United Community Action Partnership (UCAP) is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for all staff and children. To ensure that, we have developed the following COVID-19 Response Plan. All Head Start staff members are required to implement the procedures presented in this plan. Our goal is to mitigate the potential for transmission of COVID-19 in our workplaces, and that requires full cooperation among all staff. Only through this cooperative effort, can we establish and maintain the safety and health of our staff, students, and workplaces.
Head Start employees are responsible for implementing and complying with all aspects of this COVID-19 Plan. UCAP managers and supervisors have our full support in enforcing the provisions of these procedures. It is important to note that during the COVID-19 pandemic, information in this COVID-19 Plan overrides existing policies and procedures that are in place (if discussed in this plan). All other policy statements are still valid and must be followed.
Our staff are our most important assets. We are serious about health and safety, and keeping our staff working at UCAP. Staff involvement is essential in developing and implementing a successful COVID-19 Plan. We have involved our staff in this process through conversations with Supervisors, Managers, Human Resources and the Head Start and Executive Directors. Our Plan follows Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) guidelines, as well as federal OSHA standards and OHS guidance related to COVID-19 and addresses:
- Hygiene and respiratory etiquette;
- Engineering and administrative controls for social distancing;
- Housekeeping – cleaning, disinfecting and decontamination;
- Prompt identification and isolation of sick persons;
- Communications and training that will be provided to all staff; and
- Management and supervision necessary to ensure effective implementation of the plan.