As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) health crisis continues to evolve, the EPIC Long Island Family of Human Service Agencies – which includes EPIC Long Island, South Shore Child Guidance Center and the Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island – has put in place measures to minimize any potential health risks to the individuals and families we support, as well as to our workforce.
Effective Wednesday, March 18, 2020, the EPIC Long Island Day Habilitation and Program Without Walls based in East Meadow were temporarily closed. As of July 22nd, the Day Program began to slowly reopen and offer program services to a limited number of people in order to maintain health and safety guidelines. Please click the SAFETY PLAN for details.
In addition to the Day Habilitation program closure, all EPIC Long Island group home residences had been placed on a strict no visitation protocol. Again, these measures were put in place for the protection of the people living in the homes and for the safety of their support staff. Currently, the Residential administrative team has developed new guidelines that allow visitation from family but these visits must be planned and scheduled in order to ensure the health and safety of all. Please contact residential management to schedule visits.
Clinic Services continue to be offered through videoconferencing and phone sessions; there will also be limited on-site, in-person Clinic visits at EPIC Long Island in East Meadow and at South Shore Child Guidance and the CARE Center in Freeport. Please call in advance to confirm any in-person appointments.
The Community Education in-service trainings and community education workshops of the Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island are being offered via video conference and webinar formats. Information and referral as well as advocacy efforts continue and the Community Education Coordination team is available via phone and email.
We remain available to people who use our services, their families, all stakeholders, and the community as a whole. We can be contacted by email, phone and tele-conferencing, as well as videoconferencing. Agency staff and administration reach out to people on a routine basis to check on their health and well-being. Please feel free to communicate with your manager, therapist, support staff and administration as needed but here is additional contact information to assist you:
EPIC Long Island and Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island – 516-739-7733
South Shore Child Guidance and CARE Center – 516-868-3030
Nassau County Mobile Crisis Team – 516-227-8255 (TALK)
You can access information on COVID-19 (Coronavirus) on the following sites:
Department of Health https://www.health.ny.gov/
Office of Mental Health https://omh.ny.gov/
Office for People with Developmental Disabilities https://opwdd.ny.gov/
Office of Addiction Services and Supports https://oasas.ny.gov/
Epilepsy Foundation https://www.epilepsy.com/
The EPIC Long Island Family of Human Service Agencies remains committed to the individuals and families accessing our services as well as to our dedicated workforce. Restrictions are in place to ensure their health, safety and well-being as well as that of the community. Updates will be posted on our social media platforms and website.