While many of our People Inc. services remained in full operation throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to date, others were suspended or significantly altered. Adjustment, as needed, will be made across the Western New York and Finger Lakes regions, based on geographic case prevalence. The People Inc. Emergency Preparedness Team is proactively engaged in monitoring any potential changes in our service areas and will adjust agency policies accordingly. 

Our primary goal is to maintain a safe and healthy environment for both the people we support and our employees. To be as transparent as possible, and allow for families and others to best plan, we will continue sharing updates to programs, services and protocols. We appreciate your support, as we continue to work together through this extremely challenging time.

• As of September 14, 2022, the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) released a new guidance document amending the requirements for mask use, making them not mandatory under normal operating conditions. It however, include several instances when masks are mandated. Also, please note this is for all certified OPWDD programs only and does not extend to other New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH) healthcare facilities, such as MD Offices, hospitals, etc. 
• As of July 8, 2022, OPWDD is now allowing people receiving services that live in an IRA, who are fully vaccinated (& fully boosted if eligible) OR anyone who has had COVID-19 within the previous 90-days to follow the CDC Guidance and are not required to quarantine if exposed to someone in the home. For those not required to quarantine, wear a well-fitted mask around others for 10-days in all settings and locations. However, people moderately or severely immunocompromised (weakened immune system) are required to isolate at least 10-days regardless of vaccination status. For people residing in an ICF, the entire home still is required to isolate when there is a positive COVID-19 case.
• As of January 26, 2022, OPWDD announced that emergency regulations, 14 NYCRR § 633.26, continue to require all staff and visitors in certified facilities to wear masks at all times, even in light of the recent Nassau County Supreme Court decision and the resulting stay which was granted related to indoor mask mandates. These regulations further provide that people who receive services must wear masks when visiting public facilities unless the person cannot tolerate wearing a mask due to a disability.
• As of January 14, 2022, and as a result of the Federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) vaccination rule, regarding Intermediate Care Facilities (ICF) Only—ALL People Inc. Employees with regular and consistent contact (e.g., DSPs and Facilities Technicians etc.) are required to be vaccinated, with a final dose received by February 26. Employees without consistent contact are NOT required to be vaccinated. All Non-People Inc. Employees (e.g., Contractors, DQI Auditors, Telehealth, VNA etc.) are required to be vaccinated.
  • Please Note: Families are not required to be vaccinated to visit their loved ones.
• As of January 6, 2022, Visitations to People Inc. certified residential facilities are required to be scheduled with at least 24-hours' notice to allow for adequate planning and prescreening. To avoid multiple families visiting at one time, to permit multiple families to visit on any given day, and to allow adequate cleaning of high-touch surfaces, visits will be staggered and will include a start time and end time. No more than 2 adult visitors, per family (from the same household), will be permitted in the home at a time. For visitors under the age of 18, management approval is required.
• As of January 4, 2022, OPWDD issued new interim visitation guidance for certified residential facilities that put back in place COVID-19 screening and temperature checks for families and non-People Inc. employees (e.g., contractors, OPWDD DQI auditors, care managers, etc.) Temperature checks will be conducted upon arrival.
• October 5, 2021: A vaccine mandate was announced by New York State Governor Kathy Hochul. This new requirement, established within New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) and Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) agency regulations, does not apply to our People Inc. operations. This mandate will apply to all people working at the psychiatric hospitals in the OMH network, as well as those working at ArchCare, the specialty hospital certified by OPWDD. Families, please note that this does NOT apply to People Inc. staff and there is no change affecting our services at this time. People Inc. continues to monitor this closely and will provide updates, as they become available.
• August 19, 2021: People Inc. adjusted our masking protocols, based on revised OPWDD guidance, throughout the agency effective immediately, as follows:
  • ALL People Inc. employees, vendors and visitors are required to wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status. 
  • During transportation, masks are still required for OPWDD programs, regardless of vaccination status. 
• February 15, 2021: Many of the People Inc. Day, CAPP, YALT and Respite programs began reopening, but not all. See chart in next section.

Thank you for your continued observation of the protocols that best keep the people we support and our staff as safe as possible.

We will continue to post updates to this information online, and as always, families are welcome to call group homes or programs for specific questions or participate on our family conference calls.

The chart in the next section will continue to be updated to reflect status changes of a program or service.

Updated 9.15.2022