CHCC sets Saipan-wide response to crisis

The Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. has activated its Saipan-wide crisis response in anticipation of a months-long recovery period for the island in the wake of Typhoon Soudelor.

CHCC and several of its response divisions such as the Department of Public Health and Community Guidance Center have set in motion what could be called an islandwide outreach.

However, in order to prioritize residents with serious injuries and medical conditions, the hospital is limiting “social admissions” to only those with oxygen dependency and who use oxygen concentrators that require electricity, and late-term pregnant women. Social admissions are for those that are non-patients but require some medical assistance.

CHCC will be having a mobile clinic that will be deployed today, Aug. 7, beginning at the Kagman High School shelter and will make its way from Kagman to San Vicente and continue to other shelters as time allows.

CGC has assembled a crisis response team through CHCC to develop a mental health outreach plan for the community following the devastating effects of Typhoon Soudelor.

Priority for CGC’s response team is the emergency shelters. They will be deployed to the shelters to share strategies and activities that will promote mental and emotional wellness.

By next Monday, Aug. 10, four team will be going to Tanapag Middle School, Tanapag Head Start, and San Vicente Elementary School. On Tuesday they will visit Koblerville Elementary School and the Office on Aging. On Wednesday they will be at Kagman High School, Chacha Oceanview Junior High School, and the Kagman Community Center and on Thursday they will revisit the Aging office and SVES.

DPH is also informing families that have children enrolled in the Early Intervention Services, Shriners Program, and Newborn Hearing Screening Program, along with the H.O.M.E Visiting and WIC Program, that they will be mobilizing a van to visit families to provide some services and supplies.

DPH’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau is locating families with children with special healthcare needs and will be visiting their homes today, Aug. 7, to provide assistance.

From Aug. 13 to 17, the MCH Bureau and WIC Program will be visiting the following shelters to provide WIC food benefits and other services to clients enrolled in their program.

-Aug. 10: Koberville Elementary and SVES

-Aug. 11: all Kagman shelters;

-Aug. 12: Tanapag Middle School and Head Start

-Aug. 13: Garapan Elementary School

-Aug. 14: Aging Office.