Clarion Psychiatric Center Taking Steps to Keep Patients, Team Members Safe

Aly Delp

Aly Delp

Published April 3, 2020 4:35 am
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CLARION, Pa. – Clarion Psychiatric Center is taking proactive steps to keep patients and team members safe 
while serving the needs of the community.

Wendy Shapiro, CEO of Clarion Psychiatric Center, provided the following release on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation as it pertains to the Clarion Psychiatric Center:

“As leaders in mental healthcare, we are making every effort to avoid inciting unnecessary panic or anxiety among our clients and families, and we are taking every measure to protect them – along with our employees – during this dynamic situation. We are closely monitoring information provided by key government, regulatory and local entities,” the release states.

In the interest of protecting the health and safety of patients, staff, and the community, the following actions have been implemented at Clarion Psychiatric Center.

Services and Programs

  • The Clarion Psychiatric Center facility is fully operational and serving the needs of our community. We are taking proactive steps to keep our patients and team members safe, including screening all individuals upon entering the facility.
  • For those in need of non-emergency behavioral healthcare, kindly contact us rather than the local Emergency Department.
  • We are actively monitoring and responding to all recommendations made by the CDC and our local regulatory and health authorities.
  • In an effort to reduce the likelihood of community spread, all in-person visitation has been suspended (with limited critical exceptions). We strongly encourage the use of electronic methods to stay connected with loved ones including telemedicine, zoom, and extended phone time.
  • We have implemented additional training for all employees on handwashing and hand sanitization, and strict employee and client compliance with washing/sanitizing hands thoroughly and often.
  • We have increased the frequency of the required cleaning and sanitization of our facility, including intake rooms, surfaces and common areas.
  • Our Facility’s community education programs may be cancelled/postponed; we ask the community to follow us on Facebook for updates.

Prevention

The CDC recommends individuals and families follow everyday preventive measures:

  • Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then dispose of the tissue.
  • Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; especially after using the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 60–95% alcohol.
  • Routinely clean frequently touched surfaces and objects.
  • Stay home when you are sick with respiratory disease symptoms.
  • Practice ‘social distancing’ in an effort to avoid spread of the virus. Do not meet in groups larger than 10 persons, and maintain personal space when engaging in in-person interactions.
  • The CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses, including Coronavirus. You should only wear a mask if a health care professional recommends it or if you have the virus and are showing symptoms.

Clarion Psychiatric Center is also reminding the community to follow the guidance: If individuals develop a fever or cough or have difficulty breathing, or have had close contact with someone who has had a confirmed positive COVID-19 test result, please seek medical attention by calling your provider’s office. For more information regarding the Coronavirus, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

Clarion Psychiatric Center is a 112 bed behavioral health facility offering inpatient psychiatric care for Children, Adolescents and Adults.

Assessments and referrals are available at no cost 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 1-800-253-4906. Admissions counselors provide evaluations to establish the level-of care needed.

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