All Hands on Deck

admin, March 19, 2020March 31, 2020, COVID-19, 0

Hello PCL Team Members:

I hope this communication finds you all healthy and safe as you are dealing with a public health crisis like we have not experienced in our lifetimes.  For PCL, this means we are taking steps and actions we have never before taken. Please know that every communication and every new policy, rule, and guideline we are sending out is done with these three primary goals in mind:   

• Living our mission – supporting the people we serve to stay healthy, happy, and safe 
• Keeping all of PCL’s team members healthy, happy, and safe
• Keeping our communities healthy and safe

We will need to work together and make some personal sacrifices while asking things of our team members that we have never done before.  To this end, we will be looking to our teams to help each other through this difficult time with the following expectations:

• For now, we ask that everyone who is healthy and able to come to work and follow all procedures outlined in PCL’s Response Policy and Procedures Plan. We are grateful for our incredible team at PCL and know that our committed team members are coming to work and doing all they can to keep people healthy and safe.  We want to remind you that you are essential workers as outlined by the Governor’s Executive Order.  Per this order and the transmittal from ODDS, “Those who provide direct care are expected to continue reporting to work unless they have been exposed to a presumed positive case of COVID-19 (outside of work) and are instructed by their physician or Public Health Official to quarantine or are displaying symptoms of illness.”  We ask you to stay positive, communicate with each other, and remember our value to provide outstanding support that leads to, “spiritual, emotional, and physical well being.”  This means being creative about helping people not only learn proactive strategies to stay physically healthy but help people practice and learn new ways to find joy and laughter in their days.  Games, exercise, art projects, and hobbies at home are all things we can do while we limit our activities outside a person’s home and respect social distancing.
• For now, we are asking all team members and PCL’s Administrative and Leadership Team members to voluntarily work up to 8 additional hours providing DSP support per week.  Please contact the Area Directors at area_directors@pclpartnership.org with your willingness to help at this level.  If you are an Administrative or Leadership Team member that has not had the training needed to provide this support, the Area Director team will help you get the training you need.
• If the time comes, this email is also the official notice to ALL PCL TEAM MEMBERS that in the case of extreme crisis, all team members may be reassigned from their Administrative or Leadership positions to provide direct health and safety support to those we serve.  Please know we will review each person’s ability and individual situation as we roll into this “crisis” support plan. If someone has a legitimate reason this is not possible, they may be reassigned to other support roles so those who are able can focus on Direct Support Professional duties can be relieved of their regular duties.
• In the most extreme case of a crisis, PCL will initiate a short term required overtime policy.  This will be limited to 8 hours a week of required overtime for all PCL Team members.
• If after all these initiatives are exhausted and we are still experiencing health and safety level crisis staffing, we will reach out to our local provider group for help, if available, and finally, we will reach out to our State and County partners for help and guidance to access emergency support.
• PCL will also be putting out a request to former PCL Team members who would be willing to be on a list of emergency support who can play a role in supporting those providing DSP work by volunteering for shopping, daycare, etc. or who may be willing to be trained to provide DSP supports directly.

It is my hope that many of these required actions will never have to be implemented, however, we have to stay calm, do what we can do to never get to this crisis level, and be prepared for extreme measures. As always, I am humbled and honored to work with each of you every day. In true PCL spirit, we know that you will continue to rise to the occasion and we will get through this together. Be well. 

With respect and gratitude, 

Joanne and Zellee

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