COVID-19 UPDATES:
3/24/2020 | 8:00 am
Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced a “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive order for the state of Michigan effective March 24. In response to this mandate, D.A. Blodgett – St. John’s Leonard and Fuller campuses will be closed through April 13, 2020.
The services provided by DABSJ are considered essential and we will continue providing services to the children and families we serve . However, to keep our staff, clients, and families, safe, staff at DABSJ has transitioned to virtual and telehealth services. If you are a current client, please contact your case worker or therapist regarding your services. If you need further assistance please email us at info@dabsj.org or call 616.451.2021 and press 4 to leave a message.
To ensure the safety and well-being of the students we serve in residential care, our residential campus remains open. We are incredibly grateful to our residential staff for their dedication to the students during this critical time.
We will continue to post agency updates around COVID-19 on this webpage and on our social media channels.
3/16/2020 | 4:30 pm
Interactions and Screenings
For the safety of our clients and staff we are limiting all visitors to our campuses. Any client or visitor will be asked to take a COVID-19 screening prior to any in-person contact. Your caseworker will contact you with more information prior to your visit. Anyone with symptoms on the screening form will be asked to reschedule their visit or meet via photo or video conferencing.
If you have questions about a visit or an appointment with a caseworker or therapist, please contact them directly.
Volunteers and Events
All volunteer activities, organizational gatherings, and events (including donation drop-offs) are canceled or postponed. We apologize for any inconvenience. If you have questions, please email gro.jsbad@ofni.
3/13/2020 | 12:00PM
A Letter to All Clients
March 13, 2020
As a human service agency, we take the health and safety of our clients, staff, and community very seriously. Given the rapidly evolving nature of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) situation, we are implementing both preventative measures and preparation protocols, which includes screening for symptoms prior to all client contact.
Decisions about the services you receive will be made in conjunction with recommendations from the CDC, as well as consideration for the safety and best interest of your child. An assigned agency staff member will call you before an appointment takes place either at the agency or at your home to review this screening with you.
The governor ordered all schools in Michigan to close effective March 16 thru April 5. Most workplaces, including DABSJ, are responding with flexible work arrangements. You can be assured staff will continue to be available to support you during this time. Please contact your assigned agency staff member if you have questions.
The most important steps each of us can take are preventative measures which include:
- Avoid contact with people who are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Disinfect frequently touched objects.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Wash your hands often with soap for at least 20 seconds.
- Try to maintain a 6 foot distance when in public.
- Refrain from shaking hands.
DABSJ is monitoring federal, state and local sources and is in contact with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to ensure we continue to provide services in the safest way possible.
We will be updating our website if changes occur, please check this page for the most recent information. For more information and daily updates on COVID-19 visit: Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Sincerely,
Jim Paparella
President/CEO
View the screening here .
3/13/2020 | 8:00am
DABSJ is continuing to monitor the spread of COVID-19 and is committed to keeping you informed of how this affects our agency. As of 8 am on 3/13/2020, DABSJ is operating normally. This is a rapidly changing situation, as it becomes necessary to change our normal operations we will make updates to this page. You can also call our agency at 616.451.2021.
The health and safety of our clients and staff is paramount.
The most important thing each of us can do to help slow the transmission of the virus is to use preventative measures.
These include:
- Avoid contact with people who are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
- Stay home when you are sick or leave work if you develop symptoms.
- Wash your hands often with soap for at least 20 seconds.
- Try to maintain a 6-foot distance when possible.
- Refrain from shaking hands.