Covid Policy
PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to provide general guidance surrounding COVID to protect our employees and clients. Please comply with local, state, and federal laws when applicable. For more information, please review the CDC Guidelines for Healthcare Workers.
EXPOSURE AND TESTING
What does it mean to be exposed to COVID?
Exposure occurs when you have been in close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID. In general, close contact is defined as a) being within 6 feet of a person with confirmed COVID infection or b) having unprotected direct contact with infectious secretions or excretions of the person with confirmed COVID infection. What should I do if I’ve been exposed to COVID?
If you have been exposed, notify your case supervisor(s) immediately, pause all services, and plan to take a COVID test. Your case supervisor will inform the family and any additional staff/PD team members of the exposure.
What kind of COVID test should I use?
To guarantee the most accurate results, please use an antigen test or nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). More information can be found here.
When should I take the COVID test?
You should take a COVID test at least 2 days from initial exposure. If the test is negative, you should only re-test if new symptoms appear.
When will I be able to resume services?
Returning to work will depend on your vaccination status and the symptoms displayed.• If you test positive for COVID, stay home for at least 5 days, and isolate yourself from others.• If you are asymptomatic, you may end isolation after day 5 from the day you were tested. • If you are symptomatic, you may end isolation after day 5 from the day you were tested if: • You are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever medication) • Your symptoms are improving • If you still have a fever or your other symptoms have not improved, continue to isolate yourself until they improve. • We encourage staff who are isolating but feel well enough to continue working to offer alternative services by Telehealth where applicable. Refer to supervisor if unsure about how to offer services by telehealth.
How should I submit my COVID tests?
Please submit your COVID tests to your case supervisor via email. All information will be kept confidential.
VACCINE GUIDELINES
Does Positive Development require vaccination?
While we do not require vaccination, we strongly encourage both vaccination and recommended boosters as outlined by the CDC for different age and risk groups.
What happens if a client asks for a vaccinated service provider?
Positive Development reserves the right to ask employees to furnish proof of vaccination if requested by a client. Should the employee not be able to provide a valid vaccination card, they may be removed from the client case in question. Positive Development acknowledges that, given client preference for vaccinated service providers, we may have difficulty staffing and assigning hours to team members who have not gotten a COVID-19 vaccination and/or subsequent boosters.
TRAVEL POLICY
What is considered travel?
Any trips that involve leaving your community are considered travel.
When should I avoid travel?
Do not travel if …
• You have COVID symptoms, regardless of vaccination status or if you’ve previously contracted COVID.
• You tested positive for COVID. You must wait a full 10 days after your symptoms started, or 10 days after a positive test if you are asymptomatic.
• You had close contact with a person with COVID and are recommended to quarantine. You must wait at least 5 full days after your last close contact, but it is best to avoid travel for a full 10 days after your last exposure.
What if I’m not recommended to quarantine, but was exposed to someone with COVID?
In order to travel, get tested at least 5 days after your last close contact. Your test must be negative, and you must be symptom-free. If you travel during the 10 days after your last exposure, always wear a mask.
How do I know if I’m recommended to quarantine before travel?
If you are not up to date with your vaccines and come into close contact with someone with COVID, you are recommended to quarantine. If you are up to date with your vaccines or had confirmed COVID in the last 90 days and were exposed to someone with COVID, you do not need to quarantine. However, you must still follow testing guidelines for travel. For more information on quarantine, please review the CDC's Quarantine and Isolation Guidelines.
What else should I know if I will be traveling?
If you will be traveling, we recommend the following:
• Make sure you are up to date with your COVID vaccines.
• Check your destination's COVID situation before traveling and plan accordingly.
• Wear a mask indoor areas of public transportation.
• Get tested with a viral test after you have returned from travel.
• For more information, please refer to the CDC's Domestic Travel During COVID-19.
California Additional Policy
CDPH mandates all employees of behavioral health clinics to be fully vaccinated and boosted unless they have a formal medical or religious exemption in which case, employees will need to get tested twice per week and provide negative test results to direct supervisor and hr@positivedevelopment.com. For more information, please reference Order of the State Public Health Officer Health Care Worker Vaccine Requirement and What Employers and Workers Need To Know About COVID-19 Isolation & Quarantine(ca.gov).
What should I do if a client is exposed to, or test positive for COVID-19?
Case supervisors should report Regional Center client COVID exposures to their clinical director and/or assistant clinical directors for reporting to Regional Centers.
California COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave
80 hours (2 separate occasions, up to 40 hours at a time) of coverage through September 2022. After September 2022, Positive Development will monitor the CA guidelines and observe any changes or updates made to the current policy. For more information, please reference 2022 COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave Effective February 19, 2022.