Joneigh Khaldun named to Biden-Harris COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force

by Becky Andrus | Feb 11, 2021 | Regional News

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 10, 2021

CONTACT: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112, SutfinL1@michigan.gov

MDHHS’ Dr. Joneigh Khaldun named to
Biden-Harris COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force

LANSING, Mich. – Today, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris announced non-federal members of the Biden-Harris COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, including Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

“We are so proud that Dr. J is joining this national task force,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “She’s an extraordinary public servant who has helped our state navigate the pandemic through her confident leadership and unparalleled expertise. Michiganders are grateful for everything she has and continues to do for us, and we know that the Biden Administration is lucky to have her on board.”

“I am honored to be part of the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force and to play a part in helping address inequities as they relate to the COVID-19 pandemic, said Khaldun. “The virus has had a disproportionate impact on our most vulnerable communities, including communities of color. I look forward to making contributions as part of this task force that will ensure that future pandemic responses do not ignore or exacerbate health inequities.”

Khaldun has been the lead strategist advising the state’s COVID-19 response and has held former roles leading work to address disparities as Detroit’s health director and the chief medical officer of Baltimore.

Other members include:

Mayra Alvarezof San Diego, CA
James Hildrethof Nashville, TN
Andrew Imparatoof Sacramento, CA
Victor Josephof Tanana, AK
Octavio Martinezof New Braunfels, TX
Tim Putnamof Batesville, IN
Vincent Toranzoof Pembroke Pines, FL
Mary Turnerof Plymouth, MN
Homer Ventersof Port Washington, NY
Bobby Wattsof Goodlettsville, TN
Haeyoung Yoonof New York, NY

The 12 task force members represent a diversity of backgrounds and expertise, a range of racial and ethnic groups, and a number of important populations, including: children and youth; educators and students; health care providers, immigrants; individuals with disabilities; LGBTQ+ individuals; public health experts; rural communities; state, local, territorial and Tribal governments; and unions.

The Task Force is charged with issuing a range of recommendations to help inform the COVID-19 response and recovery. This includes recommendations on equitable allocation of COVID-19 resources and relief funds, effective outreach and communication to underserved and minority populations and improving cultural proficiency within the Federal Government.

Additional recommendations include efforts to improve data collection and use, as well as a long-term plan to address data shortfalls regarding communities of color and other underserved populations. The Task Force’s work will conclude after issuing a final report to the COVID-19 Response Coordinator describing the drivers of observed COVID-19 inequities, the potential for ongoing disparities faced by COVID-19 survivors, and actions to ensure that future pandemic responses do not ignore or exacerbate health inequities.

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit Michigan.gov/COVIDVaccine.

Gov. Whitmer’s 2022 budget

by Becky Andrus | Feb 11, 2021 | Regional News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 11, 2021

Contact: [email protected]

Kurt Weiss, [email protected]

Gov. Whitmer’s 2022 budget gets Michigan back to work and supports our schools

Budget plan will equitably grow the economy, expand skills training, provide child care for families, rebuild infrastructure, and help small businesses 

LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s third executive budget was released today, centered on equitably growing the state’s economy by expanding skills training and childcare for families, providing a further down payment on rebuilding the state’s crumbling bridges and water infrastructure, and helping small businesses recover from the pandemic. State Budget Director David Massaron outlined the recommendations this morning to a joint session of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.

The budget recommendation provides investments that will foster the success of Michigan students and teachers, improve the state’s infrastructure, address the public health crisis, protect our Great Lakes, and provide help and opportunity for families and businesses.

Today’s Executive Budget Recommendation follows a recent supplemental budget request for the current fiscal year that was sent to the Legislature on January 20, which would provide $5.6 billion in new funding for Michigan’s recovery from the pandemic. That supplemental request still requires action by the Legislature to ensure the full benefits of Gov. Whitmer’s Michigan COVID Recovery Plan are realized. It is a plan that is instrumental to the Governor’s broader economic vision to help businesses and families across the state recover as quickly as possible.

“To build Michigan’s economy back better, we must stay laser-focused on getting Michigan back to work and getting our kids back in school safely,” said Gov. Whitmer. “The budget plan I released today along with the MI COVID Recovery plan I announced last month makes the investments we need to jumpstart our economy and build a better Michigan for everyone. I am committed to working across the aisle with the legislature to ensure that we don’t waste a dime of the federal aid we have received thus far, so we can help Michigan families and small businesses get back on their feet. Let’s get to work and let’s get it done.”

“The Governor’s budget plan provides needed investments in our roads and bridges, our economy and our schools,” said State Budget Director David Massaron. “I believe this is a plan that reflects the shared values that all Michiganders support, and I look forward to working with the legislature over the next few months to ensure we finalize a budget that works for Michigan.”

The budget recommendation totals $67.1 billion and it includes a general fund total of $11.4 billion and a school aid fund total of $14.7 billion. It provides a significant amount of one-time funding made possible by the increase in federal aid and the effective job Michigan has done in managing the pandemic. The recommendation is built with an eye toward the future to ensure that the fiscal year 2023 budget is balanced as well.

Budget Recommendations for Children and Public Education

The budget recommendation calls for the largest investment in K-12 schools in history, including:

$203 million to increase base per-pupil funding to $8,275 for districts at the minimum ($164 per-pupil increase) and $8,611 for districts at the maximum ($82 per-pupil increase), reducing the gap between the highest and lowest funded districts to $336 per pupil.
An increase of 2 percent totaling $14.1 million for economically disadvantaged students, English language learners, special education students, and students in rural and isolated districts.

$250 million in one-time supplemental funding to implement research-based best practices to support student academic recovery, physical and mental health, and post-secondary readiness and transition.
$200 million one-time for declining enrollment to stabilize budgets for districts experiencing losses in fiscal year 2022.
$120 million total to provide opportunities in 2021 and 2022 for students through summer learning, after school learning, day camps, and other activities designed to support student needs outside of the normal school schedule.

Funding for the Education Emergency Relief Fund intended to help mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on students for use in public schools ($38.9 million) and nonpublic schools ($86.8 million).

$32 million for the Great Start Readiness Program, raising the state payment for a full-day preschooler from $7,250 to $8,275, which is the same as the proposed K-12 base foundation allowance, for 38,000 4-year-olds statewide.
$55 million for the Filters First program to begin statewide implementation of drinking water fixture replacements in schools to ensure that children have access to clean, safe drinking water.
$2.9 million to address the educator shortage and provide more supports for current teachers as well as incentives to recruit former and future educators.
A one-time increase for universities and community colleges equal to 2 percent of operations funding and an additional $70 million in one-time support upon adoption of policies related to COVID-19 testing, quarantining, and contact tracing.

“The cost and availability of high-quality childcare is a barrier to many working families and a real concern for employers across Michigan,” said Sean Welsh, PNC regional president and Talent 2025 Board co-chair. “The governor’s childcare priorities will allow more families to qualify for childcare assistance, help childcare providers keep their doors open, and allow more Michiganders to return to or remain in the workforce.”

“The pandemic has highlighted both the importance of schools to our society and our pre-existing struggles to meet students’ needs. After the experiences of the last school year, it is important that we provide safe and flexible learning opportunities that do not simply return us to pre-pandemic standards, but close the opportunity gap for learners across the state. Governor Whitmer’s budget recommendation represents much needed materials, resources, programs, infrastructure, and personnel that will empower educators to meet the diverse needs of Michigan learners,” said Michigan Teacher of the Year, Owen Bondono.

Budget Recommendations for Economic Opportunity

The budget recommendation calls for funding centered on economic recovery and opportunity, including:

$370 million for the expansion of childcare options providing additional supports for Michigan families by temporarily increasing the income eligibility threshold from 150% to 200% and temporarily waiving out-of-pocket copays through fiscal year 2022, with a 10 percent increase in hourly rates for child-care providers.

$120 million one-time for the Reconnect program to provide a tuition-free

…

Additional food assistance for 350,000 Michigan families

by Becky Andrus | Feb 11, 2021 | Regional News

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 11, 2021

CONTACT: Bob Wheaton, 517-241-2112, wheatonb@michigan.gov

Additional food assistance for 350,000 Michigan families in response to COVID-19 extended through February

LANSING, Mich. – Approximately 350,000 Michigan families will continue to have access to additional food assistance benefits during February as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced today.

Michigan previously approved the additional food assistance beginning in March 2020 – and now that is being extended for February 2021 with approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service.

“As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact virtually every aspect of our lives, the last thing Michigan families should have to worry about is being able to afford their groceries each week,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “Michiganders deserve to have peace of mind in knowing resources are available to help them during this time, which is why I’m grateful we can continue providing this vital support for families throughout the state.”

Eligible clients will see additional food assistance benefits on their Bridge Card by Feb. 28, with payments beginning for some households on Feb. 18. Additional benefits will be loaded onto Bridge Cards as a separate payment from the assistance that is provided earlier in the month.

“Extending these food assistance benefits is part of the department’s continuing efforts to help Michiganders put food on the table during the pandemic,” said MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel. “We will continue to work with our partners in the federal government to provide easy access to nutritious food.”

More than 1.2 million people in Michigan receive federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits through the state’s Food Assistance Program.

Households eligible for Food Assistance Program benefits will receive additional benefits in February to bring all current SNAP cases to the maximum monthly allowance for that group size. This change only applies to customers not currently receiving the maximum benefit amount. The 350,000 households that receive increased benefits represent greater than 50 percent of the more than 690,000 Michigan households that received food assistance in September. The remaining households already receive the maximum benefit.

Below are the maximum allowable benefits for SNAP customers based on their respective household size:

One Person: $234
Two Persons: $430
Three Persons: $616
Four Persons: $782
Five Persons: $929
Six Persons: $1,114
Seven Persons: $1,232
Eight Persons: $1,408

The federal government is providing additional funding to states for food assistance under House Resolution 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

Eligible families do not need to re-apply to receive the additional benefits. People who receive food assistance can check their benefits balance on their Michigan Bridge Card by going online to www.michigan.gov/MIBridges or calling a consumer service representative toll-free at 888-678-8914. They can ask questions about the additional benefits by calling or emailing their caseworker.

Customer service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Spanish and Arabic service is available. If you are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing or speech-impaired, call the Michigan Relay Center at 7-1-1.

Information around the COVID-19 outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

County Contracts With Software Company To Streamline COVID-19 Contac

by Becky Andrus | Feb 10, 2021 | Regional News

County Contracts With Software Company To Streamline COVID-19 Contact Tracing For Restaurants And Schools

Pontiac, Michigan – Oakland County is providing free user-friendly screening software to local restaurants and public schools in the county to help enhance safety protocols and streamline the process of screening and tracking for COVID-19.

The county’s Department of Economic Development has contracted with Rochester-based software developer Clear To Go! for its software and app that helps ensure anyone who enters a building is healthy and adheres to current health protocols. The county is paying between $500,000-$750,000 for the cost of the software using federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding passed at the end of 2020. The contract runs through June.

“One of the challenges for restaurants, schools and businesses is screening clients, students or employees and then keeping track of the all the data,” County Executive David Coulter said. “This software allows our schools, businesses and restaurants to stay safe, run more efficiently and be less intrusive for everyone.”

Scott Garretson, co-founder and chief executive officer of the company, said Clear To Go! has performed over 1.5 million screenings and helped clients manage over 15,000 cases. This includes screening apps for employees, case management for human resources and a visitor management system. Its software is in use in several local communities and Lake Orion Schools.

“Clear To Go! provides a simple solution to help organizations of all sizes streamline daily health screening, tracking who was onsite for tracing, and manage cases/quarantines to know when it is safe for them to return onsite,” Garretson said. “The biggest time saving our clients experience is with our case management solution. Managing quarantines and failed screenings to know when a person can return onsite can be very time consuming. We help our clients prioritize cases and allow end users to share additional information with their open case directly to save time.”

According to a published description of the process, employees, guests or students who enter a location are screened with the Clear To Go! iOS, Android or SMS app using a configurable set of key COVID-19 health-related questions and optional temperature check.

Once the individual is cleared, the information then is linked to a Clear To Go! badge allowing that person to work onsite until the next required screening period.

If an employee or guest fails the screening, Clear To Go!’s case management tool provides early warning detection and a central point to ensure an employer’s established processes and protocols are followed, and then tracks all documents and communications from a human resources perspective.

ONTV exceeds its $5,000 goal for FISH

by Becky Andrus | Feb 10, 2021 | Local News

ONTV exceeds its $5,000 goal for FISH

Orion Neighborhood Television hosted its 11^th annual food drive the week of Feb. 1st. The virtual 5 day drive exceeded its goal and raised $5,325 for the Oxford/Orion FISH Food Pantry. ONTV also accepted non-perishable food items during the week. ONTV was able to drop off a van full of food to FISH at the end of the week, thanks to the community’s generosity.

ONTV cannot thank the community enough for its continued support. A special thank you to our volunteers who hosted throughout the week: Stacy Calloway, Peggy Barry Bartz and Sammy Taormina. Another thank you goes out to Randy Gower from FISH, Roger Smith for Lake Orion High School and musical guest George Sinnott.

If you missed the food drive but would still like to make a donation to FISH, visit their website at OxfordOrionFISH.org. Oxford/Orion FISH provides emergency aid in the form of food and agency referrals to individuals in Oxford, Lake Orion, Addison and Oakland Township. People who have a need for groceries can call the office at 248.628.3933.