COVID-19 Resources
APRIL is working on ways we can continue to support our members through this transition period surrounding COVID-19. People with disabilities and those living with the effects of aging are most at risk during this global health pandemic.We are dedicated to finding creative ways to help people stay connected in this new era of social distancing as we all find our way in these unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic.We encourage you to follow your local, state and CDC recommendations regarding groups and meetings and to monitor the situation which is changing daily. Below is a list of resources and links that may prove useful to you in the weeks that follow. If you have any information to submit to this page, please submit to Mary Willard This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Partnership Disaster Hotline
The Partnership’s Disaster Hotline provides information, referrals, guidance, technical assistance and resources to people with disabilities, their families, allies, organizations assisting disaster impacted individuals with disabilities and others seeking assistance with immediate and urgent disaster related needs.
The Disaster Hotline is always available for intake calls, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year at (800) 626-4959 and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Resources from Rural Conversation Series on COVID-19
Telecommuting Authorization template Iowa
Self-Direct services preparation template Kansas
Customer Questionnaire Template Kansas
Administration on Community Living
The Office of Independent Living Programs (OILP) is actively working with our Administration on Disabilities (AoD) program partners, Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL), the National Independent Living Council (NCIL), the National Association of Statewide Independent Living Councils (NASILC), and IL-NET at ILRU to provide resources that are relevant to the independent living network. If you have resources you have developed or identified as helpful to the network please feel free to send them directly to me to be shared with others. We are actively working on a mechanism for the network to share good practices and ideas during the COVID-19 response.
While we continue to identify the needs of the network, here are a few high level Q&As:
1) Q: Can IL program funds be used to pay staff who are put on mandatory leave?
A: Yes, if necessary. During the COVID-19 response time, it is an allowable expense to pay staff placed on mandatory leave. Please note, this time could also be used for training or education. Many training and education opportunities can be found at www.ilru.org.
2) Q: Can IL program funds be used to pay staff who are teleworking?
A: Yes. During the COVID-19 response time, it is an allowable expense to pay staff who are teleworking.
3) Q: Can a CIL or SILC close its doors to activities and services during the COVID-19 pandemic?
A: It is appropriate for a CIL or SILC to limit contact with people during COVID-19.
4) Q: What about the SILC?
A: All flexibilities discussed in relation to CILs will apply to SILC and staff.
5) Q: What about preparing the SPIL, especially public hearings?
A: OILP will providing additional guidance. Please note that current Federal law and regulation does not require that “public hearings” be groups of people meeting in public.
We encourage SILCs to begin thinking of alternative ways to reach and garner input used in formulating their SPIL.
It is highly suggested that a CIL provide their OILP program officer with a short summary outlining the CIL’s plan of action during COVID-19. Please note this summary does not need to be approved. If a CIL closes its doors during COVID-19, it is highly suggested that an alternative means to provide core services is explored. We understand that the response to COVID-19 will vary from community to community. We are prepared to offer flexibilities. A good practice would include open communication with your program officer along the way.
We understand that each CIL may need to implement new or updated practices regarding personnel, consumer interaction, or providing IL services. OILP encourages you to exercise maximum flexibility. For your own records, we recommend that specific fiscal and program reporting of funds reallocated for disaster relief be identified as “COVID-19” with notes that describe what was provided and if applicable, what services were planned, but not provided.
Current COVID-19 information can be found at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov. I also encourage you to review current resources and guidance found at www.ACL.gov/COVID-19. This page is intended to make it easier for the aging and disability networks to find the information they need most. In most cases, you will find links to the definitive source for information, in order to ensure that our networks are accessing the most up-to-the-minute information. Please note that program officers will not be providing health related information, other than to refer to these resources.
Office for Civil Rights has released a “fact sheet” regarding the application of Section 504 and the ADA to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 impact on public school students with disabilities:
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/ocr-coronavirus-fact-sheet.pdf
https://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/qa-covid-19-03-12-2020.pdf
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is taking action to protect the health and safety of our nation’s patients and providers in the wake of the 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
CMS has released a Virtual Toolkit to help you stay up-to-date on CMS materials available on COVID-19.
This guidance, and earlier CMS actions in response to the COVID-19 virus, are part of the ongoing White House Task Force efforts. To keep up with the important work the Task Force is doing in response to COVID-19 click here Coronavirus.gov. For information specific to CMS, please visit the Current Emergencies Website
San Francisco Order of the Health Officer - addressing home service providers during lock downs
https://www.sfdph.org/dph/alerts/files/HealthOrderC19-07-%20Shelter-in-Place.pdf
SARTAC
This 8-page booklet about the Coronavirus is written in plain language. It was created by and for people with developmental disabilities.
Plain Language Info on COVID-19
ILRU Resource Page from the Field
https://www.ilru.org/resources-covid-19
What You Should Know About the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and COVID-19
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/wysk/wysk_ada_rehabilitaion_act_coronavirus.cfm
Upcoming Peer Support Opportunities
Rural Conversation Community: Supporting our Communities through COVID-19
Tuesday March 24th at 1 PM Mountain, 3 PM EST
- How are you engaging remote employees?
- How are you remote serving consumers?
- What are your Ideas and Questions for your Peers
Youth Coordinators Connect
April 7, 2020 (2:00pm-3:00pm EST, 1:00pm-2:00pm CST, 12:00pm-1:00pm MST, 11:00am-12:00PM PST)
Connection Instructions: https://www.april-rural.org/index.php/youth/youth-coordinators-connect
We have changed the schedule for this call, due to the new isolation so many of us are living in. We are all having to learn new technology and new methods to keep our work moving forward. Let us learn and connect together.
How do you Connect with Youth while COVID-19
- How are you working remotely?
- How to are you keeping in touch with youth?
- What technology can we use during this time.