Savin Rock Communities (formerly West Haven Housing Authority) announced last week COVID 19 testing its residents has started at Surfside Apartments.
Savin Rock Communities houses approximately 1000 residents in seven developments across the City. Of that population, approximately 60% are seniors and/or disabled residents potentially at higher risk if they contract COVID.
Surfside is Savin Rock Communities’ largest housing complex. Testing for other Savin Rock Communities sites will be scheduled immediately following Thursday’s kickoff.
“On behalf of the Board, staff and residents of SRC we would like to thank State Rep. Dorinda Borer for responding to the need and connecting Savin Rock Communities with several state authorized testing providers,” said John Counter, Housing Authority Director.
Borer, a member of the legislature’s Public Health Committee, helped to spearhead the initiative to ensure West Haven would be a pilot city for the statewide mobile program. “Our Housing authority buildings are home to many seniors and lower income families who have health complications, aides that travel in and out of the building and limited transportation. Bringing mobile units to these sites supports the critical heath care need of over 1,000 at-risk residents and is a mitigator to the overall spread within our city,” she said.
Counter noted that the collaboration with The Cornell Scott Hill-Health Center will be at no charge to residents.
Cornell Scott Hill Health Center is a comprehensive, compassionate community healthcare provider which has been serving the Greater New Haven community since 1968. CSHH has 20 care sites in the area and treats 36,000 patients per year with a focus on under-served communities.
“We are so appreciative of working with CSHH, an organization with an established footprint in WH, which now continues to serve our community by providing this much needed testing to our at-risk Senior and disabled residents,” said Counter. “CSHH mobilized and coordinated this effort with SRC in less than 10 days. We are fortunate to have them working in our community.”
Throughout the COVID crisis, SRC has collaborating with the mayor’s office, nonprofits and community organizations to respond to residents’ needs. The mayor’s office and team have provided multiple food drops to our residents, has assisted with acquiring essential PPE and access to providers for masks, gloves and sanitizers.
Testing will be for symptomatic and asymptomatic residents and will be coordinated with the residents.