Covid 19 – Update from Our Executive Director

Dear Parent/Legal Guardian/ Treatment Ally:

We hope this finds you and your family well. In consultation with our Medical Services Team, I would like to again update you on the current status of Covid-19 at New Hope Carolinas.

We continue to not have any residents who are positive for or suspected of having Covid-19.  The last know case in our resident population was recorded on July 15, 2020. It has now been seven weeks since we saw a positive case.

We continue to note a very low number of employee reports of being ill or being directly exposed to someone with Covid-19 symptoms. As of today, we are only tracking 3 employees whom have called out of work with Covid-19 symptoms or due to direct exposure to someone with the virus.

We remain vigilant in all of our infection control, mitigation and containment procedures designed to prevent and slow the spread of Covid-19.  We are continuing the entry screening and other robust processes in place designed to track and monitor our employees and  ensure anyone suspected of Covid-19 is  medically cleared prior to returning to work. We are continuing to monitor all residents daily for symptoms. We are also continuing to quarantine and monitor symptoms of any new admissions or current residents who are away from our building for any reason, as a precaution, and once we see any hint of an influx on any unit, we quarantine the entire population and stop all admissions to that program.

We are continuing to test any youth in our care for Covid-19, if they display symptoms, or leave our facility for any reason.  Remember, if any youth tests positive for Covid-19, we will notify the parent/Legally Responsible Person (LRP) and encourage his/her parent/LRP to take the youth to their permanent residence for fourteen (14) day quarantine. When that is not feasible, we will quarantine the youth here.

Our plans for outdoor visitation and fully returning all employees to the workplace remain on hold, pending better data indicators that the community spread infection curve has been flattened and is holding steady at an acceptable rate.  Your continued cooperation and adherence to our “no visitors inside our building” policy is appreciated and please remember we only endorse off campus events if they are medically essential, and we test and quarantine any resident who leaves our facility for any reason as a precaution.  I appreciate your continued cooperation with these restrictions.

Thank you for allowing us to care for your child.

Sincerely,

Sam E. Phifer, LCSW

Sam E. Phifer,   Executive Director