COVID-19 Information
Last Update – 8/7/20 @ 9:30 AM
Recent Updates and Resources
The updates to the left are blog posts with our responses to the most current information available at the time. To avoid contradictory information, only the three most recent updates are posted, though the entire thread can be found here.
Springbrook has taken proactive measures to meet the challenges of COVID-19 beginning on March 15, 2020. Health officials, including Springbrook’s clinical team, are continually monitoring the status and spread of COVID-19. In order to best help families, staff, and the community understand Springbrook’s response to COVID-19, we have assembled this section of our website with both internal and external resources.
Our Response
COVID-19 spreads from person to person. The best means of prevention is to reduce exposure and promote sanitary practices. We ask for your understanding, compassion for loved one and the loved ones of others, and above all, cooperation, as we implement the following health precautions. Click the titles below for information about these proactive steps we are taking to slow the spread of the virus:
Springbrook's Website
This webpage is the most up-to-date source of information for COVID-19 updates. If you have any questions, please see the “Springbrook Contact Information” section below
Program Updates
We are approaching this virus as a threat worthy of serious attention. The following program delivery changes and updates are proactive measures meant to reduce exposure, protecting our staff, and the people we support. Springbrook’s clinical and administrative teams are monitoring the status and spread of COVID-19 daily and updating protocols regularly.
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 decisions regarding staff minimums 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 will reduce exposure for the people we support and our entire team while ensuring we can continue to do the amazing work we love.
DAY HABILITATION
Beginning on Monday, March 16, Springbrook will be delivering Day Habilitation supports, including limited therapy services, in our Community Homes. The relocation of Day Habilitation programming will be in effect until further notice, beginning after the close of business (5 pm) on Friday, March 13.
THE SCHOOL AT SPRINGBROOK
With the rapid development of the COVID-19 virus, Otsego and many surrounding counties have declared States of Emergency. Per these measures and Governer Cuomo’s closure of schools across the state, The School at Springbrook has taken several preventative steps to reduce large group settings.
- Beginning on Wednesday, March 11, Springbrook restricted visitation to emergency or essential visits to campuses and homes.
- Beginning on Tuesday, March 17, Springbrook began delivering educational programming, including therapy services, in our on-campus residences. The relocation of educational programming will be in effect until further notice, beginning after the close of school on Friday, March 13.
- Beginning on Tuesday, March 17, Springbrook suspended all-day student program delivery for students who reside in districts that are closed.
- This decision follows state and local mandates and our organization-wide visitation suspension and will remain in effect as long as school districts remain closed.
- This temporary suspension includes all Day Students, including those who are self-transported.
If you have questions, please contact The School at Springbrook at (607) 286-7171, Ext. 378 or sciamem@springbrookny.org, Monday – Friday, 8 am – 4 pm.
COMMUNITY HOMES
For residents of Springbrook’s Community Homes who use day program services outside of Springbrook, all transportation and participation of external day programs are temporarily suspended. This temporary suspicion will be in effect until further notice, from the close of business (5 pm) on Friday, March 13.
If you have questions regarding this Community Homes program update, please contact Springbrook at (607) 353-7272, Ext. 2500 or maciasp@springbrookny.org, Monday – Friday, 8 am – 4 pm.
KIDS UNLIMITED PRESCHOOL
Otsego and many surrounding counties have declared States of Emergency. Per these measures and Governer Cuomo’s closure of schools across the state, beginning on Wednesday, March 18, Kids Unlimited Preschool will be suspending the Special Education program for students who reside in districts that are closed. This decision follows state and local mandates, and our Springbrook-wide organizational protocols. This temporary suspension includes all Special Education students, including those who are self-transported. Kids Unlimited Preschool will remain open for currently enrolled daycare students. We have taken preventative steps to ensure that daycare students stay in settings of fewer than ten people, as outlined in federal guidelines. The suspension will remain in effect as long as school districts remain closed.
SELF-DIRECTED SERVICES/HCBS SERVICES
There are no program changes to Springbrook’s SDS or HCBS services. We have issued recommendations to Springbrook SDS/HCBS staff regarding prevention and suspended the use of crowded indoor spaces like malls and movie theaters for delivery of services. We will issue program changes if needed based on Springbrook’s assessment of the COVID-19 situation and guidance we receive from local, state, and federal oversight organizations.
If you have questions regarding Springbrook Community Services, please contact Springbrook at (607) 353-7272, Ext. 2500 or maciasp@springbrookny.org, Monday – Friday, 8 am – 4 pm.
Home Units
Decreasing Community Exposure
The most effective way to limit the spread of COVID-19 is to reduce external exposure to program participants.
- As mentioned above in “Home Units,” Springbrook facilities will be limiting interior maintenance for our residences to issues of Life Safety and conditions of peril.
Program Travel
Community trips and visits to crowded indoor spaces, like malls and movie theaters, are temporarily suspended.
- This travel suspension includes all Springbrook-facilitated drop-off/pick-up bus and van trips.
Appointments
As per guidance from the US Surgeon General, we are cancelling and rescheduling all non-essential medical appointments for residents.
Cleaning and Sanitizing
- We are reinforcing handwashing and use of hand sanitizer across all program and office locations.
- We have increased our already rigorous standard cleaning process within residences, program areas, and common-use spaces.
- We have centralized the distribution of essential cleaning supplies to ensure we retain ample stock for as long as possible.
Monitoring
Springbrook managers are monitoring all residents and employees daily for fever and cough. Additionally, the following is in place for staff to follow:
STAFF HEALTH MONITORING & EXPOSURE REDUCTION
Upon arrival for a shift, all staff must complete the following 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.
- 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
- 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
- Keep your assigned face mask on for entire work shift
Note:
- 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.
Event Cancellations
We will announce cancelled/ammended event dates here and through our social media channels.
March 11 – All Special Olympics NY events and practices have been suspended out of an abundance of caution statewide. This includes the Springbrook Basketball Invitational, previously scheduled for March 21. Read more here.
March 18 – Campus-Wide Dinner – Recreation Therapy/Laurie Spicer
March 21 – Springbrook Basketball Invitational
March 23 – HCBS Lunch and Crafts
March 24 – Red Cross Blood Drive
March 25 – HCBS Lunch and Activities
March 25 – Campus-Wide Dinner – Recreation Therapy/Laurie Spicer
March 26 – Financial & Legal Luncheon – Food for Thought Series
March 28 – Special Olympics Basketball Family Dinner
March 30 – HCBS Lunch and Activities
When are These Precautions going into effect?
These measures are already in effect, and we will update these protocols as guidance is provided from the oversight organizations who govern our daily operation.
Springbrook Contact Information
We have established a hotline to address questions and concerns; 607-386-4882. Please leave a voicemail with your name, question, and contact details so we can get match your inquiry to the correct Springbrook resource.
Alternatively, emails with questions/concerns can be sent to clinical@springbrookny.org.
Trusted Resources
Springbrook has been in contact with or follows advice from the state and federal agencies below. The Centers for Disease Control continues to be the leading voice for a national response. The first section has selected resources from their COVID-19 coverage, followed by several other resources we have found helpful during this time.