June 19, 2020
Hello,
This has been a busy week! We received a response to our questions from Public Health and are working hard to ensure we have all of our safety protocols in place to begin reopening in-person services. We have received guidance for each environment we offer services in, so depending on your service location, the protocols will look slightly different. We are pleased to share that we are working to resume in-person services for children in child care centres and rural home settings beginning the week of June 29. Classrooms will begin welcoming children back to services beginning the week of July 6.
The London Street and Wall Street locations are being prepared to safely resume services and we anticipate opening the doors to begin welcoming children back during the week of July 6. We need to meet with Minnetonka administration to discuss re-entry in the school environment and are working closely with our colleagues within St.Amant to review the space used at 440 River Road. As this space is shared with a Long Term Care facility that is currently still facing strict visitor restrictions, we are discussing changes to the building to provide a separate entrance for children to be dropped off and picked up. As we work out the details, we will provide updates to the families supported in these locations.
We expect to pick up our personal protective equipment (PPE) from the government today (Friday) for staff who will be required to use it during sessions, and are in the process of ordering hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies. Staff are reaching out to child care centres to ensure we have all of the information we need for our staff to follow the protocols for services within their centres.
Next week we will be training all staff on the use of PPE. We will be putting together PPE kits for all staff and providing training on screening, hand hygiene, and cleaning protocols.
If you have not had a chance to complete the survey we sent out by email please reach out to us so we can gather the information we need to begin planning to resume your child’s in-person services. We will not be able to plan in-person services for your family until we hear from you about your intent to resume.
Thank you for your support and patience, we are getting very close to opening in-person services. Please stay tuned for weekly updates.
Kerri Walters, PhD, C.Psych., BCBA-D
Director, Autism Programs and Psychology Services