SafeCare Pandemic Transition Face to Face Visits Protocol - Updated 6/20/20

Purpose: SafeCare Pandemic Transition Face to Face Visits Protocol will be utilized during any health pandemic to protect the health and safety of all staff and clients.  

All SafeCare Home Visits will be virtual whenever possible until such time as experts deem the pandemic threat is over.

If virtual visits would not be successful, socially distanced in-person visits may be possible if the family and provider are able and willing to follow the protocol outlined below.  
Some reasons that virtual visits may not be successful:

• Lack of technology or internet resources
• Disabilities requiring face to face meetings, such as hearing impairment or severe learning disabilities
• Lack of privacy in living environment

 
Definition of in-person visit during pandemic: 

1. Goal is to provide continued SafeCare parenting services to at risk families that are unable to meet virtually
2. Staff will provide resources to families such as masks, curriculum, food, diapers, toys etc
3. Visit occurs outside of a building or home, but still the most confidential setting as possible
4. Clients and Staff have proper face masks on
5. Staff have disposable gloves on
6. Clients and Staff are at least 6 ft apart
7. Clients and Staff do not have physical contract
8. Clients and Staff wash hands before coming into contact with each other

Before a visit may commence
Staff must determine if they: 

1. Have symptoms such as headache, nausea, fever greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, or other respiratory symptoms within the last 14 days.
2. Have traveled out of Region 5 in the last 14 days
3. Have been in direct contact with someone who may have been exposed to or tested positive for COVID-19 
4. You are considered high risk (people over the age of 65, living in a nursing home or long-term care facility, people with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma, people who have serious heart conditions, people who are immunocompromised (many conditions can cause a person to be immunocompromised, including cancer treatment, smoking, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immune weakening medications), people with severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 40 or higher), People with diabetes, People with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis, people with liver disease).

If any of these apply to staff they can not perform in person visits.
If staff is eligible to have a visit: 

1. Staff will communicate with clients by phone, text or email to confirm that they are eligible for visits by asking them these questions.
   1. Have symptoms such as headache, nausea, fever greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, or other respiratory symptoms within the last 14 days.
   2. Have traveled out Region 5 in the last 14 days
   3. Have been in direct contact with someone who may have, been exposed to or tested positive for COVID-19
   4. You are considered high risk (people over the age of 65, living in a nursing home or long-term care facility, people with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma, people who have serious heart conditions, people who are immunocompromised (many conditions can cause a person to be immunocompromised, including cancer treatment, smoking, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immune weakening medications), people with severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 40 or higher), People with diabetes, People with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis, people with liver disease).
2.  If the client is eligible then the staff will wash their hands and also ask the clients to wash their hands before they have their social distancing visit 
3. Staff will drop off supplies to family and social distance themselves by at least 6 feet before initiating the visit 

After the visit has concluded: 

1. The staff will use hand sanitizer
2.  Wash and/or disinfect their mask
3. Wipe down all potentially infected services
4. Upon arrival at home or office, wash hands from fingertips to elbows with soap for >30 seconds 

In addition to any other risks posed by participating with Children First, Inc., the individual signing below understands that, despite any safety precautions being taken by the organization, by participating with Children First, Inc. there is a risk of potential exposure to COVID-19 or any other harmful virus or bacteria, which may result in illness or death. The individual signing below releases, forever discharges, indemnifies and holds harmless Children First Inc. and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, successors and assigns from any and all liability, claim, costs or expense related to such risk.