Golden Gate Regional Center is closely monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in all three of our service counties, and will update this page as necessary. (See the agency's original announcement regarding COVID-19 from March 5, 2020.)
- Vaccine Mandate
- For Service Providers: Protocols, Information & Resources
- Service Provider Protocol for Symptoms, Exposure or Diagnosis
- Information & Resources for Service Providers
- Day and Employment Programs: Resuming or Expanding Services
- Additional Information & Resources
Vaccine Mandate
The State of California is mandating COVID-19 vaccination for anyone working in adult or senior care facilities, and for most individuals who provide direct care to persons served by the regional center. For details about the mandate (including who may be exempt from it), please see the Order from the Department of Public Health, as well as the related Directive from the Department of Developmental Services and Provider Information Notice from the Department of Social Services.
For Service Providers: Protocols, Information & Resources
Golden Gate Regional Center is committed to keeping its service providers (or vendors) as informed as possible for as long COVID-19 poses a risk to the providers themselves, and the individuals and families they serve. To that end, we urge every provider to review the information in this section, as well as any relevant information provided in the Additional Resources and Information section that follows.
Service Provider Protocol for Symptoms, Exposure or Diagnosis
The Department of Developmental Services (DDS) has revised the COVID-19 Special Incident Reporting requirements for service providers, as indicated in the May 22, 2020 directive. The following situations related to COVID-19 are required to be reported to the regional center:
- An individual tests positive for COVID-19
- An individual receives medical attention at a hospital, emergency room or urgent-care clinic due to COVID-19 symptoms
- An individual's death is related to COVID-19, either by confirmed COVID-19 positive testing or by medical diagnosis unconfirmed by testing
These requirements replace the reporting requirements released by DDS on March 25, 2020. If any of the above incidents occur for a person receiving services or a staff member, please immediately notify the relevant GGRC case manager; if the person served does not, at the time of reporting, have a regular case manager, then the vendor should call (415) 546-9222 and ask to speak to the "Officer of the Day."
If such an incident must be reported after regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) or on a weekend, the provider should call the GGRC after-hours line, which can be reached by dialing either (415) 517-4503 or (415) 546-9222.
Once an initial verbal report is made, the provider should follow up by emailing or faxing the Special Incident Report (SIR) to the relevant case manager (or, if necessary, the Officer of the Day).
Information & Resources for Service Providers
GGRC has created a series of documents to help service providers navigate issues related to COVID-19. These documents are provided below, arranged in chronological order, from newest to oldest:
- Billing Guidance for August 2021
- Support for Residential Service Providers (Updated May 6)
- Billing Guidance for April 2021
- Billing Guidance for January and February 2021 (Updated January 28)
- Video: Alternative Service Vendor Training
- Billing Guidance for December 2020
- Billing Guidance for November 2020
- Billing Guidance for October 2020
- Guidance for Alternative Non-Residential Service Providers
- Certification of Alternative Non-Residential Services
- Billing Guidance for September 2020
- Billing Guidance for August 2020
- Face Mask Support Guide (Updated June 26)
- Billing Guidance for June and July 2020
- Resources for Service Providers (Updated June 24)
- Day Program Closure Guidance
- Billing Guidance for May 2020
- Billing Guidance for April 2020
- N95 Mask Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Guidance on Talking About COVID-19
- Billing Guidance for March 2020
- Remote Consultant Collaboration
- Sample Activities for the Home
- Sample Weekly Schedule for In-Home Day Programs
- Mental Wellness Check-In Resources
- Facility Exposure Guidance
- My Health Passport
In addition to reviewing the above, service providers should regularly check for new COVID-19 information on this website, the Department of Social Services (DSS) website, and the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) website.
Also, for service providers interested in sharing and receiving helpful COVID-19-related information, there is a "For Providers, By Providers" Resource Page that exists to facilitate that exchange.
Day and Employment Programs: Resuming or Expanding Services
All day and employment service providers (service codes 055, 094, 505, 510, 515, 525, 950, 952 and TDS) are required to submit a Program Work Plan, Health and Safety Plan, and Individual COVID-19 Response Plans describing their plans to resume and/or expand face-to-face services. (Additional information can be found in GGRC's Guidance to Day & Employment Services.) The following information, resources and planning documents were created by the regional center to aid day and employment providers as they seek to restart or expand services:
- Additional Guidance to Day & Employment Services
- Guidance to Day & Employment Services
- Day & Employment Services Restart Planning Packet (Includes Program Work Plan)
- Day & Employment Services Restart Planning Packet (Microsoft Word Version)
- Individual COVID-19 Response Plan
- Individual COVID-19 Response Plan (Microsoft Word Version)
- Health & Safety Planning Flow Charts
- Planning Resources
Additional Information & Resources
Below is a list of COVID-19-related resources that may be helpful to individuals, families and/or providers in the regional center community.
- Autism Focused Intervention Resources & Modules: COVID-19 Toolkit
- California Dept. of Developmental Services Coronavirus Information and Resources
- California Dept. of Public Health: COVID-19
- California Dept. of Social Services COVID-19 Information and Resources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): COVID-19
- CDC: COVID-19 Materials for People With Developmental Disabilities
- Marin Health & Human Services Coronavirus Update
- San Mateo County Health Coronavirus Updates and Information
- World Health Organization (WHO): COVID-19 Pandemic