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COVID-19 Cautions and Updates

Coronavirus Updates

Coronavirus Cautions and Updates

May 27, 2022 Executive Director Update 

As many of you are aware, The Arc of Monmouth’s Day Programs have been closed this week because of the increasing transmission of Covid-19 amongst our participants and staff. We had hoped to reopen after the extended Memorial Day weekend, but unfortunately, this is not likely. Therefore, we have decided to keep our Day Programs closed until Monday, June 6th. This closure ONLY EFFECTS Day Programs. Both TAZ and The Work Opportunities Center will remain open as normal.

We understand that this decision will be disappointing, but the health, safety, and well-being of our participants, staff and families remains our priority. It is important that we continue to encourage staff and families to continue to follow the Centers for Disease Control safeguards and guidelines, such as: 

  • ·         Staying home when you are sick.
  • ·         Washing of hands regularly with soap for at least 20 seconds.
  • ·         Covering coughs and sneezes and properly disposing of tissues.
  • ·         Limit close contact with people who are sick and not share food, drinks and utensils.
  • ·         Wearing a face covering (if able), and…
  • ·         Continue to monitor your health for other symptoms. 

Should you have any questions during this temporary closure, please do not hesitate to contact either myself, Bob Angel, Executive Director on (732) 493-1919 ext. 150 or rangel@arcofmonmouth.org; or Leslie Kelly, Director of Adult Services on (732) 389-5256 or lkelly@arcofmonmouth.org

I would also like to wish everyone a safe and happy Memorial Day as we remember those who have given so much.

Bob Angel

 

2/17/2022 Update from Executive Director

2/17/2022 UPDATE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Arc of New Jersey’s mission advocates and assists individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

The Arc of New Jersey has created a 3-page newsletter that outlines the ways their advocacy services and programs can benefit the individuals and families connected to The Arc of Monmouth.  They are offering assistance to anyone who may need it and want people to be aware of the various ways in which The Arc of New Jersey is here for you and your loved ones. 

Thank you, Thomas Baffuto, Executive Director of The Arc of New Jersey, for your advocacy and support in assisting The Arc of Monmouth at the local level.

Bob Angel

1/30/2022 Update from Executive Director

1/30/2022 UPDATE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

As per my message from 1/13/2022…

Tomorrow, January 31st, we will be opening our day programs for ALL participants!   Due to this past weekend’s storm, please be patient with our transportation.  Our drivers will be navigating some icy streets and may take longer than usual. 

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

We will continue to expect those participants who can tolerate wearing a mask to do so, along with following practical social distancing guidelines as best as possible. Hand washing and sanitizing protocols will be in place just like before.

I would ask that any program participant who is not feeling well or who has a fever not attend program and stay at home and get tested.

Please continue to monitor our website www.arcofmonmouth.org for further updates regarding reopening and any inclement weather notifications.

As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly  via e-mail at rangel@arcofmonmouth.org; Leslie Kelly, Director of Adult Day Services at lkelly@arcofmonmouth.org; or Maria Piantanida, Director of Health Services at mpiantanida@arcofmonmouth.org.

Bob Angel

1/21/2022 Update from Executive Director

1/21/2022 UPDATE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

As per my message from 1/13/2022…

On January 24th, we will have a ‘phased’ reopening of our day programs to ONLY residents from The Arc of Monmouth group homes. Assuming there is no further increase in the incidence of Covid infection, day programs will reopen to ALL participants on January 31st.

We consider this ‘phased’ reopening to be the safest way to have programs up and running again. We will continue to expect those participants who can tolerate wearing a mask to do so, along with following practical social distancing guidelines as best as possible. Hand washing and sanitizing protocols will be in place just like before.

I would ask that any program participant who is not feeling well or who has a fever not attend program and stay at home and get tested.

Please continue to monitor our website www.arcofmonmouth.org for further updates regarding reopening and any inclement weather notifications.

As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly  via e-mail at rangel@arcofmonmouth.org; Leslie Kelly, Director of Adult Day Services at lkelly@arcofmonmouth.org; or Maria Piantanida, Director of Health Services at mpiantanida@arcofmonmouth.org.

Bob Angel

1/13/2022 Update from Executive Director

1/13/2022 UPDATE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

In a continuing effort to keep you updated on the program closures at The Arc of Monmouth, I am writing to let you know that because of the continued increase in the number of positive Covid-19 cases amongst our staff, and for the safety of our residents and program participants, it will be necessary to keep the day programs closed for one more week until January 24th.

On January 24th, we will have a ‘phased’ reopening of our day programs to ONLY residents from The Arc of Monmouth group homes. Assuming there is no further increase in the incidence of Covid infection, day programs will reopen to ALL participants on January 31st.

We consider this ‘phased’ reopening to be the safest way to have programs up and running again. We will continue to expect those participants who can tolerate wearing a mask to do so, along with following practical social distancing guidelines as best as possible. Hand washing and sanitizing protocols will be in place just like before.

I would ask that any program participant who is not feeling well or who has a fever not attend program and stay at home and get tested.

Please continue to monitor our website www.arcofmonmouth.org for further updates regarding reopening and any inclement weather notifications.

As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly  via e-mail at rangel@arcofmonmouth.org; Leslie Kelly, Director of Adult Day Services at lkelly@arcofmonmouth.org; or Maria Piantanida, Director of Health Services at mpiantanida@arcofmonmouth.org.

Bob Angel

1/7/2022 Update from Executive Director

1/7/2022 UPDATE from Executive Director

As per my message from the other day, I am writing again to update you on where we stand regarding reopening of day programs for next week. With the increasing numbers of new positive COVID-19 cases in our community, we have decided it is in the best interest of the individuals we serve, your families and our staff to continue the temporary closure of our day programs for a further week until at least Tuesday, January 18th. In addition, our TAZ classes will remain virtual as well. We will assess the situation nearer that time and decide further course of action needed then.

Staff who would normally work at our day programs will be assisting in our residential programs where we are experiencing staffing shortages because of this increase in the number of positive cases. The Work Opportunity Center will remain open for programming at this time.

Please continue to monitor our website, www.arcofmonmouth.org, for information regarding re-opening programs and other activities.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to reach out to either myself via e-mail at rangel@arcofmonmouth.org, Leslie Kelly, Director of Adult Services at lkelly@arcofmonmouth.org or Maria Piantanida, Director of Health Services at mpiantanida@acrofmonmouth.org

Your patience and understanding are greatly appreciated as we work through these next few weeks of this ‘spike’ in the pandemic.

 

Bob Angel

 

 

1/4/2022 UPDATE from our Executive Director

 

1/4/2022 UPDATE from Executive Director

Good afternoon and Happy New Year! I hope that you have all had an enjoyable, safe, and healthy Holiday Season.

As many of you are aware, The Arc Center was closed immediately before the Christmas holiday break and for the week between Christmas and New Year because of the increase in the number of staff testing positive with the Covid infection. Those numbers have continued to increase throughout the Holiday and therefore yesterday, based on clinical advice, the decision to keep the offices closed and work remotely for the remainder of this week was made.

This decision affects our TAZ program, which is based at The Arc Center; their programs will be conducted virtually for the next few days at least.

All Day Programs provided by The Arc of Monmouth will be closed for the remainder of this week as well. A decision as to whether we reopen next week, i.e. week commencing January 10th, will be made by Friday, January 7th based on the number of new infections we are seeing.

The staff in both Adult Day Services and Residential continue to do an outstanding job in the face of some challenging staff shortages caused by the isolation/quarantine requirements.

As always if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out by emailing me at rangel@arcofmonmouth.org or Director of Adult Services, Leslie Kelly, at lkelly@arcofmonmouth.org or Director of Health Services, Maria Piantanida, at mpiatanida@arcofmonmouth.org.

Bob Angel

8/16/2021 UPDATE from our Executive Director

I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful summer weather.

It has been a few weeks since I have written to tell you what’s been happening at The Arc of Monmouth, and with the upsurge in new cases of the COVID-19 virus because of the Delta variant, I thought it appropriate to write to you now. 

Here’s what’s happening at The Arc of Monmouth...

Day Programs Open at 50% Capacity

All our Day Programs are open at 50% capacity, primarily because staffing is still an issue. We are working hard to recruit new staff; in fact, we recently held a job fair and had 18 people walk in to learn about available positions. I am pleased to say that we have been able to make job offers to many of them. 

Additionally, we are planning another event in early October to attract more new staff.

Work Opportunity Center Continues to Thrive

The Work Opportunity Center, which has been the least affected from a staffing perspective, is open at 100% capacity. Further, the work is increasing as vendors learn we are back in business! We have several new contracts, along with increased volume for some of our existing ones. As it stands, our order book looks good for the fall.

Residential Licensing for 2022 in Progress

Residential licensing is in full swing, and we are looking forward to continuing to serve our residents. 

Counseling and Psychiatry Visits Now Available

In-person psychiatry visits have started again at The Arc Center, and some in-person counseling sessions (both individual and group) have started back up as well. We have reorganized the Health Services department at The Arc Center so there is now a dedicated entrance on the side of the building. The entrance is clearly marked so you won’t miss it!

Increased Security at The Arc Center

A new security system has been implemented at The Arc Center to protect visitors and staff. During business hours, access to the building can only be gained by key card for employees or by invitation for visitors. 

Health and Safety Remain Top Priority

As I write this message, we are working to comply with Governor Murphy’s latest Executive Order (EO 252) mandating all individuals who work in a congregate setting with the I/DD population to be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing for COVID-19. To 

be able to comply with this order will undoubtedly put extra pressure on us, but we are working diligently to meet the September 7th deadline. 

We continue to encourage all those who have not been vaccinated yet to do so. 

With the current increase in new COVID-19 cases, we are moving forward cautiously. But we are moving forward in the hopes that we can soon return to a more normal life.

If you have any questions or comments about any of our services, please do not hesitate to reach out.

 

Bob Angel

 

Plain Language Guides for You and Your Family

Video: Nasal Swab Testing for People with I/DD

Face Masks Social Story

Click the image to access the full social story from the Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities

Helping Adults with I/DD Become Comfortable with Face Masks

Do you or your family need help?

Dial 2-1-1 for help. New Jersey has set up a special hotline dedicated to coronavirus information and community resources to help everyone through this difficult time. Visit New Jersey's COVID-19 website here. 

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