Following a three-month interruption of onsite care at Unity Place of Monmouth due to Covid-19, staff are looking forward to welcoming clients back.  The staff have greatly missed the clients and very much and look forward to their return. Clients in the substance use program will be the first to return, their first day being July 6. Mental Heatlh patients will continue with telehealth treatment until they are able to return.

Program Director Lorraine Laura quoted poet Maya Angelou in urging clients to accept trials beyond their control. Lorraine said, “As we all await the return of our Unity client family, we hope they have fared well during this Covid Storm “event” that just appeared, and that, in the words of Maya Angelou, ‘Decide not to be reduced by the events that happen to you,’ those we cannot control.”

For the returning clients, Unity will resume providing transportation assistance to clients who require it. Unity will abide by CDC guidelines and New Jersey State/Governor’s mandates, which include but are not limited to the use of masks, practicing six-feet social distancing, and maintaining daily sanitary and disinfection standards throughout the day.

Anytime a client or visitor enters the Unity Place building, a Covid-19 questionnaire and temperature check will be required. Additionally, staff and clients are undergoing Covid-19 testing to ensure negative results to ensure safe transition back to program.  Any staff or clients who feels unwell will be – as under normal circumstances – encouraged to stay home and seek medical guidance. Telehealth services are being maintained in addition to offer on-site supports to assist with clinical needs, especially given concerns surrounding overall health and wellness.

Unity Place staff will, of course, also observe the strict health protocols and precautions and will also submit to testing prior to the clients’ return. The building has been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

Staff will continue to utilize technology and work with telehealth and other platforms to continue to provide remote treatment to clients who are still at home. Unity Monmouth will increase the number of clients in the building based on the mandates provided to us.

As widespread and disruptive as the coronavirus and its fallout have has been, Unity Place of Monmouth staff from are doing all they can to stay engaged with the facility’s clients, who are being treated remotely until the crisis abates. In the two months since the virus required Unity Place to suspend on-site treatment of for mental health and addiction disorders, Unity Place staff from Program Director Lorraine Laura on down have shown their creativity and resolve in maintaining a close ties with clients.

Early in the crisis, the facility’s director, Lorraine, was calling most of the mental health clients. As staff have gradually come back to work, the counselors are now making many of those calls. On the substance use side, Assistant Director Donna Francese has made calls to the substance use clients and conducted individual sessions with them by phone.

Outreach Supervisor Jamie Paris and Outreach Coordinator Renee Holder have been paying visits to group homes to drop off supplies to help lift the clients’ spirits while treatment at the Unity facility is on hold. Among the items they are bringing to the residences are food, hygiene supplies, crosswords puzzles, coloring pages and crayons.

Jamie and Renee have also sent the group homes’ personnel thank you cards to let them know how much Unity Place appreciates their taking such good care of all the clients.