Given the nature of our services, the planful placement of our students, admission procedures, and regulations regarding immunizations and health records decreases the risk of having a serious and wide spread contagious illness or infection among our students is relatively low. However, such an event is possible. Therefore, in addition to having a detailed Infection Control Plan, HEC would utilize the following strategies and actions for managing a serious and wide spread contagious infection among our students and/or staff.

It should be noted that these strategies will be implemented and/or modified as necessary based on factors such as:
• The advice/direction of a physician,
• the specific student health profile,
• the nature of the infection or illness,
• the specific program site,
• available staffing,
• available resources,
• the input of the parent/ legal guardian,
• the input of the custodial agency.

STUDENTS

1) As noted in the Infection Control Manual, there are no Isolation Rooms at HEC. Therefore, any student found to have a serious communicable illness requiring isolation would be referred immediately to an appropriate facility by the HEC Medical Director.

2) If the physician determines that referral for complete isolation is not necessary, and if staffing and resources allow, the student may be maintained and cared for separately in a designated isolation area which would lessen or prevent any spread of the illness.

3) In the event the student cannot be cared for separately from other students but does not require referral for complete isolation and intensive medical care, transport to the home of a parent, legal guardian or responsible family member will be considered.

4) In the event that the number of students affected by a serious contagious illness, and/or the status of staffing and resources, make it impossible to care for ill students at the program site, transport to the home of a parent, legal guardian, responsible family member, or referral to a hospital will be considered.

STAFF

In the event that the availability of staff is negatively affected by a serious and wide spread contagious illness or infection, the following steps will be considered and/or implemented if necessary to maintain adequate care for students and safe conditions for students and staff.

1) Increased use on-call and part time staff.
2) Voluntary overtime.
3) Imposition of mandatory overtime.
4) Deployment of administrative and support staff to direct care functions.
5) Temporary consolidation of teams, units and/or program sites.
6) The temporary reduction of student census (e.g., sending students on approved and planed visits)

Outpatient Services
Due to the transient nature of outpatient clients, the potential for increased numbers of infectious individuals may occur during some seasonal times. The following guidelines will be followed during that time;

1. When a client calls to cancel appointmnet due to illness, cancel the scheduled appointment despite regard of timeframe and reschedule as soon as possible

2. When a client arrives with obvious signs of active illness (listless, feverish, cough, sneezing etc.) they should be sent home/ referred to private physician. Another appointment should be scheduled

3. When staff are ill, they should notify the receptioist as soon as possible. Cancel appointments and reschedule when available.

4. During high illness or flu season, staff should be prepared to be flexible regarding scheduling and covering other practitioners where possible. If the schedule cannot be maintained by the remaining staff then the office will be closed. This decision will be made by the available Administrators who will be updated by the IC Coordinator.

5. There should be resources such as tissues, hand sanitizer and rest room facitities available to all clients.