The Crotched Mountain School in Greenfield is battling an outbreak of COVID-19 on its campus that has killed one resident and infected five others. The facility, which offers residential and day programs for people living with disabilities, says the outbreak is traced to a group home on its campus.
So far, three residents and three staff members have tested positive.
The resident who died on March 29 was a 46-year old male with significant disabilities and a history of respiratory problems, according to the school.
“The Crotched Mountain family mourns the loss of one of our residents,” said Ned Olney, president and CEO of Crotched Mountain Foundation in a statement. “As an individual with a challenging medical profile he was particularly susceptible to the insidiousness of this virus. Together we grieve and remain vigilant to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”
State health officials are working with the facility as it implements a quarantine on the residence hall.
Visitation is currently prohibited, and meals are being served in rooms, rather than the cafeteria. It isn’t clear why the Department of Health and Human Service’s town-by-town map of coronavirus cases shows zero for Greenfield.
Crotched Mountain says it is facing a dwindling supply of personal protective equipment, and is requesting donations from the public.
The picturesque mountain-top school opened in 1953. It currently serves 66 residents on its campus, and employs approximately 200 people.
In 2017, Crotched Mountain shuttered its medical facility citing financial strain.
