RESOLUTION: In Support of COVID-19 Vaccine Adoption and Promotion of Best Practices

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Adopted by Alliance Board of Directors on January 21, 2021

Drafted and adopted by ANCOR’s Board of Directors on December 17, 2020

 

WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented the world with unprecedented health challenges that affect every element of life; and

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WHEREAS, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are at significantly higher risk of dying from COVID-19, according to three recent studies which found that people with I/DD were between two and ten times likelier than members of the general population to die from COVID-19[i]; and

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WHEREAS, Alliance continues to advocate relentlessly to ensure people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their staff be prioritized for vaccination in the initial populations eligible for vaccination; and

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WHEREAS, the disability provider community must utilize all resources available to provide care and to limit the spread of the deadly virus in the interest of public health and to be consistent with the ethical principle of “do no harm”; and

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WHEREAS, community-based providers of long-term supports and services for people with intellectual and other disabilities have long been leaders in infection control while serving infected and non-infected individuals; and

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WHEREAS, the Food and Drug Administration has approved vaccines that were proven during clinical trials to provide significant protection from COVID-19 infections; and

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WHEREAS, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention has recommended that vaccination of all health care personnel is the highest priority as a strategy to contain and control the spread and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; and 

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WHEREAS, immunization of direct support professionals and clinicians with direct contact with individuals receiving services, as well as all other staff interacting with aforementioned professionals, may help prevent transmission of COVID-19, reduce the risk of infirmity and death among people receiving services, and protect staff from infirmity and death.

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It is hereby RESOLVED that:

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Alliance urges all Alliance members, as well as all providers of services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, to:

• Encourage all staff and contractors to receive a COVID-19 vaccination at the earliest possible time consistent with vaccine guidance.

• Provide the support necessary to gain access to vaccines for community provider staff and contractors.

• Provide access to comprehensive information and guidance to community provider staff and contractors regarding COVID-19 vaccination to permit them to make well-informed decisions regarding immunization.

• Encourage and support the availability and administration of COVID-19 vaccines to individuals receiving services and their family members in instances in which family members provide direct care.

• Continue to employ the effective infection control measures that have been successful to date, in addition to supporting vaccination of staff, contractors, and individuals receiving services.

 

It is further RESOLVED that the undersigned members of the Alliance Board of Directors pledge to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available within the applicable designated group prioritization.

 

• Ability Specialists; Jeff Kingston

• A Better Life Experience, Inc.; Marty Wilson

• A Brighter Community; Leah Martin

• Activity Options; Peggy Decker Berry

• Alpine Homecare, LLC & Alpine Adult Day Care, LLC; Alik Kassner

• Ariel Clinical Services; Becky Hobart

• Ascendigo Autism Services

• Behavior Services of the Rockies; Travis Blevins

• Bethesda; Chad Wietrick

• Blue Peaks Developmental Services; Brooke Hayden

• C.A.R.E., Inc.; Joni Wolfe

• Cheyenne Village; Tim Cunningham

• Colorado Autism Consultants; Abbie Koenig

• Colorado Bluesky Enterprises; Mike Atlas-Acuña

• Community Advantage; Kristie Blickman

• Community Connections, Inc.; Tara Kiene

• Community Link; Jean Hoffmann

• Community Living Alternatives; Barb Kenyon-Mohrlang

• Community Options, Inc.; Tom Turner

• Community Support Services; Jayne Tschirhart-Short

• Continuum of Colorado; Alexa Lanpher

• Cottonwood Community Alternatives; Cindy Opheim

• Developmental Disabilities Resource Center; Rob DeHerrera

• Developmental Pathways; Matt VanAuken

• Dungarvin; Alyse Preston

• Dynamic Dimensions, Inc.; Ginny Hallagin

• Eastern Colorado Services for the Developmentally Disabled; Rhonda Roth

• Easterseals Colorado; Roman Krafczyk

• Elevated Supports; Nicole Newsom

• Envision; Celeste Ewert

• Evergreen Service Providers; Barbara Myers

• Foothills Gateway, Inc.; Erin Eulenfeld

• Friends of Broomfield; Gina Coufal

• Garden Inc.; Lauren Burgess

• Horizons Specialized Services; Tatum Heath

• Imagine!; Rebecca Novinger

• Inspiration Field; Johnnie DeLeon

• Integrated Life Choices; Josh Midgett

• Jewish Family Service; Roxane Miller-Freutel

• Jordan Residential & Vocational Services; Mike Jordan

• Karuna Care Services; Tim Maxwell

• Laradon; Doug McNeill

• Metro Support Services; Bridget Cranford

• Mosaic; Cheryl Wicks

• Mountain Valley Developmental Services; Sara Sims

• North Metro Community Services; Randy Brodersen

• Oliver Behavioral Consultants; Patricia Oliver

• Overture; Debbie Spencer

• Parker Personal Care Homes; Jodi Walters

• Quality Life Services; Gene Van Blaricom

• Rehabilitative Rhythms; Sarah Thompson

• Rocky Mountain Human Services; Shari Repinski

• RoundUp Fellowship; Mindy Watrous

• Sample Supports; Carmen Sample

• Schaefer Enterprises; Valorie Randall

• Southeastern Developmental Services; David Harbour

• Southern Colorado Developmental Disabilities Services; Duane Roy

• Starpoint; Bryana Marsicano

• Stepping Stone Support Center; Bryn Baldassari

• STRiVE; Grant Jackson

• Support, Inc.; Bentley Smith

• The Child & Family Therapy Center of Denver; Kelly Bianucci

• The Resource Exchange; Colleen Head Batchelor

• Thrive Community Options; Nardos Tesfamichael

• VitalCare; Karin Dolph

• Wellspring Community; Nicole DeVries

 

 

Alliance Strategic Partners in Support of this Resolution:

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• ClearSpring Pharmacy

• Ease-e Medical Supplies

• Empowered Margins

• Shield HealthCare

 

COIDD Community Partners in Support of this Resolution:

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• Erica Kitzman, Developmental Pathways

• A Better Life LLC

• Diana Linda Simon, RN, MS, retired Nurse

• King Host Home LLC

• Bethany Frye, LSW

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COIDD Advocacy Partners in Support of this Resolution:

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[i] Data recently collected from eight states in partnership with ANCOR’s state association members found that people with I/DD were twice as likely as members of the general population to die from COVID-19, despite being no likelier to contract the virus. An analysis of insurance claims data conducted by Fair Health found people with “developmental disorders” were among the likeliest to die from COVID-19, and another study in the UK found people with Down Syndrome were 10 times likelier to die from COVID-19 compared to members of the general population.