3.17.2021 Update
As we start to see a light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, many leaders and businesses are loosening their standards when it comes to COVID-19 practices.
But Discovery Behavioral Health does not look to politicians, businesses, or social trends to determine our COVID-19 practices. Our decisions are made on evidence-based, scientific facts. We regularly review CDC guidelines, and messages from thought leaders in the healthcare space. Our ongoing research and our experience as a national healthcare provider makes us aware that social distancing, masks, handwashing and the numerous practices we have put into place save lives.
We are hopeful that the pandemic will be over soon – until then we will not let our guard down in the care and safety of our patients and staff.
Winter 2020 Update
As behavioral healthcare professionals, the staff of DBH qualifies for participation in the COVID-19 Vaccination programs nationwide. Many employees have already received their first round of vaccines and others are scheduled to be vaccinated as soon as possible. While we are managing this process, all COVID-19 precautions under CDC guidelines continue to take place throughout our facilities including patient and staff screenings, ongoing preventative cleaning, social distancing, wearing of masks and other personal protective equipment, and more. We know that treatment for behavioral health issues are more crucial now than ever before. We are here to create a safe space for staff and the patients we serve.
Other than social distancing and washing hands, we take additional precautions to keep our patients safe:
- We closely and regularly monitor and following the recommendations from the CDC and state-specific mandates, such as remaining at least 6-feet apart from each other and consistently washing hands, to name a few.
- We require all staff to wear face coverings while in the facility; face coverings are strongly recommended for all patients and visitors.
- We conduct daily screenings of all staff, patients and visitors at the door prior to entering our facilities.
- We are cleaning group rooms/meeting rooms/kitchen after each use; and sanitizing the milieu and highly touched surfaces at least once per shift.
- We are providing telehealth services to our patients as needed.
Our COVID Response Team has been working with all facilities to provide a safe environment for those we serve.
Fall 2020 Update
Our Face Shield Policy
In some circumstances additional protection may be used to ensure the safety of staff and patients. In addition to wearing face masks/coverings when working in close proximity to patients, a face shield is recommended for situations that include but are not limited to:
- Completing a physical exam
- Collecting vital signs
- Sharing a computer screen
- Collecting lab work
- 1:1 interaction that is less than 6 feet
Each staff member is assigned their own face shield for extended wear daily. The staff member is responsible for writing their name on their face shield, cleaning it every day with alcohol and storing the face shield when not in use.
The team at DBH continues to monitor our COVID policies and update them as new information becomes available for the safety of our staff and patients.
Summer 2020 Update
Because the safety and health of our patients and staff is top priority, we have enacted a COVID Clean Commitment for all facilities. This means that we are committed to the following standards of enhanced environmental cleanliness at every facility:
- Frequent sanitizing of light switches, door handles and knobs
- Cleaning individual-use items after each use
- Cleaning group rooms after use and sanitizing the milieu at least once per day
- Screening each new admission multiple times prior to arrival at the facility
- Screening all staff, patients and visitors at the door prior to entering our buildings
- Requiring all staff to wear face coverings while in the facility; face coverings are strongly recommended for all patients and visitors
Spring 2020 Update
Discovery Behavioral Health, Inc. continues to make patient safety and health our highest priority during the COVID-19 Pandemic. We have worked with industrial and cleaning experts to implement proactive cleaning protocols with the aim of reducing the risk of infection, illness and cross-contamination. Our staff is trained and supervised regularly to help ensure these cleaning protocols are fully implemented.
We continue to make sure that the safety and health of our patients and staff is top priority. Please note the latest guidelines as it relates to face coverings and cleaning protocols at our facilities:
Face coverings
- We recommend that our staff wears face coverings/face masks if deemed appropriate based on the circumstances.
- We encourage clients to wear face coverings/face masks if deemed appropriate based on the circumstances.
Cleaning
- We have consulted with outside cleaning professionals to develop and implement preventive cleaning protocols for our facilities.
COVID-19 Safety Measures
We take the health and safety of our patients and staff very seriously. We are keeping up with the rapidly changing information around coronavirus (COVID-19). We are following the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations to help prevent the spread of any illness within our facilities.
Environmental Cleaning
We have enhanced our environmental cleaning within our facilities to include frequent cleaning of commonly touched surfaces and increasing hand hygiene for patients and staff. In addition to this we have also increased the deep cleaning that is being done daily within the facilities.
Staff Precautions
- We are educating and asking staff and clients to:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Wash hands on a regular basis
CDC Recommended Patient Screening
In January we began to implement CDC recommend patient screening for all new admission prior to arrival to the facility and once again when they have arrived at the facility. You will see new signage outside of our buildings asking those with symptoms to not enter.
Ongoing Monitoring
As the situation continues to evolve, we will monitor and heed any recommendations from the CDC or local department of public health to close our facilities to those who are not there to participate in a patient’s therapeutic process.
As we continue to monitor the situation, we will keep you informed of any decision we make to modify treatment such as shifting to the use of telehealth or adjusting schedules of events. Our goal is to keep patients, their families, and our staff safe and informed during this time