NYDA Covid-19 Data Collection:
- Since April 9th we have been asking our members to report on several health-related Covid-19 metrics. We have been using them in our advocacy efforts through NYDA as well as sharing aggregate data with academic experts at Syracuse University for the purpose of understanding how Covid-19 effects individuals with I/DD in comparison to the general population.
- The results of your efforts and reporting have now resulted in significant academic research by Dr. Scott Landes and his team at Syracuse University in the form of the journal article which can be found here.
- A quick summary of the most important points of the study are as follows:
- The study found individuals with I/DD supported in residential settings were four times as likely to contract COVID-19, and two times as likely to die from the infection than the general population of New York.
- The higher number of cases did not result in similarly disproportional case-fatality because of the efforts of multiple stakeholders – people with IDD, their families, advocacy groups, residential providers, their staff, and healthcare providers – to ensure the best care possible for these individuals.
- The study links the higher infection rate to limited resources, and calls for appropriate preventative measures and resources to ensure the health and safety of people with IDD and those who provide for their care – including adequate funding for staff and access to personal protective equipment.
OPWDD Data Update:
- Today, OPWDD shared the following Covid-19 data they have collected:
- 3,077 total infections to date
- 2,492 of those infections can be attributed to individuals residing in OPWDD certified residential settings
- 437 Fatalities
- 90% of deaths are located in the downstate region (NYC, LI, Rockland, Putnam, Westchester, Orange, Nassau, Suffolk)
- 83% of deaths are attributed to individuals that are 50 or older
- 61% of deaths are men
- 80% of those who have passed away also had one or more comorbidities (i.e. hypertension, diabetes, dementia, cancer, etc…)
- 3,547 staff infections to date
Infection Control Guidance - OMH Residential and Site Based Programs:
- OMH has released updated infection control guidance for residential and site based programs which can be found here.
OPWDD - CFR Guidance on Vacation Leave Accruals:
- OPWDD has release guidance on how to record certain vacation leave accruals in the CFR for reporting purposes, that guidance can be found here.
