Wednesday, May 27, 2020

As you know, we have been working hard to open People with Purpose to five days a week effective June 8th.

However, yesterday Governor Reynolds announced the extension of closure orders for all adult day programs until June 17.

To comply with state law we must push our PWP re-open date back to Thursday, June 18 8:30 – 2:00 Monday – Friday. If the governors order changes in any way, we will be sure to let you know.

At this time we will continue with our regularly scheduled Zoom calls in the interim.

Friday, May 22, 2020

We are excited to announce that barring any new information as it relates to COVID-19 spread and safety we will open additional programming effective:

Childcare:

We will expand childcare operating hours Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. beginning June 1.

To learn more about openings email Kayla@handinhandqc.org

All regular charges will apply. If you qualify for state of Iowa childcare assistance, the state will waive all co-pays until you are notified otherwise.

· Infant Care: $245.00/Week (FT) $190/Week (PT)

· Toddler Care: $210/Week (FT) $165/Week (PT)

· Preschool Care: $185/Week (FT) $135/Week (PT)

As always, you must pay your child’s tuition each Monday. If you fail to make weekly tuition payments, you may forfeit your child’s spot.

Summer Enrichment: Open Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. beginning June 8.

To learn more about openings email Molly@handinhandqc.org

All regular charges will apply. If you qualify for state of Iowa childcare assistance, the state will waive all co-pays until you are notified otherwise.

Waiver

$70.00/week or $16.00/Day

Private-Pay

$195.00/week or $42.00/day

As always, you must pay your child’s tuition each Monday. If you fail to make weekly tuition payments, you may forfeit your child’s spot.

People with Purpose:

Open Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. beginning June 8.

To learn more about openings email Kyle@handinhandqc.org

Waiver Fees: $12.00 Per Day

Private Pay Fees: $23.00 Per Day

Will you be going on field trips?

No. We will not be taking our typical trips out into the community. This is due in part to ensure safe social distancing and in part because we do not have a solution to safely transport using current social distance guidelines. When it is safe to do so we will resume our community activities.

What will you be doing?

We will have many fun activities planned. Please ensure you send adequate sunscreen and additional clothes as we plan to spend as much time as possible outdoors. In summers past, we might forgo outside time due to muddy conditions. This year, we will still go out since being outside in the sun not only provides many health benefits, it allows us to social distance even more!

If you have specific things you would like us to do, or programs we can safely bring in, please let us know!

How are you ensuring the safety of the participants?

Please email Angie Kendall (angie@handinhandqc.org) if you would like the most recent full operating procedures for COVID-19.

The safety of our staff are participants is the most important factor for us. We have implemented several new procedures and must insist that all parents review and abide by them to ensure we are protecting individuals in our care as much as possible.

Caregivers are responsible for making the best choice for their child. We will do all we can to mitigate the risk of exposure to COVID-19, but it is likely that at some point a participant or team member will test positive for the virus. If your child is deemed high-risk you should consider waiting before returning to care. Additionally, we will rely on you to be our partners in ensuring the safety of children and staff by practicing social distancing as a household, honestly respond to the entry questions daily, and following the provided protocol information.

Children and household members of children in our care who may be exhibiting symptoms of acute respiratory illness (fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing) are required to stay home and not enter to any Hand in Hand building until they are free of fever for at least 72 hours without fever reducing medication.

If the Hand in Hand site has children with siblings in their care and one is showing symptoms, then all will be sent home.

Those who are showing symptoms of a contagious illness will be asked to leave the premises or be picked up. Children will not be allowed back onsite until cleared by a health care professional or are fever-free for no less than 72 hours without fever reducing medication.

Children or customers who are diagnosed with COVID-19 should follow guidance from public health officials and their doctor before being released from isolation and thus returning to public or onsite.

Access to the building is limited to essential staff and participants until further notice. Caregivers will not be allowed to access the building at this time. See pick up and drop off details for more information.

Participants and staff are encouraged to wear masks, but they are not required. Hand in Hand will provide masks upon request. Individuals will be required to wash their own mask daily.

Children may not bring plush toys or blankets from home.

Pick up and Drop off Procedures

1. Upon arrival, parents will call Hand in Hand to notify the staff they have arrived. During typical pick up and drop off times a staff member will remain near the front door to monitor traffic.

2. Parents should assist a participant out of the vehicle to avoid additional exposure of the staff by leaning into the vehicle. Participants will be admitted inside one at a time, parents should not allow their participant to enter the building independently. Parents will not be allowed to enter the building.

3. Standing at least 6 feet away, staff will:

1. Make a visual inspection of the participant for signs of illness which could include flushed cheeks, rapid breathing or difficulty breathing (without recent physical activity), fatigue, or extreme fussiness.

2. NEW EFFECTIVE JUNE 1: Using an infrared thermometer, screen the participant for any fever of 100.4 or higher. Any individual with a fever of 100.4 or higher will not be permitted into the center. They may return when they have been fever-free without fever reducing medication for 72 hours.

3. Ask the parent if they or the participant have traveled in the last 14 days to areas outside of 50 miles

i. If so, this must be disclosed and depending on the location, participants may be asked to delay entrance for 14 days.

ii. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Contact CEO with any travel questions so a determination can be made.

d. Ask the parent to confirm they or the participant have not had contact with any person who is showing symptoms for COVID- 19 within the last 14 days, OR with anyone with known COVID-19? This includes verified cases of COVID-19 within their workplace.

4. Assuming the answer is no to all prepared questions, the staff will usher the participant inside. If a parent answers yes to question 1 or 3, the participant will be asked to remain home until they are fever free without fever reducing medication for at least 72 hours (question 1) or 14 days (question 3).

5. A hand hygiene station will be set up at the entrance of the facility, so that participants can clean their hands before they enter. Hand in Hand will provide hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol at entry. Hand sanitizer will be kept out of participants’ reach and supervise use.

6. Ideally, the same parent or designated person should drop off and pick up the participant every day.

Thank you for choosing Hand in Hand.

Gratefully,

Angie Kendall, CEO

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Dear Hand in Hand Families:

Per our announcement on April 27, we will begin re-opening Hand in Hand on Monday, May 18th. The opening will be slow and continue through the summer.

On May 18th we are prepared to welcome limited participants for childcare and respite services assuming we have adequate interest and can fill available slots. Note that days and times will be restricted to those listed below. Care will be provided for families with jobs deemed essential and those families needing essential care and support.

Caregivers are responsible for making the best choice for their child. We will do all we can to mitigate the risk of exposure to COVID-19, but it is likely that at some point a participant or team member will test positive for the virus. If your child is deemed high-risk you should consider waiting before returning to care. Additionally, we will rely on you to be our partners in ensuring the safety of children and staff by taking your child’s temperature daily, honestly responding to the entry questions daily, and following the attached protocol information.

Childcare (Ages 6 weeks – 2 years):

Programs for children under age 2 remain suspended.

Childcare (Ages 2-5):

Currently enrolled children ages 2-5 years who are independent in the bathroom may join us for full time care starting Monday, May 18th. Parents may choose to bring their children on a part time schedule, but they will be charged a full weekly rate.

Care will be provided Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. 3:30 p.m.

All past due balances must be paid in full before returning to program.

Minimum Participants Necessary to Open: 6 children, Maximum number of participants per room: 8

Parents may request a slot, which will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis by emailing kayla@handinhandqc.org. Spots will be confirmed no later than May 15th.

School Age Care (Ages 5-18):

Currently enrolled participants may join us for programming Mon, Wed., and Fri. from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Participants will be served one snack, please bring your lunch. Hand in Hand will bill for waiver services during this time. Private pay individuals may join us for $25 per day.

All past due balances must be paid in full before returning to program.

Minimum Participants Necessary to Open: 5, Maximum number of participants per room: 5

Parents may request a slot, which will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis by emailing molly@handinhandqc.org. Spots will be confirmed no later than May 15th.

Young Adult Care (19+):

Currently enrolled participants may join us for programming Mon., Wed., and Fri. from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Participants will be served one snack, please bring your lunch. Hand in Hand will bill for waiver services during this time. Private pay individuals may join us for $25 per day.

All past due balances must be paid in full before returning to program.

Minimum Participants Necessary to Open: 5, Maximum number of participants per room:

Parents may request a slot, which will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis by emailing molly@handinhandqc.org. Spots will be confirmed no later than May 15th.

We will continue to offer telehealth services for participants. To learn more about these opportunities email molly@handinhandqc.org or kyle@handinhandqc.org.

Here is some important health and safety information for you:

Children and household members of children in our care who may be exhibiting symptoms of acute respiratory illness (fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing) are required to stay home and not enter to any Hand in Hand building until they are free of fever for at least 72 hours without fever reducing medication.

If the Hand in Hand site has children with siblings in their care and one is showing symptoms, then all will be sent home.

Those who are showing symptoms of a contagious illness will be asked to leave the premises or be picked up. Children will not be allowed back onsite until cleared by a health care professional or are fever-free for no less than 72 hours without fever reducing medication.

Children or customers who are diagnosed with COVID-19 should follow guidance from public health officials and their doctor before being released from isolation and thus returning to public or onsite.

Access to Building

Access to the building is limited to essential staff and children until further notice. Caregivers will not be allowed to access the building at this time. See pick up and drop off details for more information.

All individuals seeking access to the building must disclose the following before entering:

1. Have you traveled in the last 14 days to areas outside of 50 miles?

a. If so, this must be disclosed and depending on the location, individuals may be asked to leave or not come in.

b. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Contact CEO with any travel questions so a determination can be made.

2. Do you have any symptoms of a respiratory infection (e.g., cough, fever, or shortness of breath)?

3. Have you had contact with any person who is showing symptoms for COVID- 19 within the last 14 days, OR with anyone with known COVID19? This includes confirmed cases of COVID-19 at your place of work.

If an individual can answer yes to any of the above questions, they must wait no less than 14 days before returning from the last known travel date, symptom, or contact and be directed to a healthcare professional. This includes siblings at Hand in Hand sites. If one child can answer yes to any of the above, then, likely, so can the other.

Illness Prevention, Care, and Cleaning/Sanitizing Procedures During COVID-19

Hand in Hand will implement common-sense practices for preventing disease spread, such as: covering a cough or sneeze with a bent elbow, staying home when sick, and washing hands.

Basic Daily Care

· Hand washing will occur frequently throughout the day.

· Sneezing and coughing needs to be into your elbow or a tissue and the tissue needs to be immediately thrown in the trash.

· Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

· Stay home when ill.

Masks

Participants and staff are encouraged to wear masks, but they are not required. Hand in Hand will provide masks upon request.

Children may bring a mask. Masks should NEVER be put on babies and children under age two because of the danger of suffocation.

· Staff will be provided a cloth face mask. They may provide their own.

· How to Wear Cloth Face Coverings

o Cloth face coverings should—

§ fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face

§ be secured with ties or ear loops

§ include multiple layers of fabric

§ allow for breathing without restriction

§ be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape

· Cleaning

o Masks should be washed daily in the washing machine. Individuals will be required to wash their own mask.

· Removal

o Individuals should be careful not to touch their eyes, nose, and mouth when removing their cloth face covering and wash hands immediately after removing.

· CDC on Homemade Cloth Face Coverings

CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. CDC also advises the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.

Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face covering without assistance.

The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators. Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.

Classroom Practices:

· Remove all plush toys, clothing and other soft toys from classrooms.

· Children may not bring plush toys or blankets from home.

· Wash blankets daily.

· Toys may not be shared between classrooms or groups of children without first disinfecting the toys.

· Minimize the number of toys in the program space and disinfect them daily.

· Implement regular deep-cleaning practices at a minimum once a week, while continuing daily cleaning as normal.

· Toys that cannot be cleaned and sanitized will not be used.

· Rooms will be limited to no more than 10 individuals per room to increase space between children.

· Recess, activities and hallway passing should be staggered to limit interactions.

· During rest time, children’s cots should be placed as far away from one another as possible and in a head to foot pattern.

· We will not use group sensory/water tables. Instead, we will provide individual sensory experiences with individual materials for each child which are then cleaned and sanitized immediately after use. Similarly, children will be provided individual art materials that can be sanitized and disinfected I.e. crayons, colored pencils, pencils etc.

· All classrooms will implement use of ‘Yuck Bucket’ for mouthed/high-contact toys that must be disinfected immediately.

· Hard surfaces will be cleaned and disinfected three times per day. Special attention should be paid to door knobs, light switches, counter tops and rest rooms.

Social Distancing

Hand in Hand will make the following accommodations to abide by the recommended 6-ft. distancing when possible.

Pick up and Drop off Procedures

1. Prior to arrival, all parents must take their child’s temperature. Children with temperatures of 100.4 degrees or higher will not be allowed into the building.

2. Upon arrival, parents will call Hand in Hand to notify the staff they have arrived. During typical pick up and drop off times a staff member will remain near the front door to monitor traffic.

3. Parents should assist a child out of the vehicle to avoid additional exposure of the staff by leaning into the vehicle. Children will be admitted inside one at a time, parents should not allow their child to enter the building independently. Parents will not be allowed to enter the building.

4. Standing at least 6 feet away, staff will:

1. Ask the parent/guardian if the child have a fever, shortness of breath or cough.

i. Make a visual inspection of the child for signs of illness which could include flushed cheeks, rapid breathing or difficulty breathing (without recent physical activity), fatigue, or extreme fussiness.

1. Ask the parent if they or the child have traveled in the last 14 days to areas outside of 50 miles

i. If so, this must be disclosed and depending on the location, children may be asked to delay entrance for 14 days.

ii. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Contact CEO with any travel questions so a determination can be made.

c. Ask the parent to confirm they or the child have not had contact with any person who is showing symptoms for COVID- 19 within the last 14 days, OR with anyone with known COVID-19? This includes verified cases of COVID-19 within their workplace.

5. Assuming the answer is no to all prepared questions, the staff will usher the child inside. If a parent answers yes to question 1 or 3, the child will be asked to remain home until they are fever free without fever reducing medication for at least 72 hours (question 1) or 14 days (question 3).

6. A hand hygiene station will be set up at the entrance of the facility, so that children can clean their hands before they enter. Hand in Hand will provide hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol at entry. Hand sanitizer will be kept out of children’s reach and supervise use.

7. Ideally, the same parent or designated person should drop off and pick up the child every day.

We will continue to keep you updated with information as we receive it and we appreciate your understanding and patience.

Thank you for trusting in us to care for your most precious people,

Angie Kendall

CEO

Hand in Hand