Homegrown Families places a high priority on the health and well-being of our families that we serve. We are monitoring and evaluating the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and we will follow guidance form the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), as well as from Buncombe County Health and The City of Asheville.
While there are no confirmed cases COVID-19 in the WNC region we understand that Buncombe County has called for a state of emergency and this is a rapidly evolving situation.
In an abundance of caution, Homegrown Families is taking precautionary measures which include the following:
- We will have daily and rigorous disinfection of all high-touch surface areas,such as doorknobs, handles, counter surfaces and faucets in our office.
- We are canceling our weekly support groups which include the following: Monday Mother with Courage, Moving Mamas on Wednesdays and our Perinatal Loss Support Group the 4 Monday of every month until March 29 when we will reassess the situation.
- Our doulas will be taking an abundance of caution while serving clients. No doula will be attending a birth who is in any way compromised in their health or have been around someone whose health has been compromised. However, the national statement from The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) and American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is as follows:
“Doulas are not visitors and should not be blocked from caring for patients in the antepartum, intrapartum and postpartum period. Most doulas have been contracted by patients weeks to months ahead of time and have established provider relationships. They are recognized by AWHONN and ACOG as essential personnel and part of the maternity care team,” said AWHONN member Nancy Travis, MS, BSN, RN, BC, CPN, CBC, Florida Section Chair.
AWHONN supports doulas as partners in care and acknowledges their ability to provide physical, emotional, and partner support to women. AWHONN opposes hospital policies that restrict the presence of a doula in the inpatient setting during an infectious disease outbreak.”
4. Concerning our in-home care, our doulas will be taking an abundance of caution. If a doula or family is sick, we stand by rescheduling rather than refunding (which is stated in all our contracts). If a home visit is not available, doulas are happy to offer phone, text or online/zoom support.
Our small in person group classes will continue as normal for this week and we will be putting into place extra precautions and cleaning protocols as stated above at our office. But if for any reason a person or family are feeling sick, there will be options to “zoom in” remotely to the class.
At this point in time there will be no refunds for any group classes and if it becomes necessary all classes will be moved to remote/online.
We encourage all our families to remain vigilant and follow hygiene practices as published by the CDC.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- Avoid touching your eyes,nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Do not shake hands and when possible, use your elbows or feet to open doors.
- Wash your hands frequently with hot water and soap for 20 seconds (it helps to sing the tune of “Happy Birthday to You” all the way through twice to yourself as you wash to ensure you are doing a thorough job.
- If you feel ill or experience flu-like symptoms, we urge you to stay home and seek medical care.
Here at Homegrown we value the safety, health and well-being of all the families we work with and support above all else. We know this can be scary and overwhelming and we are committed to being here as a resource for you along the way. Please check our website and social media; Facebook and Instagram for continued updates on classes and events at Homegrown Families.
“Social distancing does not mean we stop connecting with or caring about our community.” Desiree Adaway
