RFCSL Newsletter July 2021

RESOURCEFUL FUTURES
Issued Quarterly July 2021

In this Issue:

• Message from Rob H. (CET Result)
• Community Access Reopening Plan
• Client Corner

Director’s Corner July 2021

Creating Excellence Together (CET)
Survey Results

As mentioned in the last newsletter (April) we made mention that RFCSL’s Creating Excellence Together survey would be conducted from May 11-13th, 2021. The results are in… drum roll, please… I am excited and proud to announce that   RFCSL achieved 100%

The three areas surveyed are as follows:

• Quality of Life – 13/13
• Quality of Service – 13/13
• Organizational Framework – 24/24

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AND EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE SURVEY PROCESS.

Community Access reopening

The past year has been one of the great challenges in all our lives. COVID-19 tested all our capabilities and “imposed” many restrictions including keeping us apart from our family members, peers, colleagues and confined us to our homes for long periods, all for a good reason to keep us safe and healthy. Considering that our worlds have been turned upside down, most of us came out from this pandemic worn down physically, mentally, and emotionally. With that being said, no one affiliated with RFCSL encountered any serious medical issues due to COVID-19.

Many of us have now had our second doses of vaccination, not only at RFCSL, but province-wide as well. 73% of Albertans now have at least one vaccination, which means many of the restrictions are now being lifted and we can now slowly start moving forward and start re-engaging with our families, peers, colleagues, and attending programs, community events, and activities. Please refer to the Team Leaders, Community Access section of this newsletter which explains incomplete details RFCSL reopening stages for our Community Access services and supports.

Thanks to everyone for working closely with the team at RFCSL over the past year and few months in our efforts to keep us all safe and healthy. It is so exciting to come into the office and see all the familiar faces. As we slowly open, I look forward to seeing each one of you again.

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the entire leadership/management team who have all worked tirelessly during the pandemic crisis to keep RFCSL moving forward.  You all made it seem like a walk in the park.  I’m so PROUD of each and everyone of you and your dedication for providing exceptional Human Services.  KUDOS to all of you!!!

Have a great and wonderful summer !!!!!!!!!!!

Rob Halfyard, CEO

A Message from HR

We are very excited to start to see some friendly faces again and begin our new normal.

Resourceful Futures has been working hard over the past several months to streamline many of the community access processes. You may have noticed many of our forms have changed, this is in anticipation of having all forms online for your convenience. All employees will be given online access to forms, the Policy and Procedures manual, Health and Safety documents, the Training Schedule, and some short online training videos. Please look for this in the upcoming months.

Please make sure to notify RF if you have had changes to any of the following, address, benefits, and/or dependents.

HAVE A SAFE AND ENJOYABLE SUMMER !!!!

Lisa Mckee

A Message from client Services Manager

YAAAHOOO!!!

As this is the first day of Stampede. This year’s cheer is for the recent lifting of Covid restrictions and seeing staff and clients that we have missed so much. As we slowly open the day program the smiles on everyone’s face brightens my day every time. WELCOME BACK!

I am keeping busy as we currently have a few clients transitioning into different living situations and a few possible new clients to start our day program in the early fall. Creating successful placement and program is a reward.

I believed I shared that out Positive Behavior Support Workshop and the CPI Training have been done virtually over Zoom. I will be teaching PBS on July 21 and July 24, 2021. If you are a Permitted Subcontractor, please check your respite staff to ensure they have a valid certificate, if not please sign them up quickly.

Thank you everyone for all that you do. Together we are great, and we are nothing without you. Enjoy your summer and continue to stay safe.

Linda Williams

Coordinator’s Corner

Welcome to Summer!

We are hoping you all are doing well and staying cool.

All 3 coordinators are now working in the office. Kendra can be reached at kendral@resourcefulfutures.org (587) 747-1182, Shelly Shellyn@resourcefulfutures.org (587) 747-1186 and Tracy tracyd@resourcefulfutures.org (587) 747-1187.

We will start to do regular home visits in September unless it is urgent.  We will continue to do zoom meetings for ISPs, unless it is required to do the meetings at the office.

Permitted subcontractor will be responsible to take their client(s) to all medical and dental appointments, this includes day program staff that have clients living with them. 

All monthly summaries are to be in by the 5th of each month.  When completing the goal section please explain what the client has been doing for that month.  Client goals are on their ISP and we have been emailing all documents to you when their funding/ISP meetings has been completed and signed by guardians and trustees.

Thank You for all the support during the COVID-19 pandemic. You have gone above and beyond and we so appreciate it.

Enjoy the rest of your summer,

Shelly, Kendra and Tracy

community access program

As the government of Alberta reopens the province and lift most of the health restrictions, access programs are encouraged to begin an incremental reopening procedure. RFCSL’s Community Access Program has resume its operation in a phased and gradual manner. 

With the roll out of the COVID 19 vaccine, RFCSL Leadership Team have spent the last couple of months preparing for the gradual re-opening of the Community Access program. This reopening plan has 3 phases designed to assist individuals and support networks to understand and assess the needs of each individual involved.

RFCSL Leadership Team has identified support needs according to the individual’s risk assessment (e.g., clients are classified into 3 categories as Low Risk, Moderate Risk and High Risk), services, and risk mitigation strategies in our transition planning for the Community Access reopening.  On July 5, 2021, RFCSL started its long-awaited reopening of the facility to most of the clients and some has been set up temporarily to home support program.

In the middle of the pandemic lockdown, Team Leaders created RFCSL Pandemic Time Capsule. This time capsule is a questionnaire that aims to assist with our employee’s mental health. On the last part of the questionnaire, we asked our staff to have a wild guess when the pandemic will be over, and I guess this is the right time to open the time capsule and reveal the winner. Stay tuned for our Live Streaming for the announcement of winners!

Community Access Team Leaders would like to take this opportunity to thank all our Leadership Team, Community Access staff and service providers for all your patience and understanding all throughout this pandemic. This pandemic has tested our resiliency, the process was not easy or even close to perfection. It was absolutely a trip to the moon and back, and we made it!

Marylenn Cortes/Jessamine Chuang
Community Access Team Leaders

Pandemic Compliance Reminders

1. Please do not come to the Day Program, Office and Staff residence if you are Sick or in Close/Direct contact with a COO Positive person.
   • Client- Inform your Roommate immediately if you are not feeling well, if you are in the Day Program and you feel ill inform your staff immediately.
   • Supported Roommates 0 Let Client stay home, call/inform Office immediately.
   • Staff- call Office if you cannot come to work or if you cannot receive Client/s at home because you are Sick or a family member is Sick.
   • Isolate and get tested for Cpvid, call Office immediately as soon as you receive your Swab Test result.
2. Staff reporting to Office 0 Complete COO Screen On Line before 9 am or before coming to the office.
   • Ensure that your temperature check is taken and recorded upon entry by the Pandemic Marshall.
   • Ensure temperature check of your client/s is/are also taken upon entry and recorded by the Pandemic Marshall.
   • Pandemic Compliance Committee Members: ryjnitem, C., Jessamine C., Sharon C., gsrogn, B. and Jennifer G.
3. Staff receiving Clients at Home or Staff going to Clients Home -Complete COO Screen On Line and do temperature check right after receiving your Client/s. Any SSP Symptoms noticed call Office immediately.
4. Team Leaders assigned staff and their clients to maintain the cleanliness of the washrooms. Daily Washroom Assignment is posted in the Team Leaders bulletin board.
   • Check the washrooms hourly and sign checklist once task is completed.
   • Clean and Disinfect the washrooms when necessary.
5. Microwave is placed inside the Cantina/PPE room.
   • Staff can use the Microwave one at a time.
   • Staff can assist their Client/s warm up their food.
   • Disinfect Microwave after every use.

Shout Out!

Wally and Osmen went for a walk during day program and ran into a gopher in distress! The gopher had managed to get his head stuck in a Tim Horton’s cold drink cup by putting his head through the lid and into the cup, not realizing he wouldn’t be able to back out of it! So he was running around half in and half out of the plastic cup. Osmen managed to catch up to the gopher and hold the cup still. The gopher then managed to pop the lid off the cup and quickly ran off. Unfortunately, he still had the lid around his neck, but now he has a much better chance at survival as he can now forage for food, and the lid will likely break off in a short time. Way to go guys! – Eric j.

…to all subcontractors for their patience and strength in continuing to support clients through this long running crisis.  Thank you so, so much!

Eric j.

…to Yan, Hetal, Lorie, Osmen & Jordan for taking in charge Day Program Zoom activities! -sharon c. & marylenn c.

…shout out to Linda who did respite to James C.

Elmer l.

…to the Alberta Government and PDD for recognizing our residential subcontractors with a cash grant for their selfless dedication during the Covid-19 pandemic!

Eric j.

CLIENT’S CORNER

This Canada Day Resourceful Futures remembers the Indigenous Children died in the Residential Schools.

PICK YER COWBOY NAME!