PHE and Residential: The Data Story
Covid-19 was deadlier for those with IDD. Many live in congregate settings or receive care from people who must maintain close physical contact. Many are frail to begin with, with a high risk of underlying health conditions, particularly respiratory problems. These everyday realities were compounded by innumerable challenges from helping individuals understand what was going on to the scarcity of PPE.
The Covid-19 Public Health Emergency has come to an end.
During this 3-year period and at great personal risk, front line workers and numerous others stepped forward to work in and for our group homes and supervised apartments. And they made a difference. Based on information provided in the NJDHS DDD COVID-19 Dashboard and data on the total numbers of people served in NJ’s congregate settings, ABCD calculates that while the fatality rate for individuals with developmental disabilities was not less than 8.8% in nursing facilities and specialized hospitals[1] and 4% in NJ’s developmental centers, it never rose above 1.69% in DDD licensed group homes and supervised apartments.
We mourn those we have lost to Covid. We are grateful for those with us today. We humbly thank all workers who risked their lives and did everything they could to keep people safe, healthy, and alive. As Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Seifried recently stated, “The community providers kept everything going.”
[1] While data was required from DDD licensed facilities/institutions, it was reported voluntarily for IDD not under DDD service such as nursing homes, specialized hospitals, or similar settings.
