StarVista’s Return to In-Person Work Plan
As StarVista navigated the COVID-19 pandemic over the past year, we implemented a range of changes to help StarVista, staff and clients persevere, including transitioning nearly all StarVista’s 30 programs to a telehealth model; creating new policies/procedures to maintain health and safety for clients and staff; and providing a wellness pay differential for staff supporting clients in person.
Our passionate staff never skipped a beat and instead exercised increased flexibility and creativity to ensure clients with limited resources could access vital services. Our services are now more accessible than ever for clients lacking childcare, transportation, and facing other barriers to access.
Many sites, such as schools, county sites, and other locations, are gradually re-opening and, while we foresee continuing to utilize telehealth models, we also hope to begin delivering in-person services with the appropriate safety measures in place. This will clearly be a very gradual process and we will follow CDC, state and local health agencies, and Cal OSHA guidelines.
For programs that host tours with funders, StarVista will continue to require COVID safety protocols that are reflective of state and county guidelines and StarVista’s policies.
As the state fully reopened on June 15, 2021, we are ready to begin our return to in-person work, utilizing a hybrid work schedule model when possible. Even as vaccinations take effect and we begin to emerge from the pandemic, health experts warn that social distancing measures and mask wearing may need to remain in place, based on the way we work, travel around our cities, and the level of threat the virus continues to pose in our communities. This is true for our 24/7 facilities and our residential programs. With that in mind, we are taking a phased approach to allow us to make necessary adjustments to safety protocols and workspaces as necessary, and adherence to evolving health department regulations and recommendations.
Our team is taking a multi-phased “return to the office” approach to allow us to make necessary adjustments to safety protocols and workspaces. We will adhere to evolving health department regulations and Cal OSHA guidelines. It is our goal to begin this phased transition the week of July 12, 2021.
Phase 1: Employees who are vaccinated and without increased risk for serious illness are asked to return to work one day per week or as agreed to by their Department Director, in collaboration with their Program Manager. We will be maintaining the appropriate social distancing measures where applicable (in alignment with the CDC, and state and local health agencies). Currently, state and Cal-OSHA guidelines are relaxing this requirement. Unvaccinated employees will be required to wear a mask in all StarVista workspaces when their in-person presence is necessary.
Phase 2: Employees who are vaccinated and without risk for serious illness will be asked to increase their return to in-person work as appropriate or required by their Department Director and Program Manager. In this phase, programs will likely begin a hybrid model of online or in-person group sessions. This phase will likely impact our school-based, home-visiting, and mandated services staff. The appropriate safety equipment (mask, shields, gowns, etc.) will be provided as requested, necessary, and/or required. This phase will commence in alignment with CDC, and state and local health department recommendations, and will be determined based on the success of Phase 1.
Phase 3: Return to unrestricted staffing in all workspaces. Date is to be determined based on the success of Phases 1 and 2 and the percentage of our workforce that have received the COVID-19 vaccine.
Sincerely,
Sara Larios Mitchell, Ph.D., MACP, CEO, the Executive Team, and the Human Resources Department