March 16, 2020
In response to COVID-19, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) is taking extra precautions to keep individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities safe. As a result, they are mandating that all Community Day Service sites close by Tuesday, March 17 which includes day programs, day training programs, sheltered workshops, and/or any other day site serving individuals with intellectual disabilities (I/DD) funded by the division. As a result of this mandate, Community Link will cease all day programming services by end of business on Monday, March 16, 2020. Day program services will be halted, per the State of Illinois mandate until April 15, 2020. The division may issue further guidance and may extend the April timeline of the closure as the situation with COVID-19 progresses.
Prior to April 15, the division will issue further guidance to providers and then Community Link will issue further guidance to its provider partners, family members, and staff. Community Link staff will work with providers partners, family members, and guardians to do what we can to ease this transition phase as we understand this is difficult for everyone involved.
For those individuals who reside in one of our Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) properties, our CILA properties will remain open and operating as usual. The only change that residents may experience is an increase in staffing to ensure residents have activities to help them get through their days while living at the CILA.
Community Link has instituted several procedures and protocols to ensure the safety of our CILA residents. Effective until further notice, we are not allowing visitors to our CILA properties and all staff entering each property are required to follow a checklist of protocols prior to starting their shift including additional hand hygiene protocols, taking their temperature, and refraining from work if they are feeling sick. Family members who are committed to seeing their loved one in-person are welcome to take their family home for 14 days. Upon return, the resident may be asked to undergo a physical exam by a licensed physician or provide a note from their physician stating they have been seen by a physician and they are in good health. Again, we realize these parameters may pose challenges for our family members and guardians; however, they have been put in place to ensure the safety of all participants and staff.
Anyone with questions or concerns regarding the closure of day program services or for any other concern can contact us at 618-526-8800 or via info@commlink.org. All calls and emails received will be returned within 24 hours.
We will continue to post updates to the community using all of our social media platforms including twitter and Facebook.
ABOUT COMMUNITY LINK
Community Link, is dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals with disabilities through a person-centered approach that promotes self-directed living choices and community integration opportunities. The mission of Community Link is to challenge, teach and inspire both participants and community, linking them in ways that enhance their lives. For more information, please visit our website at www.commlink.org.
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