UCP
Alleghenies United Cerebral Palsy Service Coordination
April 2020
E TO OUR PARTICIPANTS NEW FACES AT AUCP AAs NyouO T are aware there have been many
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Breanna Brubaker Programs Clerk
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restrictions placed on society to prevent the spread of the COVID-19. We as an agency are continuing to do business, but in a modified way. Our Service Coordinators are working remotely and have cell phones should you need to contact them. If you are unable to contact your Service Coordinator, please call our Toll-Free number at 1-844-819-4455. Staff are receiving a large volume of calls so you may need to leave a message, but it is our goal to give you a call back within 24 hours. Should there be an emergency, please dial 9-1-1. Additionally, staff will be calling you on a weekly basis to check in to be sure that you are doing okay and that your needs are being met. Backup Plan – per the waiver you are required to have a plan in place with an informal support to assist you if an attendant is unable to cover your hours. Your Service Coordinator will ask you this question and work with you if you do not currently have a plan in place. We ask that you be prepared. If you should happen to be quarantined due to the virus it is imperative that you reach out to let your Coordinator know as this needs to be reported and, of course, we want to make sure that you have what you need. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your Service Coordinator or by calling the main office at 1-844-819-4455 to speak to a Programs Coordinator. For state updates regarding COVID-19, go to www.health.pa.gov.
HIGHMARK WALK UPDATE With the recent updates by the CDC in regards to mass gatherings; Highmark Health has made the decision to modify all of the 2020 Highmark Walks for a Healthy Community to an online only fundraiser and a virtual walk for this year’s campaign. Furthermore, AUCP has decided to postpone fundraising at this time and plan to resume in the future as fundraising is essential for the Community Fund to continue. Please stay tuned to our social media pages and next month's newsletter for updates. We want to thank each person and agency that has donated thus far and ensure you that your donations are still making an impact and will go directly to our Community Fund.
AUCP is hiring Service Coordinator positions in the following counties: Allegheny, Beaver, Lawrence, Cumberland, Dauphin, and Huntingdon. Visit our website to apply www.scalucp.org/careers/.
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C O R O N AV I R U S I N F O R M AT I O N Know How it Spreads • There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). • The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. • The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person. • Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet). • Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. • These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Take steps to protect yourself • Clean your hands often: Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. • Avoid close contact: Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community. This is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick. Take steps to protect others • Stay home if you are sick, except to get medical care. • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow. • Wear a facemask if you are sick. If you are NOT sick, you do not need to wear a facemask. • Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily.
S TA F F H I G H L I G H T - TA R A H E R W I G Tara Herwig, Service Coordinator, is our Staff Highlight for April. Tara has been with our agency since August of 2019 when we took over UCP Connections to Independence, where she had been working for about 9 months. She attended Mount Aloysius College and received a B.A. in English. Currently, Tara lives in Lewistown, PA with her husband Jeremy and their four children; Emma, Evelyn, Benjamin, and Lillian. They also have a dog named Mollie and a cat named Whiskers. Tara enjoys spending time with her family, cooking and trying new recipes, growing her own food, and traveling to new places . Her family especially loves going to the beach! She also loves to read and try new things, or find a good movie or Netflix series to watch. She says that if she didn’t work at AUCP, she would like to write a blog or start her own business. Her biggest goals in life are to question everything in life and make her dreams come true. Tara likes that she gets to work with like-minded individuals who are passionate about helping others here at AUCP. Also, the flexibility this job offers allows her to work and be at home with her kids. The most challenging part of the job for her was transitioning from an office to working remotely and then trying to outline boundaries at home. In the short time Tara has been with the agency, we have learned that she is always willing to step up and assist her coworkers. And in everything she does, she does it well. We are so pleased that she is now part of our work family and we want to thank her for all the hard work she does!
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AUCP’s R E - U S E I T program accepts donations and redistributes medical equipment and assistive technology to the public for free.
The U C P E L S I E S . B E L L O W S F U N D is a national program providing funds to individuals with disabilities for assistive technology.
AUCP’s S C H O L A R S H I P F U N D grants scholarhsips to two high school seniors pursuing a degree in the human services field each Spring.
For more information on the above programs, please contact our offices today at (844) 819-4455.
CONTACT US TODAY!
TOLL FREE: 844.819.4 455 local: 814.619.3398 FAX: 814.262.7174
Office Locations: Johnstown, Hanover, Altoona, Pittsburgh, & St. Mary’s
@AllegheniesUCP @AllegheniesUnitedCerebralPalsy @AllegheniesUCP