Greetings All,

As we all face this challenging time, going into a second year fighting the CoronaVirus, I’d like to start by stating that I continue to pray for our world and the countless families affected by the global CoronaVirus outbreak.  We are overjoyed about the development of a vaccine that is available to every American at no cost and we wish to assure our services providers, community colleagues, residents, and families that New Way Youth Services is staying current with the recommendations given by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to prevent the likelihood of contracting and spreading this virus.  To this end we are proud to report that 100% of our staff and residents are fully vaccinated.

We will continue to follow the CDC recommendation and be hyper vigilant with our health, hygiene, and daily cleaning practices. This includes but is not limited to: disinfecting commonly touched household items such as door knobs, handles, light switches, and banisters as well as frequently used areas such as bathrooms, bedrooms, and the kitchen several times throughout the day. Our residents are also advised on the importance of frequent hand washing and guided to wash their hands several times daily, especially after coming in from outside, using the restroom, engaging in program activities, and before entering a cooking area.

Despite the availability of vaccinations, with the increased rise of various COVID variants such as Delta and Omicron, visits to the program remain limited to essential community resource staff (caseworkers, mental health coordinator’s, etc.) who are being screened for wellness and exposure potential before visiting the premises. Family visits have been temporarily restricted on premises however contact via social media, telephone and video chatting is highly encouraged. In person family visits are coordinated with Children and Youth or a community resource such as Justice works and take place out of household after a COVID safety screening.

Appointments that have not been rescheduled due to office closings are being maintained via telephone, Skype, Facetime, or Zoom allowing for our residents to maintain their mental health appointments and medication needs. In person medical and psychological visits are scheduled and maintained whenever possible. 

New Way Youth Services is continuing to accept referrals for placements and currently have bed availability. We would expect that in the event our program meets the needs of a child being referred, the referring county will provide the appropriate medical verifications that the child is safe to place and/or make known beforehand the need for special accommodations.

As always, it is our pleasure to serve in this community and it is our prayer that you and your families stay healthy and safe.

Sincerely,

Nidicka Frederick,

Owner and Director, New Way Youth Services, Inc.