COVID-19
Safe & Healthy Workplace Policy
Center-Based Services Notice for Families
As always, we are putting safety first to protect our families and staff.
As we open our centers to more treatment service, all staff will go through training on health and safety practices we’ve developed to maintain a high standard of safe care.
In all centers you will notice:
- Handwashing and sanitizing. Everyone who enters the building will need to wash hands, and we’ll continue to integrate handwashing into the daily routine. Hand sanitizer will be available throughout the center.
- Follow CDC travel guidance. As states and countries lift their restrictions, please pay close attention to CDC guidance around travel to specific regions. If you, your child or any household member travels to these regions, you will need to follow CDC guidance for quarantining yourself and your family before returning to Kaleidoscope ABA.
- Stay home if sick. If you or your child has been sick, we ask that the ill person stay home until they’ve been symptom-free without medication for at least 72 hours. The Center will be open to well individuals only.
- Sick space. Centers will have a dedicated space where staff can care for sick children while being separated from others until a family member can come to pick up the child.
- Same person drop-off and pick-up. Families are asked to assign one family member for drop off and pick up to minimize exposure to multiple people. If this is not possible, we ask parents to call the Center upon arrival and the staff will bring children in from, and out to the car.
- Protective equipment. All staff will be required to wear masks.
- Health screening and temperature checks. All staff will be asked to take their temperature each day and must be fever-free before arriving at Kaleidoscope ABA. We ask parents to take their child’s temperature before coming to Kaleidoscope ABA. When families sign in for the day in the lobby, they will need to confirm their child is well before our staff brings them back for treatment. Our staff may check temperatures on-site at check-in. Thermometers are available for on-site temperature checks, and staff will monitor children’s health throughout the day.
- Restricted treatment room access. To minimize potential exposure, we ask that families not walk your child past the lobby when you arrive. Instead, please check in with staff in the lobby, and staff will walk your child to their treatment room. Treatment areas will be reserved for staff and children only.
- Social distancing. We’ll continue to practice social distancing as much as possible to reduce risk. To minimize potential exposure, children will continue to keep distance from children and staff in other treatment rooms.
- Center cleanliness. Toys, equipment, and other high-touch surfaces will be regularly disinfected and rotated throughout the day. We will pause the use of materials and equipment that are difficult to clean.
- Modifications to dining. We’ve modified our mealtime practices to reduce the spread of germs. Children will still be served meals from their locker or lunchbox. Staff will use masks and gloves during this time.
- Naptime adjustments. Children who nap will be setup in a room by themselves. That area will be cleaned and disinfected after the child leaves the room.
Online Resources for Families
- Read the latest information from the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC).
- Current CDC guidance on best practices for protecting yourself and your household during this pandemic.
- Helping children to use a mask.
- Proper hand washing demonstration flyer for children.
- Teach children to use a tissue demonstration flyer.
Notice for Families
RE: Potential Exposure and Health Check
The health and well-being of our families and staff are our highest priorities. In the interest of limiting the opportunity for transmission to our vulnerable community, we are taking the following precautionary measures:
Family Potential Exposure
Your child must remain out of the center if any member of your household* has (or has been in close-contact** with anyone who has):
(a) A suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 (for example – close contact at school, work, religious service, social gathering); or
(b) Traveled:
- internationally; or domestically,
- from any area which is the subject of travel restrictions under applicable state and local guidance.
14 days after the last potential exposure, your household may return provided these three things have happened:
(a) At least 10 days have passed since any household member first experienced symptoms; and
(b) Symptoms have improved for any household member that experienced symptoms (for example, cough or shortness of breath has improved); and
(c) The household has been fever-free for at least 72 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicines.
Please note, depending on the circumstances we may require you to obtain medical clearance before return to the center will be allowed.
*HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS: include individuals who may not live in the household but may be staying there or are otherwise present in the household on a regular basis (e.g. nannies, caregivers, home health workers, contractors, etc.) and includes anyone with pick up or drop off privileges at the center.
**CLOSE CONTACT: is defined by the CDC as (1) being within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) of a COVID-19 case for a prolonged period of time and can occur while caring for, living with, visiting, or sharing a health care waiting area or room with a COVID-19 case, or (2) having direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case (e.g., being coughed on). Considerations when assessing close contact include the duration of exposure and the clinical symptoms of the person with COVID-19.
FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS: If close-contact occurs while wearing recommended personal protective equipment or PPE (e.g., gowns, gloves, NIOSH-certified disposable N95 respirator, eye protection), that contact will NOT be considered “close contact” for purposes of this policy.
Family Health Check and Illness
ALL FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND THEIR HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS MUST CONDUCT A DAILY HEALTH CHECK BEFORE COMING TO THE CENTER.
- Should you or any household member have any of the following symptoms, we ask you to remain out that day and notify the center.
- Fever of 100.4 F or higher, now or in the preceding 72 hours
- Cough
- Sore Throat
- Muscle Aches
- Difficulty Breathing
- Consistent with our COVID-19 Policy, the household will be required to remain out of the center for 14 days unless medical clearance is provided by a physician indicating that the presenting symptoms are associated with a known non-COVID-19 illness. The physician’s note must not be from a family member.
- Exclusion from the center is sometimes necessary to reduce the transmission of illness. For your child’s comfort, and to reduce the risk of contagion, we ask that children be picked up within one hour of notification. Until then, your child will be kept comfortable and will continue to be observed for symptoms.
How to Protect Yourself/Your Household
Please see the CDC guidelines for current guidance on best practices for protecting yourself and your household during this pandemic: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html
Health and Hygiene Practices
Our regular health and hygiene practices provide some of the best defenses against the spread of most contagious illnesses. In addition to regular and thorough cleaning of treatment rooms, surfaces and toys, we teach children good hand-washing practices and ensure that children and staff take important precautions against the spread of germs.
You can work with your children to practice some of these same steps at home:
- Wash hands often with soap and water – use this step-by-step guide to help
- Sneeze or cough into your elbow; or cover mouth and nose with a tissue before sneezing or coughing, then immediately discard the tissue. Print out this handy visual to show children how.
- Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid kissing, hugging, and sharing cups or eating utensils with people who are ill.
- Disinfect frequently touched surfaces, especially if someone is sick.
Online Resources for Families
- Read the latest information from the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC).
- Current CDC guidance on best practices for protecting yourself and your household during this pandemic.
- Helping children to use a mask.
- Proper hand washing demonstration flyer for children.
- Teach children to use a tissue demonstration flyer.