Category: Latest Updates

Our values, vision, and mission together with your well-being and the well-being of people who use our services continue to be our top priority during the current crisis.

This COVID-19 Pandemic Response site is updated weekly so that you have the latest resources available. You do not need to print or review every resource. The weekly checklist, updated each Thursday, lists what is required to be posted at your location. These required resources will have an asterisk “*” next to their title on the webpage.

This week, look for the following updates:

SUPPORT PEOPLE TAB

• Checklist updated for Supervisors and Health & Safety Representatives to complete for the week of June 5^th to June 11^th.  This checklist is updated weekly and includes all of the required documents that were updated and need to be re-printed.
  • COVID-19 Weekly Preparedness Checklist
• A clarification question has been added to the protocol to screen for previous positive COVID-19 test results within the last 14 days. 
  • COVID-19 Screening Protocol
• Public Health testing guidelines continue to evolve. We have now updated our testing guidelines in our Guidance on COVID-19 Exposure Charts to require employees who test positive with COVID-19 to be off work for a minimum of 14 days and have been 72 hours symptom-free (previously 48 hours). We have also updated the flowchart steps in light of easier access to testing and the results of surveillance tests
  • Guidance on COVID-19 Exposure Charts
    • Employee Exposure 
    • Exposure for People Supported
• The Enhanced Cleaning Poster has been updated with best practices from Public Health Ontario.
  • Enhanced Cleaning Poster
• The PPE Frequently Asked Questions document was updated to include the requirement of eye protection (goggles/face shield) for employees administering active screening as well as guidance on how to clean them.
  • PPE FAQ

Note on Cloth Mask Use: As temperatures rise with spring and summer, we understand that wearing cloth masks may be uncomfortable.

Surveillance Testing

Surveillance testing is now available in some communities across Ontario. Surveillance testing is happening to identify positive COVID-19 in people that are not yet showing symptoms. As an organization, we are cooperating with surveillance testing in some communities as requested by Public Health. Public Health may be coming to locations where you work to test both the people who live there and our employees. Being involved in surveillance testing will help us to better protect one another, including the people that use our services.

We’re looking for your daily living tips!

COVID-19 has become a part of our daily lives and it will likely be this way for a while. We’re interested in hearing some of the daily living tips you’ve collected along the way so we can begin to share resources that help to keep our daily living activities safe. For example, what do you do to keep safe while on a walk in your community? How are you handling your groceries? What sites, videos, or posters have you been inspired by?  When we share our good ideas with others, we help to keep our whole community safe and well.

If you are a supervisor or health and safety representative, please create a list of some of these helpful tips or resources with the help of employees and people supported, and send them to covid-19@christian-horizons.org!

Our values, vision, and mission together with your well-being and the well-being of people who use our services continue to be our top priority during the current crisis.

This COVID-19 Pandemic Response site is updated weekly so that you have the latest resources available. You do not need to print or review every resource. The weekly checklist, updated each Thursday, lists what is required to be posted at your location. These required resources will have an asterisk “*” next to their title on the webpage.

This week, look for the following updates:

SUPPORT PEOPLE TAB

• Checklist updated for Supervisors and Health & Safety Representatives to complete for the week of May 29^th to June 4^th. This checklist is updated every week. Items in ORANGE (or GREY if printed in black and white) with a strike-through need to be taken down / discarded:
  • COVID-19 Weekly Preparedness Checklist
• As we continue active entry screening, people who are looking to enter a Christian Horizons support location will need to have their temperature checked and will be asked whether they are displaying any symptoms of COVID-19. Employee symptom checks are to occur two times each shift for employees (at the start and end of each shift). 
  • COVID-19 Screening Protocol
    • Physical distancing should be maintained while active screening is taking place. Employees administrating active screening are to be equipped with a commercial/surgical mask and goggles/face shields during the screening process. The same surgical mask can be worn for the duration of the employee’s shift instead of switching back to a cloth mask to reduce depleting PPE stock. The employee being screened should be wearing a cloth mask while being screened.
    • Clarification has been added to the protocol around close physical contact with someone who has returned to Canada in the last two weeks, based on Public Health Agency of Canada wording. Close contact is only problematic if and when the person who returned to Canada begins displaying symptoms.
• Public Health testing guidelines continue to evolve. Many public health units are no longer doing follow up testing on a person who previously tested positive for COVID-19 to obtain two negatives in order to return to work. We have now updated our testing guidelines in our Guidance on COVID-19 Employee Exposure scenarios to require employees who test positive with COVID-19 to be off work for a minimum of 14 days and have been 48 hours symptom-free.
  • Guidance on COVID-19 Exposure Charts
    • Employee Exposure (2 steps)

We’re looking for your daily living tips!

COVID-19 has become a part of our daily lives and it will likely be this way for a while. We’re interested in hearing some of the daily living tips you’ve collected along the way so we can begin to share resources that help to keep our daily living activities safe. For example, what do you do to keep safe while on a walk in your community? How are you handling your groceries? What sites, videos, or posters have you been inspired by?  When we share our good ideas with others, we help to keep our whole community safe and well.

If you are a supervisor or health and safety representative, please create a list of some of these helpful tips or resources with the help of employees and people supported, and send them to covid-19@christian-horizons.org!

Our values, vision, and mission together with your well-being and the well-being of people who use our services continue to be our top priority during the current crisis.

This COVID-19 Pandemic Response site is updated weekly so that you have the latest resources available. You do not need to print or review every resource. The weekly checklist, updated each Thursday, lists what is required to be posted at your location. These required resources will have an asterisk “*” next to their title on the webpage.

This week, look for the following updates:

SUPPORT PEOPLE TAB

• Checklist updated for Supervisors and Health & Safety Representatives to complete for the week of May 22^nd to May 28^th. This checklist is updated every week. Items in ORANGE (or GREY if printed in black and white) with a strike-through need to be taken down / discarded:
  • COVID-19 Weekly Preparedness Checklist
• While there are some lightening of restrictions happening across the country, we must continue to be very careful in providing support to people. Christian Horizons has been able to preview the new Guidance document that will be coming out from the Ontario Ministry of Health. In agreement with this upcoming guidance document, we are moving to active entry screening, which means that people who are looking to enter a Christian Horizons support location will need to have their temperature checked and will be asked whether they are displaying any symptoms of COVID-19. Employee symptom checking will occur two times each shift for employees (at the start and end of each shift). Please be sure to update and become familiar with the following documents:
  • Guidance on COVID-19 Exposure Charts
    • Employee Exposure (2 steps)
    • Supporting People Who Use our Services (3 steps)
  • Daily Symptom-Monitoring
  • COVID-19 Screening Protocol
  • COVID-19 Symptom Self-Check poster
    • New passive screening guide that replaces the previous “COVID-19 Employee Self-Screening and Reporting Instruction”  poster as well as the “COVID-19 Door Poster with Employee Screening“.

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE TAB

• Saskatchewan Employees – the Government of Saskatchewan has introduced the Saskatchewan Temporary Wage Supplement Program for eligible employees who are helping Saskatchewan’s vulnerable citizens through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our values, vision, and mission together with your well-being and the well-being of people who use our services continue to be our top priority during the current crisis.

This COVID-19 Pandemic Response site is updated weekly so that you have the latest resources available. You do not need to print or review every resource. The weekly checklist, updated each Thursday, lists what is required to be posted at your location. These resources will have an asterisk “*” next to their title on the webpage.

This week, look for the following updates:

SUPPORT PEOPLE TAB

• Checklist updated for Supervisors and Health & Safety Representatives to complete for the week of May 15^th to May 21^st. This checklist is updated every week. Items in ORANGE (or GREY if printed in black and white) with a strike-through need to be taken down / discarded:
  • COVID-19 Weekly Preparedness Checklist
    Spoiler alert: No new required changes or updates this week! Print the checklist and, as long as everything is still in place from previous weeks, enjoy a job well done!
    

How can we streamline these documents to make your work easier?
Send us an email to let us know: covid-19@christian-horizons.org

Our values, vision, and mission together with your well-being and the well-being of people who use our services continue to be our top priority during the current crisis.

The COVID-19 Pandemic Response site (covid19.chconnect.org) is updated weekly so that you have the latest resources available.

Each Thursday, we update the COVID-19 Weekly Preparedness Checklist. This checklist tracks any changes needed based on the latest updates, to be prepared for the coming week. This means that you do not need to check the site each day to look for updates – the checklist and this weekly On the Horizon article will let you know.

This legend helps to show what is required (*) and what is (NEW) on the site:

This week, the following resources have been updated:

SUPPORT PEOPLE TAB

• Checklist updated for Supervisors and Health & Safety Representatives to complete for the week of May 8^th to May 14^th. This resource is updated every week to reflect changes in information and protocols. Items in ORANGE (or GREY if printed in black and white) with a strike-through need to be taken down / discarded:
  • COVID-19 Weekly Preparedness Checklist
• Changes have been made to include new COVID-19 symptoms that have been identified by Public Health.
  • Daily Symptom-Monitoring
  • Guidance on COVID-19 Exposure Charts
    • Employee Exposure (2 steps)
    • Supporting People Who Use our Services (3 steps)

As a reminder, if you have feedback, questions, or concerns you can let us know by emailing us through the feedback section at the bottom of the Support People tab or through the Contact tab.

EDUCATE AND EQUIP TAB

So many things are changing. Sometimes, it’s difficult to know why. Taking the time to talk with people about why, for instance, Direct Support Professionals are now wearing masks can help them to feel safe. It helps them to know that the same people they know are underneath those masks. This week, resources have been added to Educate and Equip to help talk with adults or with children with developmental disabilities about why we wear masks. These stories use pictures and some use audio to help talk about masks.

The following resources are now listed on the “Educate and Equip” tab for employees and at www.christian-horizons.org/coronavirus, if you want to share with family and friends:

 “I can wear a mask” social story (also references caregivers)

 Coronavirus Social Story: A Caregiver wearing a mask (hopestarter)

 We wear masks (best for children)

 Wearing a Mask: A social narrative for children 

Our values, vision, and mission together with your well-being and the well-being of people who use our services continue to be our top priority during the current crisis.

We frequently update our internal COVID-19 resources. This page does not require users to be connected to the VPN or via single sign-on:

covid19.chconnect.org

This week, the following resources have been updated:

SUPPORT PEOPLE TAB

• COVID-19 Preparedness Checklist updated for Supervisors and Health & Safety Representatives to complete for the week of May 1^st to May 7^th. This resource will continue to be updated every week to reflect changes in information and protocols. Please note that resources that are labeled in ORANGE or GREY if printed in black and white) with a strike-through are meant to be discarded from your location.
  • COVID-19 Preparedness Checklist
• Thanks to your feedback and recommendations, the following resources have been updated to include a Fahrenheit conversion reference next to Celsius for degrees of temperature:
  • Guidance on COVID-19 Exposure Charts
    • Supporting People Who Use our Services (3 steps)
    • Employee Exposure Scenarios (2 steps)
  • Daily Symptom-Monitoring
  • COVID-19 Screening Protocol (the screening protocol includes an updated symptoms question from ca.thrive.health)
  • COVID-19 Door Poster with Employee Screening
  • COVID-19 Employee Self-Screening and Reporting Instructions
• A new Personal Protective Equipment FAQ was developed to answer your most-asked questions. (Please note: The previous sewn mask FAQ was incorporated into this new resource)
  • PPE FAQ

EDUCATE AND EQUIP TAB

• Two new social stories were added to support conversations with people around the situations:
  • Sick at Home
  • My Housemate Has Coronavirus

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE TAB

• A new option available for mental health support for Direct Support Professionals via teletherapy.

COVID-19 Updates

from April 24 to April 30, 2020

Our values, vision, and mission together with your well-being and the well-being of people who use our services continue to be our top priority during the current crisis.

We frequently update our internal COVID-19 resources. This page no longer requires users to be connected to the VPN or via single sign-on: covid19.chconnect.org

This week, the following resources have been updated:

SUPPORT PEOPLE TAB

• COVID-19 Preparedness Checklist updated for Supervisors and Health & Safety Representatives to complete for the week of April 24^th to April 30^th. This resource will continue to be updated every week to reflect changes in information and protocols. Please note that resources that are labeled in ORANGE (or GREY for locations without access to colour printing) with a strike-through are meant to be discarded from your location.
  • COVID-19 Preparedness Checklist
• The COVID-19 Exposure Guidance charts have been updated to include new symptoms and a new temperature guideline; the temperature is now  37.8˚C. Language regarding serious occurrences has also been updated and steps to contact the district designated public health contact have been added. The employee exposure scenarios have been updated to provide guidance on when it is safe for employees to self-isolate at work. The different scenarios in each category were combined to create a single document package to download for each category.
  • People Supported Exposure Scenarios
  • Employee Exposure Scenarios
• New checklists for Program Managers and Team Leads to act as a support guide when responding to suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19 amongst employees and people supported:
  • Person Supported COVID-19 Response Checklist
  • Employee COVID-19 Response Scenarios
• The COVID-19 Daily Symptom-Monitoring Check has been updated. Symptoms have been updated to align with current flowcharts and temperature guidance. Note that symptoms and fever checks are to be completed twice a day at all locations or four times a day when there is a suspected or confirmed case at the location. This resource is meant to replace the previous Health Check.
  • Daily Symptom-Monitoring
• New guidance from the Canadian Red Cross on providing CPR for people who may have COVID-19.
  • COVID-19 CPR Protocols 
• Employees are to continue wearing gloves while providing personal care and partaking in cleaning procedures. Please refer to the updated Proper Glove Usage poster for instructions on glove use and note the change in donning gloves to go OVER the sleeves of gown or clothing.
  • Proper Glove Usage
• An enhanced cleaning and disinfection guide has been posted. This guide integrates details from multiple sources and provides additional guidance for when there is a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 at the location. Please print and post the guide along with the current Cleaning and Disinfection for Public Settings poster.
  • Enhanced Cleaning Measures (for Someone with a Suspected or Confirmed Case of COVID-19)

EDUCATE AND EQUIP TAB

• The resources available on the Educate and Equip Tab can now also be accessed through our external Christian Horizons website at christian-horizons.org/coronavirus and are therefore available to be shared with other communities and partners to help you understand and explain COVID-19 to the people that use our services and yourselves.

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE TAB

• This section has been updated to reflect the resources available to all employees. Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through LifeWorks is now available to all employees, including Casual employees for the next six months. LifeWorks can be accessed 24/7 and can offer guidance and support around various life matters.
• A benevolence fund has also been created to help employees, people supported, and tHost Family Providers, who may be experiencing significant hardship as a result of the virus. Applications are available for download and can be submitted starting on Friday, April 24, 2020.
• Check back regularly as new supports and services are announced.