KBH COVID-19 Response Update

KBH would like to share with our clients, patients, staff members, donors and the community an update regarding the provision of mental health care services here at our organization. First, we hope you and your loved ones are doing well and taking the best possible care of yourselves during this very difficult time.  Although all of KBH’s facilities including our clinics, Clubhouses and residential locations have been open throughout the last several months, many of our services have been provided by telephone or through video conferencing to ensure the safety of clients and staff.  Now that state restrictions are being lifted, we are looking forward to welcoming our clients and staff back on-site.  We will be doing this slowly, so everyone has time to adjust as more people return to our facilities over the next few months.  In preparation, we have made several changes to maximize the safety of our clients and staff member that we wanted to share with you.

1. Our waiting rooms and other common areas have posted maximum capacity signs that clearly state how many people can be in each area and maintain appropriate social distance.  
2. Our waiting room chairs are spaced at least 6 ft apart.
3. KBH has employed and/or designated additional staff members for cleaning and disinfecting high touch areas in our buildings several times a day.
4. Many buildings have been equipped with UV germicidal air purifiers.
5. Everyone entering our buildings is asked to wear a mask or face covering. We will provide a mask for those who do not have one.
6. Staff are asked to wear masks or face coverings in our buildings when in any area where appropriate social distance cannot be maintained.
7. Staff and persons served are to wear masks or face coverings during face to face appointments and interactions.
8. Personal Protective Equipment such as surgical masks, face shields, hand sanitizer and disinfectant is readily available for staff to use.
9. Masks, face shields and hand sanitizer are readily available for persons served during face to face appointments and interactions.
10. Persons served, who are scheduled for face to face appointments, are screened for the presence of coronavirus symptoms prior to their scheduled appointments.  
11. In office spaces where persons served are seen face to face, furniture that cannot readily be disinfected has been replaced with furniture that can be. Furniture and surfaces that have been used/touched during face to face encounters is disinfected after each encounter.

We will continue to do our very best to assure that our clients are receiving the care they need in the safest manner possible.  We also want to recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult for everyone.  We are currently accepting new clients in many of our programs. If you or someone you love is in need of mental health or substance use disorder services, please contact our Access Center at 1-888-322-2136. 

Kennebec Behavioral Health is here for you

KBH is considered an essential service, which means we are open and seeing clients via telehealth services. Although we are not able to see the majority of clients in person, we have been working hard to utilize technology to continue to provide services to our patients and clients while they are safely at home. Some of our programs are available for new referrals and staff members can complete intakes over the phone. If you or someone you love is in need of mental health or substance use disorder services, please contact our Access Center at 1-888-322-2136.  

To our Community Members

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kennebec Behavioral Health wants to be sure that families remain aware of the services provided by the Maine State Crisis Line. If you, or anyone you know, is experiencing a mental health or behavioral crisis, please call 1-888-568-1112.  As a reminder, in light of the potential strain on Emergency Departments due to COVID-19, we encourage families and individuals to seek crisis intervention by calling the crisis line from where they are rather than going to the Emergency Departments.  Mobile Crisis responders can meet individuals via telehealth and in person as needed in the location of the individual's or family's choosing.

211 Maine is a free, confidential information and referral service that connects people of all ages across Maine to local services. Maine CDC worked closely with 211 Maine to incorporate answers to general questions about COVID-19 to the 211 resource. Calls, texts, and emails to 211 are answered 24/7 by a person here in the state.

211 Maine is equipped to answer general questions about the 2019 novel coronavirus, including how Maine people can best protect themselves, options for testing, and travel considerations. Anyone looking for specific medical advice regarding symptoms they may be experiencing is strongly urged to call their medical provider, an urgent care center, or 911, depending on the severity of their symptoms. 

KBH Office Hours Change

Kennebec Behavioral Health COVID-19 Response

Kennebec Behavioral Health's highest priority is the health and safety of clients and staff. We are following the State of Maine Centers for Disease Control (CDC) precautions and recommendations on containing the spread of COVID-19 by limiting close visit contact and practicing social distancing to protect everybody's health while also providing essential behavioral health services.

Some of the steps that we are taking to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) within the communities that we serve:

• Telehealth treatment (by both phone and/or video) to be used by all programs except residential and supported living services.
• We will immediately begin conducting all appointments in all clinic locations (Augusta, Waterville, Skowhegan, Winthrop, and Farmington) via telehealth.  Exceptions will be made as medically and clinicially indicated. This includes the following programs: Mental Health and Substance Use Counseling, Medication Management, Behavioral Health Home, Community Integration, Child Case Management, HCT and MST services.
• Group mental health services are cancelled in accordance with social distancing recommendations.
• Clubhouse Services in Augusta, Waterville, Lewiston, and Topsham are closed to providing onsite services, however, Clubhouse staff will be providing telephonic service to members.
• Residential group homes in Augusta, Waterville and Skowhegan and supported living services in these locations will be open but operating with visitor restrictions along with strict hygiene and other protocols, consistent with CDC and CMS guidelines.
• Wherever and whenever possible we will be attending meetings remotely and working from home as appoproriate to the operations of our agency.
• Our Access Center will be available to triage any new referrals to all KBH programs and locations and we will continue prioritizing hospital discharges.

Kennebec Behavioral Health will continually reassess the situation and update guidelines as necessary to ensure access and capacity. If you or someone that you know needs support during these uncertain times please reach out to our Access Center, 888-322-2136.

For more information about COVID-19, visit www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html  or www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/.

Admin, 3/17/2020

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