Community Services at The Arc of Delaware County are going strong! With a staff of five, Community Services has continued to support people on a daily basis despite a pandemic.
In a recent conversation with Katie Backus and Haley Rosa, two members of the Community Services team, they shared some of the steps they are taking to keep people safe and reduce potential exposure to COVID. For example, each person is paired with one consistent staff member. If there are siblings from the same household and they choose to be supported together, then it could be two people with one staff member. When traveling in vehicles they sit one row apart, wear masks, and remain socially distant when in public areas. People still choose what they want to do during their time with Community Services, though that currently doesn’t include going into public places where social distancing might not be possible.
During the summer and fall months, people spent a lot of time sightseeing. There were walks in the park and trips to see landmarks and waterfalls. Not everyone enjoys the great outdoors, especially during the winter months, which has opened the door to perfecting our virtual services. “Our remote services have come a long way since we started providing them. We’ve gotten more creative and continue to learn and explore this area.” shared Katie, Director of Community Services.
The two videos provided here further describe the Community Services program and the role of staff. These videos were originally created for staff recruitment purposes, but they are just too good and informative not to share with everyone! If you would like to know more about the Community Services department, either for purposes of employment or receiving services, reach out to us.