“It is only in our darkest hours that we may discover the true strength of the brilliant light within ourselves that can never, ever, be dimmed.”
– Doe Zantamata
As difficult as it has been for all of us to watch the pain and suffering associated with the COVID-19 virus, it has been heartening to watch our community come together in support of our most vulnerable populations.
We’ve seen city, county and state governments partnering with local churches, businesses and service providers to create innovative programs aimed at protecting those experiencing homelessness and to slow the spread of the virus. This community commitment is working, and the results are compelling. Our three-pronged approach includes:
• Protecting our elderly vulnerable populations. Salt Lake County’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe Hotel Program,” provides safe isolated housing for 120-135 people who are among the most vulnerable of those experiencing homelessness. This program rents space from a local hotel, gives elderly and immune compromised homeless residents a safe place to isolate, and has kept a large number of individuals safe and away from the virus.
• Providing free and convenient COVID-19 testing for those experiencing homelessness. The state of Utah moved quickly to provide locations and COVID-19 tests to ensure that vulnerable populations have easy access to testing. Alternate housing facilities have been made available to clients who are awaiting COVID-19 test results as well as for those who receive a positive test result, to allow for a place to recover, and to help mitigate the spread to others.
• Expanding services to unsheltered individuals. Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County have enhanced their programs aimed at protecting unsheltered individuals from the spread of COVID-19. They expanded existing homeless outreach efforts to better meet the immediate needs of our community.
Outreach teams have been critical to providing COVID-19 assessments, connection to medical care, education on social distancing, and seeking to minimize the size of groups and conducting wellness checks. These teams are our “boots on the ground” approach to ensure that basic needs are met such as food, clothing, and hygiene supplies and to connect individuals with needed services and resources.
In addition, extra effort has been made to protect both staff and clients at the Homeless Resource Centers from COVID-19. State and local governments helped developed emergency action plans. Increased screening has been implemented for clients and employees of the resource centers. And resource centers have increased the use of personal protection equipment, encouraged more stringent social distancing and provided education for staff and clients. HRC’s have also modified activities and/or the use of space and have worked with safety advisors to keep clients and employees of the HRCs safe and healthy.
Together, we’ve developed some effective, data driven strategies and, at the same time, we’ve also been able to incorporate small, but important details that have meant so much to a vulnerable community that so often feels forgotten. For example, Associated Foods provided books, puzzles and other small games to offer a distraction from the added challenges that our vulnerable populations are likely experiencing while they are self-isolating in our vulnerable populations h otel.
For one woman who was housed in a quarantine and isolation facility there was another solution. She missed playing instruments, which was a way to get her through the worst times. She was feeling down and mentioned to a nurse that she would love an instrument. Without the woman knowing, the nurse reached out to Summerhayes Music and they donated a ukulele to her. She is now teaching herself to play. The few notes she knows have not only lifted her spirits but the spirits of others in the facility. This is just one example of the perceptive and caring staff at our Q&I facilities.
Amidst this long list of interventions, some of the greatest impacts are the results of small but powerful personal actions taken by individuals who have helped us remember the human side to this pandemic.
It’s easy to focus on the negative aspects of this crisis, but perhaps COVID-19 can produce a stronger community – by demonstrating that we are all vulnerable in a variety of ways. And if we pay attention, we’ll see the signs that a strong community – an empathetic community – can renew its commitment to humanity.
Salt Lake County’s Unified Command Team
Jenny Wilson
Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson
Clint Mecham
Clint Mecham, division chief, Unified Fire Authority/Salt Lake County Emergency
Gary Edwards
Gary Edwards, executive director, Salt Lake County Health Department
Pamela Atkinson
Pamela Atkinson, community advocate
