Abstract
TheFamilyHelpNetwork.ca (HANDS), is a not-for-profit organization, located in North Bay, Ontario, Canada, that offers a variety of services to support children, youth, adults with a developmental disability and their families. In response to the global pandemic and the shift from in-person to virtual services, HANDS implemented an Incident Management System (IMS) to guide a coordinated response and to facilitate communication and education. The IMS COVID-19 Pandemic Response and Evaluation Report was developed by the IMS Recovery and Executive teams at HANDS. The document outlines how decisions were made during each phase of the pandemic, including an emphasis on decision-making for the recovery plan. This report documents the strategies and tools that Hands has developed and implemented to assist staff, clients, and families with the adjustment of transitioning to virtual service delivery and the return to in-person and/or in-office service provision while adhering to all Ministry directives related to Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) and Public Health measures. This report also details successful strategies, lessons learned, and considerations of areas for future development in relation to the implementation of the IMS and ongoing pandemic planning at the agency. This was necessary to inform the development of a strategic pandemic plan; to identify potential adaptation to roles and structure of the IMS, and to understand the lived experiences of agency staff from March 2020 – December 2020. The Pandemic and Evaluation report reflects on key strategies that were successful to support HANDS’ pandemic response and implementation of IMS structure.
Presenters
Tina BenevidesData Analysis and Research Evaluator, Strategy and Continuous Improvement, Hands The Family Health Network, Ontario, Canada Kerrie Lalonde
Speech-Language Pathologist, Adult North Regional Developmental Services, Hands TheFamilyHelpNetwork.ca, Ontario, Canada
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Health Promotion and Education
KEYWORDS
COVID-19, Incident Management System, Virtual Service Delivery, IPAC, Education, Evaluation
