Lund’s response to COVID-19

There is no doubt that our whole community, both locally and globally, is experiencing something that is unprecedented and in many ways unclear.  We do know, however, that families still need the services that Lund provides. For some families this need is heightened by the events going on in the world.  Lund has not wavered from our commitment to meet the needs of these families.  We have quickly and innovatively adapted the way we provide services so that we can continue to do so. 

UPDATE: Posted 3/30/2020

• Lund’s Early Childhood Education Program reopened for currently enrolled families with caregivers/parents who are essential workers. Lund is committed to providing safe, high quality child care so that essential workers can continue to do the work that the wider community needs to stay healthy, safe and functioning to meet everyone’s basic needs. While we are making this commitment to these families, our decision to remain open will be revisited weekly as we consider child and program staff safety, financial impacts, and many other moving parts.
•  Lund staff continue to serve families in residence at Glen Road and at Independence Place.  The protocols in place at each location are robust and have meant significant changes to routines.  Staff have done amazing things to keep clients engaged in treatment, healthy, and taking care of each other.  We have redeployed a senior staff member as the “Interim Situation Manger” who will coordinate the residential program’s ongoing response to Covid-19 in the building and at the isolation sites.  This added capacity will bring singular focus to our response efforts.
• All staff members who are able to work remotely are doing so. There has been very little disruption to clients. The staff on site at the residential program, transitional housing and one adoption staff members who remains onsite at the Hoehl Family Building are essential workers.
  
  End of 3/30 Update

As of 3/19, here is what this looks like:

• Lund’s Early Childhood Education Program closed on 3/17 in accordance with the state’s order that all childcare programs close.  The program will remain closed through at least April 6^th. We will continue to follow the state requirements as they determine if the closure period needs to be extended.  
• New Horizons high school moved to remote learning in alignment with the ordered closing of public pre-K – 12 public schools.
• All other on-site Child and Family and Adoption Services at the Hoehl Family Building at 50 Joy Drive, Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility, and Timberlane Pediatrics have moved to remote options.  There will be no Lund programming happening at on site at these locations. 
• Lund’s Project Family workers, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiters, post permanency service providers, regional partnership program case managers and clinicians, Vermont Family Recovery Project clinicians and family engagement specialists, community clinicians, and community home visitors will provide services to families remotely through phone calls, emails, telehealth systems or video conference.
• The residential program has suspended all visitors, external services providers, and non-essential deliveries.  This includes suspending supervised visitation until April 6^th. Universal precautions around hand washing, sanitizing, and enhanced cleaning have been in place since last week and continued to be adapted in accordance with changing CDC recommendations. There is a strict screening protocol in place for both clients and staff to try to mitigate the impact of anyone showing symptoms of COVID-19. 
• Staff at Independence Place were working hard already to find new housing options for tenants when we announced the closure of that program due to state funding cuts at the end of February. This work continues.  Cleaning has also been enhanced at this program. The tenants are being asked to practice social distancing. 
• We have temporarily suspended all volunteer activities and donation drop offs.

The health and safety of our clients and our staff is our greatest concern.  We know that many things will change over the next days, weeks, and months but this will not.  We are ready to do whatever needs to be done to continue to provide hope, opportunity, and family to Vermonters.