Updated Guidance for Visitation in Residential Settings Licensed by the Office of Developmental Programs

ODP has issued an updated Announcement 20-066 to provide guidance on establishing visitation policies in residential settings when a county transitions to the Green Phase of Governor Wolf’s Process to Reopen Pennsylvania. Residential settings include licensed and unlicensed community homes (55 Pa. Code Chapter 6400) and licensed and unlicensed family living homes (55 Pa. Code Chapter 6500).

The updated information addresses how to handle when individuals may wish to participate in a home visit with their family. Providers should establish a written policy for visits to a family home. This policy should include at a minimum:

• Prior to the individual leaving the residence, the provider will conduct a screening of those people with whom the individual will have contact during the home visit. The policy should indicate the COVID-19 screening questions that will be asked. Providers should update the screening questions as necessary to reflect best practice for screening questions for COVID-19.
• The provider will ensure that the individual and family are aware of Governor Wolf’s Green Phase social restrictions and encourage the individual and family to comply with them.
• Prior to the individual’s return to the residential setting, the provider will complete a COVID-19 screening for the individual, remotely, within 24 hours of the planned return.
• Upon the individual’s return to the residence, the provider will complete a COVID-19 screening.
• If the individual is symptomatic or has had a known exposure to COVID-19 during the family visit, the provider will immediately quarantine the individual until such time as a negative COVID-19 test result is received from a test given to the individual after their return to the residential setting; or the individual remains without symptoms and meets the PAHAN 504–UPD criteria to be released from quarantine.
• If the individual is symptomatic, the provider will test the individual for COVID-19 as soon as possible.

Providers should discourage home visits to counties that are not in the Green Phase.