SCAN Phase-In Update

 

Over the past few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our way of life and the way we conduct visits here at SCAN. As we follow guidance from Department of Child Services and Governor Holcomb’s Back on Track plan for the state of Indiana, SCAN will resume face-to-face visits in our office starting June 15.

Face-to-face time is critical for parents rebuilding a bond with their child, and SCAN is committed to re-connecting children with their parents in-person. In preparation for our re-opening, SCAN has created the following guidelines for visiting parents, foster children and in-home visits. We have created the following video and guidelines detailing our new entrance procedures.

For Foster Families & Children

To maintain a safe and healthy environment for our staff and the families we serve, we are asking foster families to:

  • Provide masks for children 3 and up.

  • Only send 1-2 toys for a child to play with and disinfect the toys prior to entering the building. There will be limited toys available at SCAN for the visits.

  • Ensure children are fed and hydrated prior to the visit to prevent the need for bringing snacks into the visitation room.

  • Provide diapers, wipes and a bottle with formula for the duration of the visit if requested in advance.

  • When arriving at SCAN, you should notify the SCAN worker with a phone call and please remain in your vehicle. While on the call, the SCAN worker will ask the following questions:

    • Have you have been instructed to self-quarantine/isolate? If yes, why? 

    • Have you had contact within the last 14 days with any person with symptoms of COVID-19 OR a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis? 

    • Do you have any symptoms of a respiratory infection (e.g., cough or shortness of breath)? 

    • Do you have at least two of the following symptoms?  Fever, Repeated shaking with chills, Chills, Muscle pain, Headache, Sore throat, Loss of taste or smell (recent onset)

    • Individuals need to be fever free for 72 hours before a face-to-face visit can occur. A fever is considered a temperature above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. 

  • Following the screening questions, the SCAN worker will come to the door to meet you and the child. The SCAN worker will take the child’s temperature prior to entry.

  • You will not be allowed to enter the building and will be required to leave a phone number. We ask you to either wait in the car or come back 15 minutes prior to the end of the visit and remain in the car.

  • When picking up the child, you will need to follow the signage to SCAN’s exit on Pearl Street. Following the end of the visit, the SCAN worker will call you and then bring the child out to your car at Pearl Street to reduce the amount of people walking throughout the building.

For Visiting Parents

For these in-person visits, we have implemented the following procedures to keep you, your children and our staff safe.

  • All adults are required to wear a mask.

  • When arriving, please wait outside of the building for your worker to call you and ask the following screening questions:

    • Have you have been instructed to self-quarantine/isolate? If yes, why? 

    • Have you had contact within the last 14 days with any person with symptoms of COVID-19 OR a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis? 

    • Do you have any symptoms of a respiratory infection (e.g., cough or shortness of breath)? 

    • Do you have at least two of the following symptoms?  Fever, Repeated shaking with chills, Chills, Muscle pain, Headache, Sore throat, Loss of taste or smell (recent onset)

    • Individuals need to be fever free for 72 hours before a face-to-face visit can occur. A fever is considered a temperature above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. 

  • A SCAN worker will take your temperature prior to entering the building.

  • Food will not be permitted. If a visit is longer than four hours, this should be discussed in a Child and Family Team Meeting.

  • You will be required to enter and exit through the visiting parent entrance, due to the new traffic flow pattern in the office, your SCAN worker will ask that you follow the arrows to the visit room and exit.

For Home Visiting Clients

For these in-person visit in your home, we have implemented the following procedures to keep you, your children and our staff safe.

  • Prior to the visit, your SCAN worker will call you to ask the COVID-19 screening questions:

    • Have you have been instructed to self-quarantine/isolate? If yes, why? 

    • Have you had contact within the last 14 days with any person with symptoms of COVID-19 OR a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis? 

    • Do you have any symptoms of a respiratory infection (e.g., cough or shortness of breath)? 

    • Do you have at least 2 of the following symptoms?  Fever, Repeated shaking with chills, Chills, Muscle pain, Headache, Sore throat, Loss of taste or smell (recent onset)

    • Individuals need to be fever free for 72 hours before a face-to-face visit can occur. A fever is considered a temperature above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. 

  • If someone in the home answers yes to any screening question, your worker will determine whether the visit should take place in person or virtually.

  • Once in your home, the worker has been instructed to utilize gloves, hand sanitizer and put on a face mask for your protection

If you have any questions regarding our new health and safety policies and the transition to in-office visits, please discuss this with your SCAN worker. We look forward to seeing you in the office starting June 15!

 
Whitney Craig