COVID-19 Updates for the Perkins Community (Last updated August, 2020)

As Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread rapidly across communities and is an evolving situation for all of us, including Perkins, we have been and will continue to consult with State officials and our medical advisors to ensure the best and safest care for all that we work with and that we minimize risk for all members of our community including our staff, residents, and program participants. The underlying theme of our approach and the current status is continued caution and diligence.

Our campus is closed to visitors for all activities except walking. This includes the playground, basketball courts, and other recreational activities. At this time, we don’t have a re-opening date for our playground, but we look forward to opening back up as soon as it is safe for everyone.

Should you have any comments or questions, please email Tracy Tallman, ttallman@perkinschool.org.

PROGRAM STATUSES 

Residential programs have begun to open for visitation with family members only and day programs have been preparing for a return to some on-site programming. Each program’s specifics are noted below.

• Doctor Franklin Perkins School Residential Education Program Residential programs remain closed to outside visitors and we continue to make efforts to limit the cross over of staff between programs. However, with the start-up of summer education programming, each of our resident houses is being paired with another house with whom they will have some overlap. This will allow students to interact with additional students and staff, providing a needed expansion of their social bubbles. Residential students began on-site visits several weeks ago with all visits occurring outside. These visits continue and some students have begun doing visits home.
• Perkins Adult Services Residential Program As with the residential education programming, outside visitation with family began a few weeks ago for all adult residents except those at Davis Manor.
• Perkins Behavioral Health The Behavioral Health team continues to provide tele-health services, with some team members working out of their clinic office. The team is continuing with this model while assessing and planning for the best way to resume in-person sessions where needed and in a manner that protects client and clinician health.
• Doctor Franklin Perkins School Day Education Program Our summer session begins Wednesday, July 8. Residential students will return to school on July 8th and will continue with in-person education programming throughout the summer. Day students will begin this Wednesday with virtual learning but will return to the Perkins Campus on Monday, July 13.  Day students will be divided into two cohorts, each coming to campus for two days a week (Monday/Tuesday or Thursday/Friday).  On-site learning days for day students will be limited to four hours. On the days that students are home, students will work with teachers, clinicians, occupational therapists, and other specialists to continue their learning and to receive needed support.
• Perkins Adult Services Day Program Phase 1 of a 4-Phase reopening began on July 27, with 25% of its service population participating in on-site programming. Phase 2, which begins on September 1, will see the return of another 10%. Remote services continue to be offered to all other participants.
• Perkins Child Development Center (CDC) The CDC recently closed its emergency child care program and is now re-open for CDC enrolled families. Capacity will be limited through the summer and into the fall, as we have limitations on the number of children and staff who can be in the center and in each classroom.
• Rein in a Dream RIAD continues to provide critical support to residential students. Additionally, RIAD will open for community programming on July 13. Protocols have been established to ensure no overlap between residential students and community riders.

For up to date information on Coronavirus (COVID-19), please visit the MA DPH website and the CDC’s website.

For a list of online family resources, please visit this page.

Contacts

Program Directors
Tim Hammond, Chief Operating Officer
Cindy Wing, Chief Academic Officer
Linda Alger, Director of Adult Services
Cherie Ansin, Director of Rein in a Dream
Sharon Lowry, Assistant Director of Education
Joe Mantha, Director of Residential Operations
Patricia Sinclair, Director of Perkins Child Development Center
Dianne Walsh, Director of Behavioral Health
Ashley Dean,, Director of Elementary/Middle School Curriculum
Debbie Rivera, Director of High School/ATP Curriculum
Stephanie Bailey, Director of Student Services

Residential Program Directors
Tim O’Day, White Hall
Dylan Zuchowski, Curtis
Joe Howell, Weymouth
Bill Cyr, Duplex
Kelly Gross, Pappas
Amanda Saunders, Manor 

General
Tracy Tallman, Chief of Staff