Current Services Update

July 16 COVID -19 Update 

The Victorian Government has announced that Victoria will go into a Statewide lockdown for the next five days, until midnight Tuesday 20th July

Restriction Update:
There are still only five reasons to leave home:
• Shopping for food and supplies
• Authorised work and study
• Care and caregiving
• Exercise
• And getting vaccinated

For more information on restrictions we encourage you to visit: www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/coronavirus-covidsafe-settings

Gateways Essential Service
Gateways is considered an essential service and will continue to operate. Our services will remain open for participants; however, we will provide these services in accordance with the restrictions above. Our staff will be in contact to advise you on service changes due to restrictions easing in Victoria.
Please continue to direct business hours queries to your usual contact within Gateways.

Changes to services due to current restrictions:
• Our residential services continue operating under COVID-19 guidelines.
• Individual supports will continue to be provided on a case by case basis, these may include support in your home or within the community where appropriate. All supports will operate under the new COVID-19 guidelines.
• Community participant activities are opened for:
o Participants whose parents, family, or primary carers who are essential workers.
o Participants who are unable to remain at home without support.
o Participants who, by not attending our centres would result in other disability supports being required.
o Or where not attending the centre would result in significant impacts on the participants’ mental health, disability or behaviours.
• Indoor activities for larger groups are at this stage paused.
o Outdoor activities can however resume for our 1:1 supports.
• All therapy services are continuing to provide support via telehealth unless face to face is essential.
• Support Coordination will offer phone and video supports and is available to help ensure appropriate supports remain for your needs during this time.
• Plan management is operating as normal across all regions.
• Camps and Recreation programs in West Melbourne are all paused during the lockdown but we can, where needed, offer you some 1:1 support.
• Additional Assistants and Preschool Field Officers support continues as usual.

Face Masks:
All Gateways staff are required to wear a surgical face mask while providing support to participants.
For translated COVID-19 resources- Translated coronavirus (COVID-19) resources | Australian Government Department of Health
If you require a translator or interpreter, please let your service team know, and they will work with you to access these services.
Gateways would like to thank all our participants, families and carers for your understanding during this time, and to remind you that we are here to ensure that you can continue to access essential services during this time.

June 3rd COVID-19 Update

The Victorian Government has today announced that Melbourne will remain in lockdown for a further seven days with some small changes in restrictions.
Lockdown restriction has been lifted in Regional Victoria, while some restriction still remains in effect.
Melbourne Update:
If you are Greater Melbourne there are still only five reasons to leave home:
• Shopping for food and supplies
• Authorised work and study
• Care and caregiving
• Exercise
• And getting vaccinated
The 5km travel radius has now been expanded to 10km radius.

Regional Victoria Update:
Lockdown has been lifted for Regional Victoria from 11.59pm on 3rd June, a number of restrictions still apply:
• Schools will return to face to face learning for all year level
• Visitors are not allowed to home except for care and caregiving
o People living alone can establish a social bubble with one other person
• Restaurants and cafes can reopen to a maximum of 50 people
• Public gatherings increase to a group size up to 10 people
For more information on restrictions we encourage you to visit: www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/coronavirus-covidsafe-settings

Gateways Essential Service
Gateways is considered an essential service and will continue to operate. Our services will remain open for participants; however, we will provide these services in accordance with the restrictions above. Our staff will be in contact to advise you on service changes due to restrictions easing in regional Victoria.
Please continue to direct business hours queries to your usual contact within Gateways.

Gateways services changes due to restriction easing:
• Our residential services continue operating under COVID-19 restrictions.
• Individual supports in your home or externally continues to operate under new COVID-19 restrictions.
• Community participant activities are opened for:
o People whose parents, family, or primary carers are essential workers.
o Participants who are unable to remain at home without support.
o People who, by not attending our centres would result in other disability supports being required.
o Not attending the centre would result in significant impacts on the participants’ mental health, disability or behaviours.
• Indoor activities for larger groups are at this stage paused.
o Outdoor activities can however resume for our Recreation and 1:1 supports.
• All therapy services are continuing to provide support via telehealth unless face to face is essential in Metro Melbourne.
In Regional Victoria, our therapists can resume all routine face to face supports where this is your preference.
• Support Coordination will offer phone and video supports and is available to help ensure appropriate supports remain for your needs during this time in Metro Melbourne.
In Regional Victoria, Support Coordination team can resume all routine face to face supports where this is your preference.
• Plan management is operating as normal across all regions.
• Camps and Recreation programs in West Melbourne are all paused during the lockdown but we can where needed offer you some one on one support.
• Additional assistance and Preschool field officer support continues as usual.

Face Masks:
All Gateways staff are required to wear surgical face mask while providing support to participants. Participants who are unable to wear a mask must have an exemption.

For translated COVID-19 resources- Translated coronavirus (COVID-19) resources | Australian Government Department of Health
If you require a translator or interpreter, please let your service team know, and they will work with you to access these services.

Gateways would like to thank all our participants, families and carers for your understanding during this time, and to remind you that we are here to ensure that you can continue to access essential services during this time.