Dear Families, Friends, and Guardians,
We hope that everyone continues to stay healthy and safe during these uncertain times. Over the last few months, The Arc of Cape May County has been grateful for the many ways our families and guardians have supported our program staff to ensure the individuals we serve continue to receive the highest quality of care while remaining safe. We also recognize how challenging it is has been for all of our families to distance themselves from their loved ones as we know the importance visits with family and friends play in the well-being of individuals living in our residential program.
With the re-opening of the state, The Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) has released new guidelines for visits at residential programs. While these guidelines will be adjusted over time as more is learned about the virus, we wanted to share the policy with friends and families so that we can safely begin bringing individuals and families together. Effective June 21, The Arc of Cape May County will ask families and guardians to adhere to the following visiting guidelines:
- Please pre-arrange all visits prior to the visit by calling the Program Supervisor.
- Visits may need to be rescheduled if there is inclement weather.
- All visitors will get their temperature checked and questions asked about their health prior to entering the outdoor visiting area.
- All visits will take place outdoors where there will be sufficient space and seating to allow individuals who have not been residing together to be at least six feed apart.
- We will ask all visitors to monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 for at least 14 days after their visit. If symptoms occur, we advise participants to self-isolate at home, contact their healthcare provider, and immediately notify the provider of the date they visited. The Arc of Cape May County will immediately screen the resident who had contact with the partipcant, and take all necessary actions based on any findings.
The complete guidelines from DDD have been included with this letter. We will also post these guidelines on our website at www.arcofcapemay.org. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at robin@arcofcapemay.org.
Thank you all for your cooperation and understanding as we all work together to enrich the lives of the individuals we serve in a safe matter.
Sincerely,
Robin Watson
Chief Program Officer