strategic response turned out to be what the Maryland State Department of Health proposed as guidelines for healthcare providers in the region and our universal precautions established since the advent of the pandemic have successfully prevented new staff infections.”
Caring for Women, Infants, and Children Along with providing health care, CCI is the largest WIC provider in the state of Maryland. More than 30,000 moms and children rely on CCI-WIC’s food packages, nutrition counseling, and breastfeeding support. While the state closed the doors to WIC centers, CCI-WIC staff quickly adapted and continued to serve the community virtually through the following: •
Virtual breastfeeding support service
•
Remote appointment options
•
Real time assistance via phone
•
An online form for submitting documentation
As the weather warmed and farmers’
Support staff, Kelsey Norton and Alexandria McIntosh, creating face masks at our July All Staff Meeting.
markets began to open, CCI-WIC staff met participants at the markets to distribute their food vouchers.
Moving from Surviving to Thriving In the early days of the outbreak, CCI
More than 30,000 moms and children rely on CCI-WIC’s food packages, nutrition counseling, and breastfeeding support.
afforded all staff the opportunity to participate in government sponsored leave programs that could be withheld to front line health workers or the option to request to be furloughed due to infection fears. CCI’s workforce shrunk to 205 during this
contracting the virus or taking it home.” Internal communications were just as critical; our leadership made changes to ensure our staff was supported during this time. Transparency and staff communication were encouraged in a variety of ways, such as: •
Organization-wide phone calls each day to provide operational, clinical, and
time. Due to some who chose not to return
state updates
from furlough, we have yet to fully rebound. • “The vast majority of our staff sacrificed
Open lines for staff to ask questions, suggest new ideas, and troubleshoot
tremendously during this period and remained on duty,” Dr. Bruton said.
6
progressed to resignations out of fear of
COVID-19-related issues together. •
Self-Care hours awarded to staff who
“However, we have had those who started
worked continuously onsite during the
as what I call the ‘working worried,’ and
early months to combat stress.
