Our Clients Crave Stability and Predictability!
By Margie Quin, CEO
Life seems anything but stable OR predictable right now. - Around Middle Tennessee there is a lot happening. We get it. We still have a client displaced and in temporary housing, and two staff were without power for over a week as a result of the tornado. You may be asking yourself, “I wonder what ESTN is doing to prepare for a possible COVID-19 outbreak among our client population?”… and that’s a great question. The population we serve are some with VERY compromised health conditions, but like other service providers, we won’t shut down our operations while this pandemic runs its course. We will follow the CDC and Tennessee Health Department guidelines. We will create plans to address any sick clients. We will make sure they have the necessary medicines and therapy to make it through this difficult time.
When dealing with fragile populations, careful planning can make all the difference. We will adhere to the six Trauma-Informed principles and make sure all plans rely on these.
Safety - The safety of our clients is first and foremost. We will limit their outside contacts to minimize their exposure to contaminants. We will make sure they are prepared for any inclement weather conditions.
Trustworthiness & transparency – Immediately, we will clearly communicate our plans and contingencies to clients, volunteers and the donor base.
Peer support – Create additional lines of communication and “touches” with clients so they feel supported and cared for through what may be a very traumatic time. When face-to-face isn’t possible, we will rely on technology. No client will go without the support they need.
Collaboration & mutuality – Partnerships are critically important when life seems “out of control,” and we will find strength together as we tackle this crisis as a community.
Empowerment & choice – Clients will be given choices on how they will process and deal with this emotional and unstable time. Information is power, and our clients will be fully informed about what is happening with programming and staff.
Cultural, historical & gender issues – We will remember that when crisis hits any society, it is the vulnerable and marginalized who are most impacted. We at ESTN will not allow our clients to be left behind, dismissed or ignored while our society responds to a pandemic. They matter, and we will make sure they know it.
ESTN staff will also take precautions and social distance as much as possible. We are committed to doing our part to minimize the exposure and spread of the virus. ESTN will address this head on, plan for the worst, expect the difficult and adjust accordingly. As we all care for family, neighbors and strangers, please don’t forget those who are most vulnerable in our society.
Stick with us through this difficult time and be ready to jump back into this fight with us, side-by-side! We needed you before and we will need you even more after we come through this challenge. If it was easy, anybody could do it – we didn’t sign up because it was easy and neither did you.