WF Media: COVID-19 Updates

We Welcome Most of Our "Family" Back

Published on May 14, 2020

This week has been an especially exciting one, as we have been able to bring back many of our previously furloughed staff. Among “welcome backs” and “it’s so good to see you's,” we offer a thank you to our staff for returning to serve our clients and provide services that are so essential to our community. While we are still working through this crisis, we are overjoyed to be reunified with our “family.”

Hello Community Members

Published on May 5, 2020

We hope you are doing well! Willamette Family is continuing to assess and enroll individuals in detox, residential, intensive day treatment, and outpatient services as well as providing medical services at the WF Medical Clinic. If you are interested in these services, please call 541-762-4300.

With the beginning of the month, WF is easing back into our ongoing pursuits for improvement. One of these pursuits is accreditation through Council on Accreditation. While the COVID crisis caused us to put accreditation on hold and focus on services to our clients, WF has jumped back in this month! Achieving accreditation has been a long-held priority for WF over the last few years, and as we work to improve our services to COA’s high standards, we are thankful for countless staff who not only maintain quality service during this crisis, but also actively improve their services as well.

We encourage you to read more about the benefits that accreditation will offer to WF clients, staff, and community partners at https://coanet.org/why-accreditation/

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Two Quarantine Transition Units

Published on April 30, 2020

One of the ways WF has maintained health and safety is through our quarantine-transition plans. Because testing is still difficult to access and we are all following “Stay Home, Save Lives,” we have encountered some challenges in providing transitions into residential treatment without risking COVID exposure to others.

To resolve this, directors and staff have developed two quarantine transition units, where individuals are able to stay in a treatment environment while waiting for test results or completing a quarantine period to rule out COVID symptoms. During their stay, individuals can attend telehealth treatment, eat homemade meals from the Cheshire kitchen, and have necessary medication delivered. Staff are onsite to provide support and coordination for further needs. Once they have completed a quarantine period or received a negative test, individuals can transition safely into one of our residential centers.

Through this accommodation, WF is able to safely coordinate residential admissions. Thank you to the directors and staff who have created and maintained the health and safety of those in treatment!

We hope you are all enjoying the spring sunshine and staying healthy and safe.

One Month: Stay Home, Save Lives

Published on April 23, 2020

As April 23rd marks four weeks of Oregon’s “Stay Home, Save Lives” order, and over 8 weeks of Willamette Family’s preparation for COVID, many of us are starting to feel like we are settling into a new normal.

In this short time, Willamette Family has made a massive overhaul in the way that it provides its services. Our staff have had to create and work with modifications to providing services, and our clients too have had to make many adjustments to the way they attend treatment and work toward their recovery.

While it has required tremendous work for everyone involved, we are proud of our strong bones and the support we provide for one another. We will get through this as a community and we are so grateful for all of our clients, staff, alumni, board members, donors, and community members that have come along with us for this journey. Here’s to our progress, and to our unity when it is most needed.

Wishing you well,

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Hello Community Members,

Published on April 20, 2020

We hope you are doing well and staying safe and healthy! As our community has faced several challenges throughout the last several weeks, our staff have gathered several resources that have been helpful for individuals in our services. Some of the websites that have been shared with clients and throughout our agency are listed below.

The number of individuals that have stepped up has amazed us, and we are so happy to be part of a community that rises to the challenge of supporting people and families. Thank you to all our community agencies and individuals that have placed time and energy toward bolstering our safety net throughout COVID!

• Recovery and treatment resources in Oregon during COVID, including online meetings:
  https://oregonrecoverynetwork.org/
• Community resources for food, health, rent/utilities, shelter, etc. operating during COVID – compiled and updated by White Bird Clinic:
  https://whitebirdclinic.org/covid
• Parenting during COVID:
  https://parentingnow.org/parents/parenting-through-covid-19/
• DHS Resources:
  https://govstatus.egov.com/or-dhs-covid-19
• Information on LTD Bus Service:
  https://www.ltd.org/covid-19/
• General information on COVID:
  Call 211

Thank you,

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Parent and Child Support Continues

Published on April 14, 2020

Willamette Family is continuing to work with clients to meet their treatment needs during this time. If you are interested in receiving services, please call 541-762-4306.

One area of service that WF has been working hard to continue operating is the Child Development Center (CDC) for children living with their moms in residential treatment. While recent health and safety orders have restricted the number of families we are able to reach, residential mothers at our Cheshire facility are still able to utilize the CDC to attend treatment and focus on their recovery. Children continue to receive quality care, developmental screenings, and family support. We offer a thank you to our CDC staff, who have continually addressed the importance of parent and child support for those in recovery -- and even more so in this difficult time.

If you are interested in knowing more about our Child Development Center and the services they provide, please call 541-684-4122.

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We Constantly Adapt to Meet Changing Demands

Published on April 7, 2020

Willamette Family continues to offer telehealth services for our outpatient and day treatment programs, while maintaining safe social distancing. Our residential programs have also continued to operate, and one team in particular has been invaluable in protecting our clients and staff.  

Our facilities staff have met increasing challenges throughout the last month, and have worked diligently (and creatively!) to keep WF healthy. Since the beginning of March, our facilities team prepared our buildings and programs for heightened health and safety standards in light of the virus. These preparations included:

• The kitchen teams quickly adapting our food services to eliminate self-serve and other areas of potential virus transmission;  
• Housekeeping staff increasing the number of times living and working areas are cleaned, and ensuring that sanitizing supplies are readily available to clients and staff;
• The maintenance crew continuing to uphold safety standards and stepping in when repairs are needed; and
• Our purchasing officer and Facilities manager working tirelessly through recent shortages to find and provide everything from single-use tableware to infant formula to medical PPE.

Supply shortages and increased health requirements have challenged health providers nation-wide, and we thank the Facilities team for the amazing work accomplished during this time! While they have always cared for WF’s well-being, we are grateful now more than ever for the ways they provide for our “family.”

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Willamette Family, Inc.'s Family Fund

Published on April 2, 2020

Willamette Family would like to extend a thank you to our community partners and staff who have contributed to our Family Fund, which is helping to support staff members who are unfortunately on furlough during this time. These have been painful decisions to make, however we continue to work diligently to find ways to support our “family” in other ways. These efforts have included extending health insurance benefits, maintaining access to professional development trainings, and now the Family Fund.

We are grateful for the care and compassion staff have committed to our clients over the years, and we hope to offer the same to them in this time of need. Thank you to all those who continue to advocate for our staff and the individuals they serve.

If you would like to contribute to the Family Fund, please make your donation in the form of a check out to Willamette Family, Inc. and mail to 687 Cheshire Ave, Eugene OR 97402.

We appreciate your support!

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Telehealth Services @ Willamette Family

Published on March 31, 2020

Willamette Family continues to provide substance use treatment, mental health, medical care, and additional services during this time. WF staff are working every day toward improving our telehealth services. Telehealth has allowed individuals to attend treatment while maintaining social distancing.

These services would have been impossible without our amazing Communications, Information, and Development department. CID staff have placed a tremendous amount of effort into supplying WF counselors, therapists, and other employees with the resources necessary to deliver telehealth services. They have done everything from configuring laptops and phones, to providing tutorials, to keeping us updated on nation-wide difficulties, and of course offering extra IT support for the countless questions that have come up. We have had an incredible shift in our services and we are so grateful that CID staff have made it possible to meet the needs of WF clients.

If you are interested in receiving telehealth services for substance use or mental health, please call 541-762-4300.

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Thank You to Our Health Clinic's Staff

Published on March 25, 2020

Willamette Family continues to be available for individuals in need. We are so grateful for our Health Clinic, and the amazing staff that have guided us through this time! Our programs are working closely with our medical staff to ensure individuals are receiving thorough protection. For example, our Clinic providers are visiting the Cheshire Residential site to provide education to individuals and families regarding COVID-19, social distancing, and other healthy habits. Telemedicine has allowed for providers to keep supplying medical care for individuals in a safe and healthy manner. These, along with other numerous efforts from the Health Clinic, has been an asset in continuing to provide for our community!

Thank you for your support!.

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Staff and Clients Work Together

Published on March 23, 2020

Willamette Family continues to take precautionary action in mitigating the risk of exposure to COVID-19. We are still accepting individuals through referrals and phone appointments at the Rapid Access Center, and our Outpatient and Day Treatment facilities are making the transition to offer treatment services through telehealth. Please call 541-762-4300 if you are seeking treatment.

Our staff and clients are working hard to build up our community during this time. Clients at our Cheshire Residential facility have been working with Kerry Mansell, Peer Support Specialist, to sew masks and aid in the shortage of medical supplies. We are so grateful for the opportunity Keri and the Cheshire clients have created to support and strengthen our community and health care infrastructure.

Shortage of supplies has also made it difficult for WF to provide services. If you are able and willing to donate medical supplies, hand sanitizer, alcohol wipes, or monetary donations to our medical clinic and other facilities, please call 541-684-4122.

Thank you for your continual support!.

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Important Operational Update: Corona Virus

Published on March 11, 2020

For the last several days, we've been working on guidance procedures for all of us to make sure we are taking every step possible to protect our clients, staff and visitors from the possible spread of the Coronavirus (AKA COVID-19). Please continue to follow the guidelines below as they’re proven to help deter any virus or bacterial infection.

• ​Wash your hands frequently and for 20 seconds and after any contact with someone who is ill
• Stay home if you are sick!
• Do not touch your face with your hands
• Avoid crowds
• Call your doctor/ provider if you feel ill and he or she will tell you the next step to take
• ​Use "elbow bumps" or other forms of greetings; avoid handshakes and hugs
• ​Cough or sneeze into tissues or into your elbow, then immediately wash your hands for 20 seconds 

We have developed ADDITIONAL requirements for all of us to follow.  Please take a moment to review these directions as they will be mandatory for ALL of us to follow.

ALL clients, visitors, vendors and community colleagues will be required to do the following BEFORE entering each center.  

• CLIENTS: The receptionist, or designee, will scan the forehead of each client as they enter the building. 
• For OUTPATIENT clients
  If the client's temperature is 100 or higher and/or if they are sick, they will not be able to enter and will be instructed to contact their counselor to reschedule. Each location will determine their procedure to notify counselors that the client had a temperature and could not enter
• For RESIDENTIAL clients (Cheshire, Carlton)
  Who have temperatures over 100, they will be issued a face mask and asked to remain in Reception while their counselor is notified to determine next steps. They will need medical clearance to enter, and must wear face masks and remain in their rooms per established protocols.
• Buckley Center has an established protocol specific to Detox and Sobering which shall be followed
• VISITORS: 
  Visitors to our residential programs will not be allowed in for visits if they have a temperature above 100 or if they are sick. Additionally, visitors to residential programs must wash their hands before visiting with clients. Staff will observe the hand washing
• VENDORS/COMMUNITY COLLEAGUES: 
  Vendors and community colleagues (like DHS) shall be subject to the same protocols and will be denied entrance if they have a temperature or are sick. If vendors are delivering packages, they may leave the package in reception and someone will determine if the package needs disinfectant wipes or spraying
• In addition to taking forehead temperatures, ALL persons entering our facilities must answer a screening questionnaire that asks
• Have you traveled within or outside of the US in the last 14 days
• To your knowledge have you been exposed to the coronavirus?
• In the last 14 days, have you experienced any of the following symptoms:  cough, fever, runny nose, respiratory illness, trouble breathing, sore throat
• These questions, along with the forehead temperature reading, will help us determine whether entry is permissible

These have been proven to be highly effective measures in preventing the spread of coronavirus and other communicable diseases, and reflect the guidelines developed by the CDC and Oregon Health authority.

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Important Operational Update: Corona Virus

Published on March 6, 2020

Willamette Family is taking precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of everybody who are participating in WF programs. In an effort to prevent the Corona virus from reaching our facilities, WF has made some changes to our visitation and family group activities.

Family group is suspended throughout the month of March 2020. WF will evaluate conditions of the virus’ impact on our community on April 1, and make adjustments regarding family group accordingly.

Beginning this weekend (03/07/2020), visitors will be required to participate in a brief health screen to ensure individuals are symptom free prior to entering the unit. In addition, visitors cleared for entry must agree to thorough hand washing before entering the dining room. There is a very high probability WF will continue to implement temporary restrictions to visitation at Cheshire in the coming weeks. We will keep you updated with restrictions or new requirements.

Our concern is the health and safety of our clients, staff as well as our visitors. Willamette Family will provide update and new information on a regular basis.