Down Syndrome Association Delaware and the Mary Campbell Center are among the grantees in the sixth round of funding from the Strategic Response Fund administered by the Delaware Community Foundation. The money will support Down Syndrome Association of Delaware’s statewide virtual programming and fund personal protective equipment for staff at the Mary Campbell Center.
State and local health officials nationwide are facing increasing scrutiny over the collection and release of infection data for long-term care facilities. Delaware reports daily the number of new cases among residents and the number of deaths by facility, but does not report staff cases or deaths. Fifteen states do not release any information. Health care industry groups argue that a lack of transparency is unfair to relatives and prevents easy identification of which facilities need supplies or assistance.
The coronavirus pandemic has limited the ways school psychologists, counselors and other educational professionals can support the mental and emotional wellbeing of their students. The need is particularly dire now, as the dangers of COVID-19 and a reeling economy leave many children in a permanent state of fight-or-flight, which can lead to chronic traumatic stress, anxiety and depression.
The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR), which represents disability service providers, has surveyed almost 700 provider organizations and found that two-thirds reported closing one or more of their offerings due to lost revenue and other challenges brought about by COVID-19. A majority of respondents also said they only have enough money to continue operating for five-to-six weeks. ANCOR says it hopes the U.S. Health Department will support providers with some of the funds appropriated by the March stimulus bill.
Criminal justice advocates and parents of children in juvenile centers – a population which has disproportionately high rates of mental health conditions and learning disabilities – are pushing for children to serve the rest of their sentences at home. At least 150 children and more than 200 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19. As frustrations and fears increase, there have been reports that children who show symptoms of COVID-19 are experiencing near-total isolation. Detention centers in several states have seen riots or other violence.
