SPAN is Always Here to Help!
Dear Families, Partners, and Friends:
As an organization that serves and employs families of medically fragile children, SPAN remains committed to doing its part to protect our community during the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis. The SPAN staff continues to work and operate remotely, with a hybrid office/home structure expected to be implemented this fall, though we continue to monitor the impact of COVID variants on our community and staff and will react accordingly to maintain the health and safety all concerned.
As always, we continue to be available as a resource for families and the professionals that serve them.
Our staff, including Family Resource Specialists, Parent Group Specialists, Community Health Workers, and others remain available to support families, educators, and health professionals by phone and email. Please call our warmline — (973) 642-8100 for assistance. If our Intake Specialist is not available to take your call, please leave a detailed message, including the best number for us to reach you. We are returning calls as soon as possible, usually within 48 hours.
- Workshops and trainings continue to be offered virtually on multiple platforms. Visit the home page of this site for the calendar of upcoming events. In the meantime, check out all of the SPAN Fact Sheets to expand your knowledge. Click here to see the SPAN Fact Sheet RESOURCE PAGE.
- We continue to post our chart of COVID-19 related resources for your reference. Click here to view.
- Follow us on social media @spanadvocacy (Facebook and LinkedIn) for updated schedules. Also you can view Facebook Live and webinar recordings on our YouTube Channel.
- SPAN’s management team continues to assess new information and events and will keep you posted on any major changes.
Back to School Resources
Following a July Virtual Parent Town Hall featuring speakers from the U.S. Department of Education and the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and hosted by the National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement (NAFSCE) and United Parent Action Network (UPLAN), the following resources and links were shared by the CDC:
COVID-19 General Resources:
- COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions: Coronavirus (COVID-19) frequently asked questions | CDC
- Latest COVID Information: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) | CDC
- Managing Stress and Coping: Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19 | CDC
- People at Increased Risk: Do I need to Take Extra Precautions Against COVID-19 | CDC
- Children and COVID-19: Children and Teens | COVID-19 | CDC
- What to do if a Student Becomes Sick at School or Reports a New COVID-19 Diagnosis Flowchart | CDC
For Administrators and Parents, Guardians, and Caregivers:
- Guidance for Schools and Child Care Centers: School Settings | COVID-19 | CDC
- Guidance for Direct Service Providers, Parents, Caregivers, and Guardians, and People with Developmental and Behavioral Disorders: Caring for People with Developmental and Behavioral Disorders | COVID-19 | CDC
- Governor Murphy Announces Indoor Mask Requirement for Beginning of 2021-2022 School Year
Coping and Resilience Support Numbers:
- National Distress Hotline: call or text 1-800-985-5990, or text TalkWithUs to 66746
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255), 1-888-628-9454 for Spanish
Take Care and Stay Safe
The SPAN Team