Sacred Heart Mission’s Response to COVID-19
This statement reflects how Sacred Heart Mission is monitoring and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions announced by the Victorian government.
Sacred Heart Mission is following the advice of the Australian and Victorian Government before activating changes to provision of services and operations in response to COVID-19. Modified arrangements are being implemented to make sure we can continue to provide critical services to our clients while maintaining the health and safety of our staff, clients, residents, volunteers and community is paramount.
The Department of Home Affairs also provides essential information about Covid-19 in 63 different languages.
Provision of client services during the COVID-19 pandemic
With appropriate spatial distancing, PPE and other necessary service modifications, our focus is to continue to safely provide critical services as far as practicable, because our clients/residents have been and will continue to be the most impacted by the health and economic impacts of the coronavirus. They include older people, people on low incomes, people with a disability and/or chronic health conditions, and those without a home.
Service modifications have been implemented in different ways across service types and aim to maintain the health and wellbeing of staff and clients.
We will be focusing on critical support to make sure our clients have their needs met and are as prepared as possible in this changing environment.
Donate here to support our most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic:
Engagement Hubs (Dining Hall, Central Services and the Women’s House)
- We are offering our Dining Hall clients a combined breakfast and lunch takeaway. Our meals service has been modified, to reduce the need for vulnerable people to gather as they wait for their meal. This service will occur between 10am-1pm, outside the front gate of our Dining Hall (87 Grey Street, St Kilda).
- Essential outreach, case management, and duty support will occur face-to-face. Current clients receiving case management have been supported with mobile phones.
- We offer clients from the Women’s House takeaway meals from outside the front gate of our Dining Hall on Grey Street. The Women’s House will continue to offer crisis and housing support from 8:30am to 11am Monday to Friday. Open-house access, showers, laundry and the sleep room continue to be closed.
- The Wellness Place has moved services such as our physiotherapy pain clinic and dietetics services onto an eHealth platform with other services being put on hold at this time.
- The Health and Wellbeing group activities have also been placed on hold.
Coronavirus (Covid-19) – Frequently Asked Questions
Our accommodation, in home, outreach, meals and homelessness services are essential services. With appropriate spatial distancing, PPE and other necessary service modifications, our focus is to continue to safely provide critical services as far as practicable, because our clients will be the most impacted by the health and economic impacts of the coronavirus. They include older people, people on low incomes, people with a disability and those without a home.
Service modifications have been implemented in different ways across service types and aim to maintain the health and wellbeing of staff and clients.
We will be focusing on critical support to make sure our clients have their needs met and are as prepared as possible in this changing environment.
Yes, all our staff and volunteers are fully vaccinated.
Sacred Heart Mission has introduced a policy of mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for all staff, volunteers, and contractors within our organisation. This decision aligns with the Victorian Government’s Public Health Orders requiring all residential aged care workers and authorised workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and Sacred Heart Mission has taken a policy position to extend this to all staff, volunteers, and contractors.
We take our responsibility to protect the health of our vulnerable clients, customers, the communities we serve and our staff and volunteers seriously, and this policy signals our contribution as a community services leader to the overall effort to address COVID-19.
Unfortunately, our showers and laundry service at 87 Grey Street and at the Women’s House are closed.
Our Dining Hall remains closed for sit-down dining until further notice. In the meantime, we’ll be offering one, free take-away meal a day that combines breakfast and lunch to our Dining Hall clients. The meals will be served over three hours, from 10am until 1pm, outside the front gate of our Dining Hall (87 Grey St, St Kilda).
We currently don’t offer meals at the Women’s House; all Women’s House clients are welcome to pick up a free meal from outside our front gate of our Dining Hall during those times.
Unfortunately, no. The laundries at 87 Grey St, St Kilda and at the Women’s House will be closed until further notice.
Orange Sky provides a mobile washing service. Check their website for up-to-date information.
Our Pathways Workers are available everyday from 10am to 1pm to provide advocacy, referral and support. To talk to us, drop by at 87 Grey Street, St Kilda 3182. Everyone is welcome!
If you are permitted to work or visit a Sacred Heart Mission site you may need to sign in using a QR code when you come in and leave. This does not include clients. We’re required to collect logs of all workers, subcontractors, volunteers and clients attending the work premises for 15 minutes or longer, according to the COVID-Safe Plan and work permits. We may need you to log your check-in and check-out times and areas visited.
Face masks may need to be worn indoors and outdoors in accordance with Victoria’s current Covid-19 restrictions.
Yes, we have a Covid Safe Plan outlining how we’re providing a safe work environment for our staff, clients and volunteers and minimises the chances of them contracting coronavirus on our site. Our staff and volunteers have also signed a Covid Safe Code of Conduct, ensuring they understand their responsibilities in the workplace.
We have postponed our Health and Wellbeing activities until further notice. One of our Social Workers is available to provide individual support and outreach via phone.
We have moved services such as our physiotherapy, pain clinic and dietetics services onto an eHealth platform with other services being put on hold at this time.
The Women’s House continues to provide crisis and housing support from 8:30am to 11am Monday to Friday. Open-house access, showers, laundry and the sleep room continue to be closed.
We offer clients from the Women’s House takeaway meals from outside the front gate of our Dining Hall on 87 Grey Street.
Our aged care residents have received the COVID-19 vaccine and booster.
Sacred Heart Mission, along with our disability, housing and homelessness partners are advocating for appropriate and tailored responses for all vulnerable people in the community to ensure access to the COVID-19 vaccines.
The COVID-19 vaccine is free, and we are highly recommending everyone receive it to protect the community from the virus. More information about the vaccine can be found on the Department of Health and Human Services vaccine website.
Our Dining Hall remains closed for sit-down dining until further notice. This is in keeping with most homelessness meals services throughout Melbourne and in line with Victorian COVID safe requirements. It offers the safest possible service to our community. You can find further information about our temporary Dining Hall closure here.
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to get notified when our Dining Hall reopens.
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