HEALTH & SAFETY POLICY

HEALTH (for in-person lessons)

• Wash hands before and after contact with students 
• Wear clean and washable clothing
• Wash and clean items handled by students before passing along to others
• Provide clean and new (if possible) supplies for your lessons and workshops
• CANCEL if you have symptoms of a cold or are feeling ill

SAFETY

• DO NOT let children use sharp objects without supervision
• Avoid physical contact when possible. Fist bumps are highly encouraged. If kids initiative hugs, it’s appropriate to respond with a soft side hug 
• DO NOT adjust medical equipment or attend to medical needs, even if the student asks you to do so.  Always, ask a parent/guardian or child life specialist to attend to any needs
• DO NOT give a child anything to eat or drink unless CoachArt has given prior approval.  Some children may have dietary restrictions or allergies to some foods
• DO NOT start a lesson without a parent or guardian over the age of 18 present. Remember a parent or guardian MUST be present in the home or hospital playroom. If this is not the case, try contacting the parent or supervisor to determine if you should wait until someone arrives or call back later to reschedule. Notify CoachArt if this ever occurs
• Never use alcohol, drugs or carry weapons while volunteering.
• Report any instances of neglect or abuse.

HEALTH EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

EMERGENCIES AT IN-HOME LESSONS

In the unlikely event of an emergency with the child, do not attempt to touch the child; you may put both yourself and the child at risk. Remain calm and reassure others in the room that everything will be all right. Notify family members immediately and call 911 if needed. Seeing a child having medical difficulties can be upsetting to you or other children, so remaining calm and composed is important. Let the parent or guardian attend to the child until medical personnel arrive.

EMERGENCIES AT COMMUNITY-BASED SITES

Confidential medical emergency forms are completed for each child in attendance at a Program Partner. A sealed copy remains in a secured location on-site and is shredded after each teaching session. It includes the most up-to-date relevant medical information to enable emergency medical teams to make sound decisions.

CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY

Children and families have a legal right to expect that their personal information will be kept confidential. Unlawful use or disclosure of information may expose CoachArt to civil and criminal liability.

The Law of Privacy Reads:
Certain relationships are by law confidential and information about them may not be disclosed. Among these are lawyer and client, clergyman and congregation, patient and medical facility. It is not just immoral and unethical to disclose information concerning patients it is also illegal. Any breach of the patients’ right to privacy is cause for immediate dismissal.

CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY POLICY

• DO NOT take pictures or videos or tape-record children without permission from the child’s parent/legal guardian. Any published materials must be cleared through CoachArt and consented to by all parties.
• DO NOT discuss a child’s diagnosis, condition, or family information with anyone other than appropriate CoachArt staff and only in private spaces.
• All issues of concern will be shared only with appropriate CoachArt staff.
• CoachArt will provide volunteers with medical information about a child on a “need to know” basis, such as when the child’s physical limitations may influence their participation in a lesson.
• Respect the privacy of children and their families regarding personal belongings.
• CoachArt volunteers MUST understand that a family’s life style, living quarters, or decision-making can be very different from their own. If you have specific concerns about the family with which you are working, please bring them to the attention of a CoachArt staff member.

HIPAA: HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 1996

The HIPAA Privacy Rule provides federal protections for personal health information held by covered entities and gives patients an array of rights with respect to that information. At the same time, the Privacy Rule is balanced so that it permits the disclosure of personal health information needed for patient care and other important purposes. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

Confidential topics:

• Name
• Diagnosis
• Address
• Phone number
• Financial information
• Family relationships

If you learn that someone is hurting himself or herself or others, report it to a parent/legal guardian or CoachArt staff immediately!

PROGRAM POLICIES

CoachArt creates environments that are fun, safe and healthy for our students. CoachArt does not discriminate based on a volunteer or family’s race, color, sex, age, sexual identity, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, veteran or marital status, disability, or any other protected characteristic. We ask our volunteers and partners to work with us in abiding by these policies to ensure a well-balanced, respectful and positive community.

BOUNDARIES

• DO NOT see your student and family outside of your designated lesson time. This can blur boundaries between teacher and student and confuse the student about expectations. You should always maintain a professional relationship.
  • To maintain professional boundaries and not confuse your student about your role as a volunteer, it’s important to stick to the designated activity time set between you and your student confirmed by a CoachArt staff member. Any time you do see your student outside of these parameters, you will not be representing CoachArt.
  • Exception: Field trips. If interested in taking your student on an outing in the community, you must receive CoachArt approval and discuss with the parent/guardian their attendance. CoachArt may or may not cover the costs of outside field trips. Remember, a parent/guardian must accompany you and your student and you must meet them at the field trip site.
• DO NOT hold lessons behind closed doors. Always hold lessons within eye- and ear-shot of a supervising adult.
• DO NOT tend to the medical or disciplinary needs of students. Parents and/or healthcare personnel should discipline and take care of all medical needs.
• DO NOT drive students in your car. CoachArt can arrange for appropriate transportation. CoachArt is not responsible for children being transported in your vehicle.
• DO NOT take sides or make judgments concerning family conflicts or decisions. CoachArt families come from different backgrounds and cultures with varying child-rearing techniques and lifestyles.
• DO NOT share your religious, political, or social beliefs with students or their families.
• DO NOT give personal gifts. This includes clothes, money, toys, or food. This may confuse the child or family as to your role.
  • During the holidays, families often want to share gifts with the volunteers who have helped them and the volunteers want to exchange in turn. Should this occur, please keep the gifts as modest tokens -– a poem, a framed photograph of the student doing their lesson, or a handmade gift is appropriate. Remember, many of our families are from modest means and lavish gifts might offend them.

COMMUNICATION

• CoachArt volunteers MUST be responsive to staff communication. If we do not hear from you after three attempts to contact you, we will deactivate your account. You may reach out to us at any time to re-activate your participation.
• Contact CoachArt if you are having trouble communicating with your family or issues arise.
• Be on time or give reasonable notice of cancellations, especially if I am sick.
• Represent CoachArt with professionalism and respect in the community.
• Never use abusive, obscene, or discriminatory language and behavior.
• Never engage in direct personal attack or harassment (visual, verbal, or physical) on another person.
• Never discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, social/economic class, household practices.
• Refrain from expressing personal opinions about potentially sensitive matters (such as religious beliefs, parenting styles, and lifestyle choices) while representing CoachArt.
• Only request to work with a CoachArt student when you are ready to follow through with the entire commitment.

PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE

If CoachArt becomes aware that you did not follow the policies/procedures listed above, immediate dismissal from CoachArt’s volunteer program may occur. In some situations, a formal warning may be issued first. If a second incident occurs, you will be immediately dismissed from CoachArt’s volunteer program.