How are we handling the public health crisis?
The Farm closed it's facility on April 7th and completely transferred it's Behavioral Health Department Services to TeleHealth. All scheduled community events, volunteer work, and Art Department services were put on a temporary hold. Even as an essential business, we made the difficult decision to close our doors for the safety of our clients, staff, and community. While we may have closed our doors, we opened our homes via TeleHealth; a limited Production Farm staff was sent to the farm to renovate and adjust the space and programs to accommodate the new and immediate normal. Please scroll down to look at our COVID-19 Reopening Plan, Mental Health Tips for Self-Isolation and COVID-19 Resources.
What is TeleHealth?
We are transitioning our services to telehealth exclusively for a limited time due to current health concerns; however we will be adding this resource to our service array for future services. What services will your child be receiving while utilizing telehealth and how does this differ from our standard programming? We at The Production Farm believe in Play, Connection, and Growth; therefore we utilize evidence based intervention methods based in attachment research to address your child and work through their plans and their care team. As play is proven to be essential in child development and addressing early childhood trauma, our program is play based. So you may see your child’s provider being playful or engaging in various play activities during services, whether in person or during telehealth. This is in order to speak to the child in a way that they understand, give them a forum to feel safe and understood, as well as provide them with different ways to express themselves in their unique way. Our providers will build rapport and create connections with the youth, modeling appropriate communication, boundaries, and strategies for connection with others. Instead of utilizing the resources of our farm, which includes 10 acres of land, gardens, animals, art and music; we will bring those strategies into your home and utilize the resources you have there via telehealth. Given the nature of the current public health situation, we will be addressing anxiety in relation to not being able to go into the community, having services cancelled or rearranged, school and extracurriculars being cancelled, and long periods of time spent in the home.
How Can You Help Us and Join Our Farm Family?
Our Phased COVID 19 Re-opening / Restructuring Plan
We spent 2018 restructuring our business and developing a new business model with all new management and an amazing new team. Through this restructuring we created a five phased reopening plan and a new service array to our community so that we can maximize our community benefit. Due to the COVID 19 Public Health Crisis we have adjusted our timeline and restructuring plan to also accommodate for additional safety precautions to be enacted. The following abridged view of that plan is listed below. The Production Farm where our community, our clients, and our staff are our first and only priority.
Phase 1
Following the public health orders, the Badger Bounce Back Plan as well as The Farm’s own set of guidelines and criteria we are currently operating via TeleHealth exclusively; our management, executives, board, and daily teams are upholding and maintaining social distancing and all of our work is done online. During this phase we are researching, developing, and enacting additional safety precautions and policies here at the farm so that when we move to Phase 2 of our reopening plan we can ensure the safety of our patrons, our clients, and our staff.
We have decided to utilize this time to move some of our Restructuring plans forward. The public health emergency unfortunately moved our release date of the new Psychotherapy and Arts programs back; however we intend to release information on these programs later this year. We have however moved forward on further renovations to our facility by expanding and further developing the art studio, community gardens, music room, and created additional rooms designed for sensory integration. The Production Farm is still accepting in-kind donations of goods and services; those donating can drop the goods off at the farm facility or we can pick up. Unfortunately staff will be unable to meet individuals and there are specific guidelines for procurement of the donations. The Community Garden will remain open, however volunteers will need to follow all safety policies while on the Farm property. The community garden meetings are held online. We have started to supply Farm Boxes to the youth in our programs which include a variety of sensory materials and art forms to utilize during services. The UWGB Internship Program with the Farm will be unaffected and operational throughout; however interns will follow all policies while on premises.
We have decided to utilize this time to move some of our Restructuring plans forward. The public health emergency unfortunately moved our release date of the new Psychotherapy and Arts programs back; however we intend to release information on these programs later this year. We have however moved forward on further renovations to our facility by expanding and further developing the art studio, community gardens, music room, and created additional rooms designed for sensory integration. The Production Farm is still accepting in-kind donations of goods and services; those donating can drop the goods off at the farm facility or we can pick up. Unfortunately staff will be unable to meet individuals and there are specific guidelines for procurement of the donations. The Community Garden will remain open, however volunteers will need to follow all safety policies while on the Farm property. The community garden meetings are held online. We have started to supply Farm Boxes to the youth in our programs which include a variety of sensory materials and art forms to utilize during services. The UWGB Internship Program with the Farm will be unaffected and operational throughout; however interns will follow all policies while on premises.
Phase 2
Phase 2 of our reopening plan will allow our Skill Development Program providers to provide "On-the-lawn" services to our clients. This service will run in addition to our TeleHealth services and provide 1 to 1 service 'On-the-lawn' at our clients’ homes. Under guidance from public health officials, nurses, and other advisors we have created a set of policies and guidelines during these sessions so that we can provide those important essential connections that the farm provides while also maintaining and upholding social distancing needed at this time. After successful integration of 'On-the-lawn' services we will expand this to providing services in local areas wherein our providers and clients can maintain social distancing.
The restructuring plans outlined in Phase 1 of our reopening plan will continue throughout Phase 2. In addition, we will start to plan and implement transferring the opening plans of our arts programs to an online forum. Thereby allowing us to provide all of our arts services; both the free community art space (now Virtual) and paid services that fund our youth art space to a virtual and engaging arts and culture experience. Upon completing this transfer, further information on how to book an art leader and our programs will be provided via social media, our website, and guerilla marketing. Phase 2 will also begin preparation and renovations of the The Production Farm Art Barn; volunteers will be allowed to help with specific guidelines and safety procedures.
Phase 2 will involve the implementation of the Psychotherapy Programs and Department via telehealth, in a limited capacity, offering services primarily to the county through the established CCS Program.
TeleHealth services shall continue during this addition in the service array.
The restructuring plans outlined in Phase 1 of our reopening plan will continue throughout Phase 2. In addition, we will start to plan and implement transferring the opening plans of our arts programs to an online forum. Thereby allowing us to provide all of our arts services; both the free community art space (now Virtual) and paid services that fund our youth art space to a virtual and engaging arts and culture experience. Upon completing this transfer, further information on how to book an art leader and our programs will be provided via social media, our website, and guerilla marketing. Phase 2 will also begin preparation and renovations of the The Production Farm Art Barn; volunteers will be allowed to help with specific guidelines and safety procedures.
Phase 2 will involve the implementation of the Psychotherapy Programs and Department via telehealth, in a limited capacity, offering services primarily to the county through the established CCS Program.
TeleHealth services shall continue during this addition in the service array.
Phase 3
During Phase 3; which will be dependent on public health recommendations, current data and science, and the badger bounce back plan, we will begin letting clients in our skill development program and their providers back into the facility for face to face time on the farm. 1 to 1 sessions will continue to be staggered to account for appropriate social distancing measures. TeleHealth and ‘On-the-lawn’ sessions will continue in the same capacity with the created health policies enacted for each.
