COVID-19 Statewide Services Policy

[Note: This policy is subject to change pursuant to state, county or city ordinances or new guidance provided by the CDC, ODH, ODE, local health departments or any other prevailing authority]

OSD and OSSB’s policy is to provide in-person support and services for districts and families as safely as possibly during the COVID-19 pandemic. At this time, OSD and OSSB’s default position is to provide in-person support and services wherever possible, however Statewide Services recognizes that there may be instances where districts and/or families may require virtual methods and supports.

OSSB and OSD employees must continue to follow all State and local public health orders and guidelines and agency policies related to how statewide evaluation services will be provided during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In order to provide virtual support and services for districts and families as opposed to in-person services, Statewide Services support and evaluation teams must make a collaborative decision to determine that is the appropriate method of service delivery. The team’s decision should consider factors such as the ability to obtain accurate assessment data using virtual options; the health risks of the child being served; the availability of services (particularly those provided by Teachers of the Deaf (TOD), Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVI) and Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS)) in the student’s home district; and the extent of COVID-19 spread in the local community. Any determination on whether a virtual service is necessary must be made by the IEP team in conjunction with the completion of a Prior Written Notice to Parents (PR-01 Form).

When the Statewide Services support and evaluation team is providing in-person evaluation, Statewide Services will consider the possibility of having the student come to OSD or OSSB’s campus to complete the evaluation. Each student being evaluated will only be able to bring one (1) parent/guardian with them to the evaluation on OSD or OSSB’s campus. All students and family members will be subject to all of OSD and OSSB’s COVID-19 policies, including but not limited to the Screening and Isolation Policy Child Participation Algorithm.

If the Statewide Services support and evaluation team is providing outreach services in the student’s home or other location near the student’s home, the following protocols are to be put in place. 1

Prior to the Outreach Visit:

• Ensure outreach visitors have access to required face coverings and have been trained in the use and disposal of face coverings.
• Ensure outreach visitors have access to thermometers in order to have daily temperature checks.
• Ensure outreach visitors have access to disposable gloves and have been trained in the use and disposal of disposable gloves.
• Report any employee, contractor or student infections to the local health department and assist with contact tracing.
• Encourage any employees or contractors suspected of having COVID-19 or who has been exposed to COVID-19 to contact their primary care physician as necessary.
• Contact the student’s parent/guardian to obtain approval to conduct the visit in-person instead of virtually.
• Ensure that the outreach visitor conducts a daily symptom2 assessment prior to the outreach visit.
• Ensure that outreach visitors who are symptomatic notify their supervisor and do not make any outreach visits.
• Ensure that outreach visitors who have a fever above 100.4 degrees notify their supervisor and do not make any outreach visits.
• Prior to making the outreach visit, the outreach visitor must call the student’s parent/guardian being visited to 1) determine if the student or anyone in the family has had close contact3 with a COVID-19 positive or presumed COVID-19 positive case, 2) complete a symptom assessment for the student and all others in their household and 3) ask if the student or anyone in their household has a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher.
• If the student being evaluated or anyone in their household is symptomatic, has a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, or has had close contact with a person who is COVID-19 positive or presumed COVID-19 positive, the outreach visit must not be held and must be re-scheduled.
• Upon arrival, prior to entering the home or other location for an outreach visit, the outreach visitor must repeat the symptom assessment. If anyone in the household is symptomatic or has had close contact with a person who is COVID-19 positive or is presumed to be COVID-19 positive, the outreach visit must be cancelled.
• Outreach visitor must clean and sanitize hands prior to starting the outreach visit.

During the Outreach Visit:

• The outreach visit should be conducted outside if at all possible.
• The outreach visitor must wear a facial covering which covers the individual’s nose, mouth and chin and/or other appropriate PPE during the entirety of the visit.
• The outreach visitor should ask the student and household members to consider wearing face coverings at all times during the outreach visit.
• The outreach visitor should utilize disposable gloves as much as possible when needing to be in contact with a student.
• The outreach visitor must ensure a minimum of six feet between the outreach visitor and the student and members of the household except when necessary to complete a required component of the visit.
• The outreach visitor should only bring items needed for that visit into the home or other location and should not share those items (paper, pens, etc.) with the student or with individuals in the household.
• Limit outreach visit participants to those necessary to complete the outreach visit.
• Request that household members not involved with the outreach visit to stay in a different part of the house or other location from where the visit is taking place.
• If possible, outreach visitor should utilize a hard chair that can be sanitized after the outreach visit. Alternatively, the outreach visitor can bring a disposable plastic tablecloth to place on a chair during the home visit. Outreach visitor should also consider bringing their own chair that can be sanitized between outreach visits.
• The outreach visitor should avoid placing personal items (laptops, tablets, binders, etc.) on any surfaces that have potential contamination.
• Outreach visitor should clean or sanitize hands frequently.

After the Outreach Visit:

• Outreach visitor must clean/sanitize any laptop, tablet, binders, pens or other equipment used during the outreach visit.
• Outreach visitor must clean or sanitize their hands upon departure.
• Outreach visitor must clean or dispose of their face covering at the end of the day or after an encounter with an individual who is COVID-19 positive or presumed COVID-19 positive, symptomatic of COVID-19 or whenever the mask becomes visibly soiled or wet such that it makes breathing difficult.
• Outreach visitor should consider cleaning items worn to an outreach visit.
• Outreach visitor should consider cleaning or sanitizing their car at the end of their work day.
• The outreach visitor must notify their supervisor if they learn of individuals with COVID-19 symptoms.
• The outreach visitor must maintain accurate records of completed outreach visits including the date and time of the outreach visit, the name(s) of the individual(s) participating in the visit and contact information to assist in any necessary contact tracing.

Adoption Date: 08-31-2020     Revised: 03-16-2021