Welcome to the tenth communique regarding Knoxbrooke’s response to COVID-19 coronavirus.

Knoxbrooke’s COVID-19 Taskforce continues to monitor events locally and globally and considers all new Federal, State and Local Government announcements. The health and safety of the people we support and our team is front of mind when undertaking such reviews.

Knoxbrooke’s COVID-19 Taskforce met yesterday and advise follows.

Slow and steady, safety-first approach

The approach adopted by Knoxbrooke has been safety first. This has enabled the measured re-opening of the social enterprises and alternative supports for Achieve, Basecamps and Mawarra.

Today, we wish to advise share with you the continuation of the slow and steady re-opening of services.

GENERAL UPDATE

Achieve and Achieve Boutique

Achieve will be restarting with appropriate social distancing on Monday, 15 June and Achieve Boutique on Thursday, 18 June at both The Hub and Achieve Ferntree Gully sites. The Achieve team will be in touch with Achieve participants and families next week.

Mawarra

Currently available is 1:1 in-home support, group Zoom sessions and 1:1 centre based respite.

As discussed at the Tuesday Zoom Your Questions Answered session, the Mawarra team are currently contacting all participants, families and carers to better understand when you would like services to re-commence under a Staying Safe approach.

The team are preparing to recommence services and have already identified the capacity of each room under social distancing rules, secured protective equipment, hand sanitiser, etc.

Before resuming services, a short trial period will be undertaken to ensure that the team have the new format perfected before services recommence.

For participants and families that would like to join the trial, we would ask that you contact the Regional Manager Claire Cutler clairec@knoxbrooke.com.au or 0499 600 666. The trial is tentatively expected to commence on Monday, 15 June 2020 and is subject to interest.

Basecamps

Currently available is 1:1 in-home support, group Zoom sessions and 1:1 centre based respite.

The Basecamp team has contacted all participants, families and carers to better understand when you would like services to re-commence under a Staying Safe approach.

The team are preparing to recommence services and have already identified the capacity of each Basecamp under social distancing rules, secured protective equipment, hand sanitiser, etc.

The challenge for Knoxbrooke is we currently do not have access to the Basecamp sites which are Council-owned and closed for public use. We are expecting the Ringwood basecamp to be available soon and Ferntree Gully and Rowville basecamps to be available towards the end of the month.

When the Council-owned facilities are available under social distancing, it will not be possible to accommodate all people using the Ferntree Gully and Rowville basecamps at the same time and the team are working through a new support format of pick-up/drop-off from home service where a visit to Basecamp is not required.

A trial of the pick-up/drop-off service is tentatively expected to commence on Monday, 15 June 2020 and will be subject to numbers. If you would like to participate in the trial, we would ask that you contact the Regional Manager Gai Campbell, gaic@knoxbrooke.com.au or 0419 534 094.

Social enterprises

No significant changes since last communique.

Office arrangements

The Hub administration remains closed until further notice. Warragul administration office is open on reduced hours; should you need to attend in person, please call ahead to avoid.

You can still call the main lines and they will be redirected to Knoxbrooke team members working remotely. Payment of accounts in person is unfortunately no longer possible. Payments can be made through bank transfer, direct debit or cheques/bank cheques mailed.

COVID-19 Coronavirus and Knoxbrooke

Please be advised that Knoxbrooke does not have any current cases of COVID-19 coronavirus. Should you have flu-like symptoms, please follow the advice of https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus and call the Government COVID-19 HOTLINE on 1800 675 398.

Please also alert Knoxbrooke through either the Knoxbrooke HOTLINE or email below:

HOTLINE:  0475 500 550

Email:  covid19@knoxbrooke.com.au

For up-to-date information on Knoxbrooke services, please visit our dedicated COVID-19 website:  www.knoxbrooke.com.au/covid19

Thank you for your continued support.

Kristian Dauncey

Chief Executive Officer