Coronavirus ADVISORY/RESOURCE PAGE
IMPORTANT REINTEGRATION PLAN INFORMATION
The Early Learning Center (ELC) reopened for business on Monday, June 15, 2020.
Temporary business hours for the ELC will be from 8:00a to 5:00p.
The Early Learning Center has enhanced safety and health measures to help mitigate the potential risk of COVID-19. These enhanced safety measures were developed based on the guidance provided by the CDC as well as other guidelines issued at the state and local levels. All parents and families will receive packets with detailed information regarding our COVID-19 safety measures to protect their children and our staff.
Developmental Pediatrics and Therapy Services in both our Chattanooga and Nashville locations are now allowing limited in-person services by appointment only. Walk-ins are currently not available and access to our clinics is only allowed if you have passed our comprehensive screening process, detailed in patient appointment communications. If you have questions or need to schedule an appointment please call.
Telehealth Services Available – We continue to provide medical and therapy services, including applied behavior analysis and home and community-based early intervention therapy, via tele-health during this time. Contact your provider for a referral today or visit our telehealth page for more information.
Institute leadership, with the guidance of our medical and therapy teams, has implemented precautionary/sanitation protocols, staff training, and patient traffic flow measures to protect our patients, students, families, and staff. This is a multi-phased approach to mitigate risks associated with COVID-19. Phase one of this plan has already been executed and all patients, students, families, and staff have been notified or trained. We will announce enhancements to our reintegration plan over the next weeks and months based on the guidance provided by local and state health departments and the CDC.
Reintegration Precautionary Plan
Siskin Children's Institute has initiated a Coronavirus/COVID-19 reintegration plan as we begin to open our programs back up to the public. Below are the precautionary measures we are taking to ensure the safety and well-being of our staff and those served by the Institute.
Please review this information and visit this site regularly for updates regarding this health initiative. Follow us on facebook, instagram, and twitter and check out our blog for additional updates, tips, and resources.
- Signs are clearly marked at all entrances to the building for all guests/patients to see before they enter with questions that will help us identify any potential concerns.
- All patients, students, and families will be required to pass a multi-symptom screening process before entering the clinic or school based on the guidelines outlined in our precautionary and safety plan.
- Informational handouts and digital communications have been share with families served by SCI, encouraging them to keep children at home and cancel home or center-based appointments if they or their children are experiencing fever, cough, acute respiratory, or other symptoms related to Covid-19.
- We are increasing routine environmental cleaning, including all frequently touched surfaces such as counter tops, doorknobs, elevator buttons, bathrooms, light switches, etc.
See below for health tips to help protect you, your family, and Siskin staff.
• Wear a mask to protect others and yourself.
• Social distancing is important. Stay at least 6 feet away from other individuals.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with hands.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular house hold cleaning product.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60%-95% alcohol.
• Limit contact with others, including handshakes and hugs.
Effective immediately,
Blue Cross Blue Shield has released the following Prescription Refill Process for the Siskin Center for Developmental Pediatrics. During our temporary closure of the Institute all prescription refills and patient inquiries can be made via our HIPAA compliant Athena Patient Portal located on our website or by leaving a message via (423) 490-7734 (Nurse Line).
Our medical team is monitoring these systems in real time. If you leave multiple messages, or messages via both the portal and the phone number listed above this may delay our response due to the high volume of requests. After a refill request has been made, check with your pharmacy in 24-48 hours for your refill before you call again.
The Athena Patient Portal is available via a link in the footer of this website and several links on our Developmental Pediatrics page. Still having trouble? Here is a direct link to the Athena Patient Portal. Please make sure to have your login and password ready.
Testing and treatment will be covered. If an employee thinks they’ve been exposed to or have coronavirus, they should pursue testing and treatment just as they would for any other illness. We won’t require pre-authorization for FDA-approved COVID-19 tests or treatments deemed appropriate by the employee’s provider, even if they’re experimental. They’ll be covered at the level of their usual benefits with the normal member cost-share.
We will continue to be proactive and make any adjustments necessary to ensure the safest environment possible for our employees, patients, families, and guests. Please visit this site regularly for updates regarding this health initiative.
HOW TO PROPERLY WASH
YOUR HANDS
By Michelle Boyd, Registered Nurse at Siskin Children's Institute.
Watch this video for proper instruction on how to wash your hands during the Coronavirus pandemic. This is not only a good practice for our current environment, but a good idea to continue to protect you and your family from illness.
CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES
Hamilton County
Health Information
For information and additional communications from Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department please utilize the following resources.
Phone: 423.209.8383
Hamilton County Health Department
City of Chattanooga COVID-19 Updates Page
Times Free Press Coronavirus New Page
(No Subscription Necessary)
DAVIDSON COUNTY
HEALTH INFORMATION
For information and additional communications from Nashville-Davidson County Health Department please utilize the following resources.
Phone: 615.340.5616
Davidson County Health Department
Nashville COVID-19 Response Page
Tennessee
HEALTH INFORMATION
For information and additional details to protect your home, the workplace, or in your community from the Tennessee Department of Health and other TN programs please utilize the following resources.
NATIONAL
HEALTH INFORMATION
For information and additional details to protect your home, the workplace, or in your community from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention please utilize the following resources.
TALKING TO & PROTECTING YOUR CHILDREN
Below are some additional resources for parents to protect your children, including those to help talk to your children about the Coronavirus. Please visit our site regularly for updates and check out our Blog page for additional resources not found here.
Talking to Children About Coronavirus/COVID-19 - AACAP
What I'm Telling My Kids About COVID-19 - CNN
Information for Families of Children with Special Health Care Needs -HealthyChildren.org
Coronavirus Resources - American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)
COVID-19 Impact on Children & Pregnant Women - American Academy of Pediatrics
Playing with Plants - How to Engage Your Child in Sensory Play with Natural Materials
