Val and her family (who also happen to
be providers) took Jesse on a hike in Dillon. Sapphire Point offers beautiful views,
but the steep climb was difficult, at times, to manage. Jesse uses a specialized
wheelchair and even though it’s manual, the rocky and gravely trail made for a fun
and challenging experience for the providers. But Val relays she didn’t mind at
all. “The trail was only one mile long,
and it was worth it to see Jesse’s reaction at the top. We took it nice and
easy and made sure he was safe and having fun”.
When asked, “What are your favorite things about Jesse?”,
Val relays how much she’s enjoyed learning more about him. “His reactions, the way
he talks. His sense of humor. How he inserts himself into conversations. Sometimes
when I’m having a hard day at work, he listens and feels like a brother to me.
He’s lived an incredible life and it’s very been nice having another member of
the family. His parents are amazing, and we all get along so well.
Now that things are slowly beginning to re-open, Herry and
Val are planning a trip soon-to either Vegas or San Diego or both. Jesse looks
forward to future plans with his providers and we look forward to hearing of
their adventures!
To conclude, Jesse has found a wonderful, long-term placement with Herry and Val. Both parties agree that the match feels like family, and Jesse reports feeling happy in his new home. We thank Herry and Val for not only welcoming Jesse into their home, but truly integrating Jesse into their family and plans, such as weekend hikes and traveling across the country.
If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a
provider, let’s chat! Please email our Intake department at placements@supportinc.com
To all Support, Inc. Staff, Providers and Families:
We continue to
monitor the spread of COVID-19, including the Delta variant, in our
communities. We have updated our operating protocol to require all employees, providers,
and participants to wear a mask or face covering. Please continue reading for
more information.
In this communication we will cover the following:
The Delta variant is the predominate strain of the COVID-19 virus circulating in the United States. This prompted the CDC to give updated recommendations regarding mask wearing for all people, regardless of vaccination status, in areas where there is substantial to high transmission rates. The CDC was prompted to make these changes as the United States 7-day moving average went from 12,000 reported cases in late June to 60,000 reported cases the week of July 27th. Additionally, new data began to come out showing the Delta variant is more infectious which leads to increased transmissibility even among those who have received the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Delta variant is
spreading faster and more easily between people than the variants we have seen
thus far throughout the pandemic. This
variant is nearly twice as contagious as previous variants of COVID-19. Early
data suggests the Delta variant causes more severe illness than other variants
of COVID-19 in those who are unvaccinated. As we have discussed in previous
communications, most vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccines authorized in
the United States, are not 100% effective. This means even a fully vaccinated
person can contract COVID-19, including the Delta variant, these are called
break through infections. However, evidence continues to show the COVID-19
vaccine to be highly effective, , in preventing severe disease and death from
COVID-19 including the Delta variant. Breakthrough cases in fully vaccinated
people happen much less frequently than infections in unvaccinated people. Unvaccinated
people are far more likely to contract and spread COVID-19 including the Delta
variant. Fully vaccinated people are likely less infectious for less time than
unvaccinated people.
Previous variants of
COVID-19 produced less virus (or a lower viral load) in the body of infected
people who have been fully vaccinated. In contrast the Delta variant seems to
produce the same high amount of virus in both unvaccinated and fully vaccinated
people. However, the viral load produced by Delta breakthrough infections in
fully vaccinated people also goes down much faster than infections in
unvaccinated people. Individuals infected with the Delta variant including
fully vaccinated people with symptoms can transmit to others. The CDC is
working to assess if fully vaccinated people who are asymptomatic are able to
transmit the Delta variant to others. The greatest risk of transmission is
among unvaccinated people who are much more likely to contract COVID-19 including
the Delta variant and therefore are more likely to transmit the virus as well
as experience severe illness and hospitalization.
The COVID-19 vaccine
continues to provide the strongest protection against serious illness and
death. Vaccines have played a crucial role in limiting the spread of COVID-19
and minimizing severe disease and strain on hospital systems. Low vaccination rates
in some communities have caused rapid surges in cases associated with the Delta
variant. This also increases the chances that new and even more concerning
variants could emerge.
If you haven’t received the COVID-19 vaccine, it’s not too late to do so. There are many opportunities across the state to get the COVID-19 vaccine. If you need assistance finding or scheduling your COVID-19 vaccine, please reach out to your supervisor or residential program coordinator to help.
Beginning Monday August
16th our updated COVID-19 operating protocol goes into effect. Masks
or face coverings are required by all employee’s, contractors, and individuals
in our office, during in-person visits and during day services. Administrative
office staff will continue to work from home when possible. We will continue to
do symptom screening prior to service delivery or in-person contact.
This update will allow us to continue to operate and provide our essential services including day program, in-person home visits and pother in-person contacts while ensuring the health and safety of our employees, individuals served and providers.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to myself or your supervisor. We will continue to provide updates through email, our website and our Facebook page.
Please join us in congratulating our recent Host Home Provider of the Month, Jose and Patricia Lugo!
The following write-up was produced by the Colorado Springs Team: Since becoming a part of the Colorado Springs Team, Jose and Patricia Lugo have shown time and time again that they are seasoned and well experienced providers. They provide amazing, tailored care to each person in their home. Support, Inc. placed a person in their home in late February of this year. Although it may be short lived, this is the longest and most stable placement this person has had since coming into Support Inc’s services. Patricia and Jose both are comfortable with supporting someone with behavioral challenges, and it shows.
Patricia and Jose have been HHP’s in Colorado Springs for years and working with agencies here to provide Respite to others in services when needed. The Colorado Springs office at Support, Inc. cannot speak highly enough of them and the stellar care they give to the folks receiving services in their home. Patricia also has been working hard on ensuring the team communicates and works together to help solve issues that may arise with any clients in her home.
Overall, they are an awesome team, and we couldn’t be more thankful for the placement and the hard work the show on a daily basis. Please help me in congratulating Jose and Patricia Lugo on Host Home Provider of the Month!
Support, Inc. is so excited to share the good news-We are reopening at full capacity!
After more than a year of hosting smaller groups in the midst of the pandemic, we are thrilled to announce that we are back to providing services to our clients for our Specialized Habilitation and Supported Community Connections at FULL CAPACITY!
We’ve been busy in the last 16 months, expanding our program both in terms of space and activities. We now occupy the entire first floor of our building at 15591 E Centretech Pkwy. (located in Aurora) and have also added lots of fun and engaging groups for all our participants!
Join us the week of July 26th for our Spirit Week Events!
SCHEDULE:
Monday July 26th: Sports Day/Olympics-
12:15-1:00 — LIFE Club We’ll be making fruit sushi and exploring the culture of Japan where the 2021 Olympics are taking place!
1:00-2:00 Outdoor Sports — Join us for Basketball, football, and a water ballon toss! (For those who would prefer to remian inside, we’ll be making our own baseball cards with all the “stats” about what makes us special)
2:00-3:00 —
Indoor miniature Golf!
Tuesday July 27th: Crazy Hair Day!-
Indulge your
inner Einstein with some crazy hair!
12:00-1:00 The
Crazy Hair Salon — some to us with your own crazy hair or let our stylists do’
you up good! (Adult Recess Activities will be happening outside for those who
prefer that “wind-blown” look!)
1:15-2:00 — Chill Club — Explore music and its powers to chill us out when times get tough
2:15-3:00 — Mad
Science Club. Ok, Einsteins, let’s do some Science! Today we’ll be
making volcanoes and bottle rockets!
Wednesday July 28th: Wear Your Pajamas Day!-
12:15-1:00 —
Moving and Grooving — Come enjoy a dance party with us!
1:15-2:00 —
Cookless Cooking — Learn how to make and enjoy a breakfast treat in the
afternoon!
2:15-3:00 — Table Top Toons! Get into your best Saturday morning cartoon vibes be creating your very own cartoon character in the premiere preview of our up and coming Table Top Role Playing Game Group!
Thursday July 29th: Dress like a Pirate Day! Pirate Hats provided!-
12:00-1:00 Snacks
12:30-1:30 — Board Games Group
1:30-2:00 — Outdoor Treasure Hunt
2:00-3:00 — Make your own treasure map!
Friday July 30th: Superhero Day!-
12:00-1:00 — Choose your superpower and draw your own superhero
1:00-2:00 — Pop
Culture Club — join us to talk about the super athletic powers of Plympians!
As Support, Inc. Day Services has recently opened back up to
full capacity, we have taken some time to reflect on the last 12-14 months and
how we have operated in the midst of a pandemic. A lot has changed since March
of 2020, and Day Services has gone above and beyond protecting the health and
safety of the people we serve while also delivering high-quality services.
Let’s take a closer look at the evolution of these services.
To start, Support, Inc. closed it’s Day Services on March 17th,
2020 for three days. This was shortly after the NBA halted in-person games or
as we like to say, “This is when things were starting to get real”. Internally,
staff believed this lockdown would be short; little did we know, things were
just getting started. At any rate, we closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19
and to determine next steps for our employees and PRS. Support, Inc. ultimately
decided to safely reopen, to prevent disruptions to people’s schedules,
including HHPs, FCGs, and those that enjoyed participating in our services.
During this three-day closure, Day Services staff started
making PPE kits for internal use. These kits included gloves, sanitizer and
masks, protected and distributed by our receptionist whom we lovingly referred
to as Lord of the PPE kits. Outbound DSPs would come in and receive their kits
and get back on the road. Employees on-site had access whenever they needed it.
In the beginning, our Day Program staff disinfected things
constantly. Curt and Day Program Supervisors searched stores for disinfectant. One
employee found a distillery to purchase a 5-gallon bucket of sanitizer. At the
time, no one knew how the illness spread. As a result, we joined the
nation-wide sanitizer manhunt to wipe down surfaces as often as we could. That’s when Miles (Day Services Supervisor)
knew we were in it for the long-haul. The severity of the situation was
beginning to settle in as we frantically developed safety measures to prevent
the spread of the virus in our Day Program and Aurora office.
Curt had a friend making masks and made us dozens of masks
for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) and other employees. Pressure began to
mount as we pushed forward to make and collect as much PPE as possible. By
mid-March, the grocery stores dried up with limited food and supplies. Day
Program Supervisors took it upon themselves to begin counting masks, gloves and
gowns everyday, to ensure staff had the supplies they needed to operate safely
in the building. The first 2-3 months
felt like an endless search for PPE, navigating a new world full of uncertainty
while trying to keep staff and PRS as safe as possible.
While all of this was happening, Support, Inc. was trying to
ramp up it’s Community Access Program. Our Day Services and Clinical Team
learned the art of flying plane as we’re building it. Soon after things began
shutting down, these two teams came together to assess immediate needs-who
needs a DSP now, who needs a session online and how can we manage these needs
in a safe and efficient manner. Daily meetings took place everyday for months
to meet the needs of the people we serve and their families.
Our Clinical Team prioritized social and emotional needs,
taking into consideration the boredom and isolation that would slowly settle in
overtime. Given the evidence-based articles and research we reviewed, the team
focused on preventative tactics to help our PRS manage their emotions.
Another action step we took on the front-end was securing
tablets for PRS. Miles set these up with Zoom and distributed close to 50. DSPs
tranposrted the tablets to consumer homes for individual therapy sessions and
also for our folks to join online groups. DSP would take it there. One
clinician reflects on this period as being “very creative despite the
circumstances. It’s hard to be creative when you’re freaked out, but
nonetheless we forged forward”.
The beginning of the pandemic is marked with Zoom and
learning how to use this technology that was so new to so many people. A lot of
the education we offered centered around the use of technology and how to
maximize these opportunities for socialization. Soon enough, we were able to
offer these group and private sessions from the comfort of your own home,
without worry or fear of catching the virus. Day Services staff and Clinical
Team members got creative together by sharing ideas to develop new groups
online. These fun opportunities led to an influx of participation online, so we
could continue the good work we do on the internet instead. Moving and Grooving
was born during this period, along with a few of our other hallmark groups. In
addition, Chris made a PowerPoint on germs, health and safety. Plain Language
was utilized often to ensure everyone understood new protocols and procedures.
As we learned to navigate Zoom, the weather was beginning to
warm up. Outside, it was easier to practice social distancing and to make games
with these lessons. We also taught mask-wearing, hand-washing and other basic
hygiene skills. LIFE Club began with the idea of practice around social
distancing, wearing masks, etc. It is worth noting that all of our online
programming was as a result of the pandemic. Nothing was online before then.
The attitude went from being “This is impossible-it can’t be done online” to
“Yes, this can be done and we will make it work”. Touching Stories serves as a
great example of our efforts to adapt a group from in-person to online.
*explain touching stories?* Ultimately, we practiced the necessary skills to
stay safe during the pandemic along with preventative measures for curtailing
mood instability, irritability and boredom.
The groups Support, Inc. as developed have turned out to be
very successful. For instacnce, one PRS was stranded in another state for a few
weeks. Thanks to Zoom, she was able to access our online programs.. Another
client was traveling and reported feeling as if she stayed connected even when
they were out of state. All PRS were welcome to join our groups and they
enjoyed the positive benefit of staying in touch.
We received mixed reactions as PRS learned to adapt to our
new reality. Some individuals still wanted services in person while others
chose to interact online. Clinicians and Day Service staff related to PRS fears
of catching the virus and wanting to stay as safe as possible. Luckily we can
share that (spoiler alert!) in the last 14 months, there’s never been a single
outbreak in our Day Program or any satellite locations at Support, Inc. Still,
so much was unknown at this time, and safety remained a top priority.
In the first quarter of the pandemic, we ramped up our
training program for DSPs. Support, Inc. as an agency decided early on to stay
open and to not lay anyone off. Shelby drafted a training program online for
new DSPs and this implemented almost as quickly as it was developed. For any
trainings required in-person, we reduced these class sizes from 20 to 3. We
also trained on the psychological effects of the pandemic and how to embody a
DSP during the pandemic. We sensed the hesitancy of applicants to join Support,
Inc. in such a tumultuous and unprecedented time. Supervisors and managers of
Day Services learned how to support new employees by being transparent about
their efforts to keep everyone safe.
From gathering PPE and social distancing to teaching our PRS basic
hygiene skills, we offered multiple ways to stay safe despite the
circumstances.
Additional measures
such as hand-outs for in-person visits proved to be useful, too. Our Associate
Director of Quality Assurance developed a new form called What to Expect from a
DSP Visit for clients, providers and FCGs. This document set the groundwork for
expectations and boundaries. We also used a screening tool “Questions to ask
before you go into a home”. Clinicians reported feeling like the company as a
whole supported them with these materials. Screening cards were implemented and
a supervisor created a Formstack screening tool for DSPs to use on their phones.
If all symptoms were no, you’re good. If someone answered yes to one or more
symptoms, the results were sent to the supervisor to be researched further.
One final cultural change we worked on was encouraging people to stay home when they didn’t feel well. An extra bank of sick time was created to support our staff, so if they went to get tested, we would pay them for this. We would mitigate the financial strain of having to take time off. From our Day Services staff to Clinical Team and beyond, everyone internally has stepped up to ask “What can I do to help operate safely”. Support, Inc. as a whole has taken the virus and this pandemic very seriously since Day One. We remain proud to report zero outbreaks at the organization and continue to work as safely and efficiently as possible.
For more information on the fun and engaging activities we host, please visit our website at www.supportinc.com
