Other Documentation

II. Immediate Actions and Communications

1. The first person on the scene will be responsible to immediately notify all emergency personnel needed according to the nature of the disaster.

   • Fire, Police, Ambulance, Sheriff – call 911
   • Other ambulance number – (806) 385-8511
   • Randall County Sheriff – (806) 352-9678
   • High Plains Children’s Home Administration Building – (806) 622-2272
   • Poison Center – (800) 222-1222
   • Amarillo Red Cross – (806) 376-6309

2. The senior administrator on site will be the administrative designee. That person will be responsible for coordinating assignments to employees, and to ensure that the children and staff are kept as safe as possible during and after the disaster. The senior administrator in charge will immediately set up a system to account for and keep track of each child in care and all employees known to be located on the High Plains Children’s Home Campus during an emergency or disaster. The senior administrator will assign staff members to care for all children. The location of children and the tracking of children in care will be reported by the HPCH Staff to the Senior Administrator daily if possible. The Senior Administrator will keep a daily written log on the location and tracking information for each child in care. If the HPCH staff members caring for children during a disaster cannot contact the HPCH Senior Administrator, they will report the location of children in care to the Texas Statewide Hotline and to the managing conservators of the children in care if possible. All HPCH staff members assigned to keep track and provide 24-Hour Continuous Awake Supervision of children and will continue to do so until relieved of duty by the Senior Administrator.

3. All employees present when disaster strikes are responsible to take care of emergency first aide needs of individuals and assist those on campus that need help, keeping in mind your direct safety, training, and the safety of others. Please keep in mind your level of training and certifications regarding medical procedures and other technical skills.

4. The Executive Director or administrative designee will identify safe areas or buildings on campus for the children and staff to take shelter or temporarily relocate if needed.

   The gym has additional shower facilities and restroom facilities. The Administration building has a kitchen and restroom facilities. The commissary contains the campus food supply. A two-week supply of nonperishable food, water and blankets are in the kitchen and pantry areas of Southwest (High Plains Children’s Haven) Shelter, Axe, Christy, Owen, and William’s Cottages. Axe, Christy, Owen, and Williams Cottages all have tornado and severe weather safe rooms that are also the pantries for each cottage and where all canned food is stored. First Aid supply boxes are in each cottage office and are also located in each cottage vehicle. Southwest Cottage (High Plains Children’s Haven) and San Jacinto Cottage each have a basement where several flashlights and a radio with extra batteries are located.

   Critical Equipment Failure:

   HPCH has a current contract with Sunbelt Rental Company to deliver generators to Christy and Owen cottage in case the campus is without electricity for a substantial period. Each generator is a 56KW diesel generator. It should power both main cottages. We will have access to even larger units within 8 hours should we need additional power. Our cottage heaters and water heaters are gas and require minimal power or electricity to operate. If generator equipment is needed for an extended period or is not sufficient, all people on campus may need to evacuate to one of the churches listed in this plan for shelter or to another facility. That decision will be made by the senior administrator in charge. One of the most critical pieces of equipment that is subject to failure is the computer Server where all records for the residents, business office and donor information are stored. All records and documents are backed-up internally and separately by cloud nightly.

5. The Executive Director or administrative designee will contact The President of the HPCH Board of Directors, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and Saint Francis Ministries within 24 hours of a disaster strike. HPCH caseworkers will attempt to contact all managing conservators as soon as the children are cared for and out of immediate danger. Contact information on managing conservators will be at the campus office and in the possession of each caseworker. The emergency phone number for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is (800) 252-5400. The department will be contacted online first at the DFPS Public website at www.dfps.state.tx.us or called by phone and given reports daily until each child is accounted for, out of danger, is being cared for in a safe environment and an exact location of each child is given.

   High Plains Children’s Home has four emergency contacts that will be available during an emergency or disaster. The Social Services Secretary will update changes in emergency contacts, phone numbers or other information that may change in this policy on a weekly basis.

   HPCH EMERGENCY CONTACTS

   The Department of Family and Protective Services may contact:

   • Director of Children’s Services – Lecia Moody Office (806) 622-2272 | Cell (806) 670-9168
   • Director of Operations – Clint Townsley Office (806) 513-1153 | Cell (806) 576-9134
   • Executive Director – Drew Perkins Office (806) 622-2272 | Cell (806) 282-9072
   • Director of Admissions and Compliance – Hannah Fletcher Office (806) 576-3931 | Cell (580) 821-4532

6. The Executive Director or administrative designee will assign employees to stay with and care for children traveling to the hospital or remaining on the campus.

III. Mandatory Evacuation

1. If at any time Randall County or Amarillo authorities issue a mandatory evacuation of the campus or the Amarillo area, we will prepare to evacuate the campus according to the instructions and requirements of Amarillo law enforcement, other city or county officials and the disaster policy. It is never an option to remain on the campus or in the area when told to evacuate by City officials or Campus Administration. If in doubt of an evacuation stay tuned to radio or television to know when warnings or evacuations are issued. The Director of Children’s Services or the Executive Director will also seek to contact each of the cottages if we need to evacuate the campus.

2. If the campus must be evacuated and the cottage vans are capable of travel all cottage direct care staff will first report on the location, identification, and condition of all children for each cottage to the senior HPCH administrator. If a senior HPCH administrator cannot be located the direct care staff will report this information directly to the children’s managing conservator, CPS caseworker or the caseworker’s supervisor. If the managing conservators or CPS staff cannot be located the information will be reported to the Texas State Hotline at 1-800-252-5400 until all children are accounted for. Be sure all children are gathered in a safe area when locating and identifying children. Prepare to evacuate. Direct care staff will load all the children into the vans and will take the cottage files which include the child’s medical information, copy of the Star Health cards for CPS children and/or other medical insurance cards for all children, along with any medication. If possible, gather a change of clothing and medication logs for each child on the van. A complete first aid box is in every cottage van. Each direct care staff has a HPCH issued business credit card with a $1000.00 credit limit per card. All direct care employees may use their HPCH credit cards to secure any additional supplies or items necessary (food, lodging, medical supplies) to care for the children’s needs. Once the children, the cottage files with medical information, medications, and contact lists are loaded into the vans, the direct care staff will do a head count and will immediately report to the front of Axe cottage or just to the west of Axe cottage on Sweet Street. (If the cottage vans are not a good means of transportation due to damage or destruction then Southwest Church of Christ or Central Church of Christ will supply additional or alternative transportation. Both churches have agreed to supply additional or alternative transportation if needed.)

   Cell phones will be highly utilized during a crisis and may not work very well. Once all the children and staff are accounted for the senior administrator will give the name of the location the campus will evacuate to, and the cottages will caravan to their destination. Direct care staff will need to have their cell phones and walky-talkies turned on loud and be on alert for any additional instructions. (Often cell phone usage may be high during an emergency, and we may not be able to use our phones.) The HPCH cottage caravan will report to one of the following locations. Each of the locations were contacted by High Plains Children’s Home and agreed to be an alternative location for High Plains Children’s Home in the event of an evacuation or campus disaster.

   Southwest Church of Christ (806) 352-5647 | 45th & Cornell, Amarillo, TX Contact: Doyle Corder, Cell: (806) 681-2182

   Southwest Church of Christ has a kitchen, gym and additional showers through the Amarillo Town Club as well as bathroom facilities and can care for the entire campus of 60-65, which includes our children in care and staff living on campus.

   Central Church of Christ (806) 373-4389 | 1401 S. Monroe, Amarillo, TX Contact: Mark Love

   The Amarillo Red Cross as a city evacuation location also lists Central Church of Christ. The church has a kitchen, gym, lodging area, additional shower and bathroom facilities and has agreed to care for the entire campus of 60-65 people. Central Church of Christ has also agreed to secure any of our children’s files, adoption files or any electronic files if needed.

   Amarillo Children’s Home (806) 352-5771 | 3400 Bowie Street, Amarillo, TX Contact: John Emmitt, Cell: (806) 584-3902

   Amarillo Children’s Home has agreed to accept 16 children and 6 of our staff in case of an emergency evacuation. Amarillo Children’s Home has showers, additional bathrooms and sleeping quarters. They would also be able to provide food and their kitchen facilities. In addition to caring for up to 22 children and staff would also secure any of our children’s records, adoption files or any electronic files for a temporary period until High Plains Children’s Home could retrieve the files. The Social Services Secretary or the administrative designee will be responsible for securing all files if needed and will ensure they can track any children’s files that will need to be relocated.

   The HPCH Social Services Secretary will ensure that all resident files are returned to HPCH as soon as the files can again be secured on the HPCH Campus. Children’s files will contain all essential information on each child, medical, school, psychological etc. and a picture of each child so they can easily be identified.

   Children’s Home of Lubbock (806) 762-0481 | Idalou Highway, Lubbock, TX Contact: Vickie Russell

   The Children’s Home of Lubbock has a gym, dining facilities, additional restrooms, bedding and cots, additional shower facilities, kitchen and can accommodate all 60-65 children and staff.

3. All employees of High Plains Children’s Home will be considered immediately on duty in the event of a disaster if they can safely report to the campus. Work schedules and time off will be reorganized to address the immediate needs of the children in care.

4. If children’s medications begin to run low or if medications are lost or destroyed staff directly caring for the children and with the approval of the administrative designee will attempt to contact doctors and pharmacies to have the medication refilled. If doctors cannot be contacted, then the direct care staff will contact the Amarillo Red Cross medical station or local hospitals. Each child’s medical information file, Responsible Party Contact list and a current plan of service must accompany the child if a child needs to be separated for travel or medical reasons. The Amarillo Red Cross will ask for the medical file and a complete list of current medications. Additional emergency supplies for first aid kits may be purchased or obtained from the Red Cross medical station.

5. Any needed medical assistance will be through the local hospitals, medical personnel, and the local Red Cross. All new medical information will need to be documented in the child’s medical file by the direct care staff.

6. All counseling and medical services that can continue will need to be followed up on and documented by the direct care staff. All children will need to be evaluated and should have access to crisis counseling during and after the disaster through their own assigned therapists, other certified therapists or by The Centers (formally TPHMR) through the local Red Cross.

7. Resident Files and Records: All children’s files are kept in the administration building of High Plains Children’s Home located at 11461 S. Western, Amarillo, Texas. The files are secured at closing hours in locked filing cabinets in the social services area. The building is also secured in the evening. Children’s files are never removed from the building and must always be checked out to be reviewed only by staff directly connected to the child’s care and with administrative approval. Resident files will be reviewed only in the office and checked out through the Social Services Secretary. Resident information for each child is kept in the cottage that the child lives in. Resident files are also maintained online on the Case Management system of extendedReach. This includes medical information, placement information, medical authorization, current plans of service, copies of STAR Health cards, educational portfolios, and copies of current court orders. The Executive Director or administrative designee will ensure that all files are secured if possible after a disaster. Amarillo Children’s Home and Central Church of Christ will secure our resident files if needed after a disaster on a temporary basis until HPCH can better secure the files. Copies of other information lost can be obtained through the schools, doctors, therapists, CPS, the judicial system, and extendedReach.

8. Data and System Security: All children’s files are also stored electronically. The files are scanned as the information is recorded by our Social Services Secretary such as admissions information, service plans medical, Medicaid or Star Health cards, common applications, shot records, school information (education portfolio), discharge summary etc. Resident files are maintained on the Case Management system of extendedReach. Files are backed up using online Cloud storage technology. The Case Management system, extendedReach, is HIPPA compliant, therefore protecting all data from unauthorized access. The information goes to the server and is backed up electronically online. All files are encrypted in transit and at rest. Electronic file backup will be assessed on a quarterly basis to assure recoverability.

   a. Systems are reviewed and monitored by the IT Director to ensure the security and integrity of the data systems.

   b. Firewalls and other security measures are used to protect against anticipated and unanticipated threats and hazards.

   c. All files are password protected to guard against unauthorized use. All users have unique User ID’s and unique passwords are developed by the user based on minimum standards. Files are only accessed on an as needed basis and by authorized users needing the information to perform their job duties. Access is restricted to active users. Access to data and files is removed upon termination. Access by vendors, auditors, DFPS and others are disabled upon completion of the work.

   d. Account access is reviewed on a regular basis at least every 12 months.

   e. Sensitive data and information should only be stored on company devices.

   f. All files are backed up and transmitted using 256 bit key for symmetric encryption and at least 1024 bit key for asymmetric encryption and stored to allow for disaster recovery and business continuity.

   g. Removable media for sensitive personal information shall not be used.

   h. All data transmission of sensitive information must be secure and encrypted while in transit.

   i. All employees are apprised of confidentiality and included in the policies and procedures manual.

   The requirements are reviewed and updated periodically as changes are made. The most recent updated plan is effective 09/01/2023.

   High Plains Children’s Home will make every effort to comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

9. The child’s plan of service, educational portfolio, court orders and medical information will always accompany the child in the possession of the direct care staff supervising that child. All plans of service guidelines will be followed for each child as closely as possible. All court orders will be followed as closely as possible keeping in mind the immediate circumstances and the safety of all children and employees. Court Orders must be current in each child’s information file located at each cottage.

10. Any additional clothing for children or supplies will be purchased with the HPCH business credit cards of staff or may be sought through the local Red Cross and other emergency stations like churches or shelters.

11. All employees will remain on duty and care for the children during a disaster until they are relieved of duty or a shift of duty by the administrative designee. The 24-Hour Continuous Awake Supervision will be in effect in all locations!

12. All employees of High Plains Children’s Home will remain in contact with the Executive Director or the administrative designee and will not return to the campus with the children until the area is declared safe and the administrative designee gives the procedure or instructions for returning to the campus.

IV. Returning to Campus

1. The Executive Director or administrative designee will make the decision on when the staff and children may return to the campus or if they will return at all. The President of the HPCH Board must be kept informed of this process. The Executive Director or administrative designee must have the advice of law enforcement and/or the city regarding the safety of the campus location. Once the campus is safe, has shelters or places for children to sleep, methods of obtaining food, supplies, and transportation the Executive Director or administrative designee will collaborate with other employees to provide for the safe return of all children and staff.

2. If the campus is destroyed the Executive Director or administrative designee will meet with the board of directors for a plan of action regarding the possibility of a new location or decide on the possible closing of High Plains Children’s Home temporarily or permanently.

   The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services will immediately be informed of any decision made by the Executive Director or the administrative designee. The department will have at least a 30-day notice if the children in care of High Plains Children’s Home need to have placement secured for them with another agency or foster care. High Plains Children’s Home will care for each child until the department finds another placement. The HPCH board and decisions if a new location is a possibility or devise a plan with senior administrators will determine how the campus will relocate.

V. Emergency and Relief Training

This policy on Disaster and Emergency Training will be reviewed on an annual basis and is required for all staff. There will be annual training covering fire safety and evacuation.

VI. 24-Hour Continuous Supervision

High Plains Children’s Home is currently meeting all contractual requirements of 24-Hour Continuous Awake Supervision. HPCH is prepared and will continue to meet all overnight awake staff requirements in the event of an emergency. All direct care staff, including childcare administration, are fully trained for overnight continuous supervision. High Plains Children’s Home employs adequate and qualified staff to meet the needs of all children in our care and plans for providing backup staff in emergencies.

VII. Pandemic Procedures

High Plains Children’s Home will follow updates by the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control, the U.S. State Department and local health officials. High Plains Staff, Children and all residents will follow hygiene and prevention procedures. Travel would be cancelled immediately if any destinations meet one or more of the following criteria as determined by the High Plains Administrative Staff.

1. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) issued a level 3 warning.
2. A level 3 Travel Advisory or higher was issued by the State Department.
3. In areas of active transmission depending upon the distance to travel from the area of active transmission and the ability to manage risk to an acceptable level.
4. School closings due to the spread of disease.

High Plains may need to take additional action which includes but may not be limited to all staff not living on the campus working from their homes and instruct all campus residents that do live on campus to remain on campus as much as possible. Movement on campus will not be restricted within normal guidelines. This phase of the plan would focus on limiting or eliminating interactions between our residents, staff, and potential infection vectors. If some of our residents or staff needed to be in quarantine, we would first follow the instructions of medical officials and place the residents or staff in a local hospital or safe quarantined area, or a quarantined area would be located on the High Plains Campus in the Meadows East Duplex. Meadows is a three-bedroom, 2-bathroom duplex with a living room, dining room and kitchen. The home is completely furnished, with laundry facilities, linens, kitchen appliances, dishes, and everything needed to run a home. Quarantined residents and staff would not be allowed to leave the home area and healthy residents and staff would not be allowed in the quarantined area. The only people allowed in the home would be medical personnel and authorized staff. Another quarantined area could be located at the Blanton Building if needed. This building also has everything needed to set up a completely functioning household. The Blanton has two large bedrooms with their own bathrooms, full size kitchen and living area and additional bathrooms located off the living room area.

VIII. Plan Updates

High Plains Children’s Home will periodically check for updates. The plan will be reviewed and updated to ensure ongoing compliance or as the process and procedure require a change in our facilities.

The current plan update and effective date is September 1, 2023.