Governors Encourage Everyone to Make a Plan and Get Vaccinated
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food assistance recipients will see additional benefits
Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 21, 2021 CONTACT: Bob Wheaton, 517-241-2112, wheatonb@ Gov. Whitmer, MDHHS announce food assistance recipients will see additional benefits by end of January Fifteen percent increase in payments will help families cope with pandemic LANSING, Mich. – The more than 1.2 million people in Michigan who are eligible for food assistance benefits will receive an additional payment by the end of January that raises their monthly amount by 15% to help families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 15% increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits is for six months, ending in June. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) advocated for the increase led by U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and were pleased to see it ultimately included in the recently passed Congressional relief bill. “No Michigander should worry about how they’ll put food on the table for themselves and their family, especially during a pandemic,” said Gov. Whitmer. “COVID-19 is still a very real threat to our state, and we must continue providing crucial support to families that need it most. “I want to thank Sen. Stabenow for her leadership in securing this important increase and for her tireless efforts to expand access to food assistance, which has brought relief to so many Michiganders in need throughout this pandemic.” Michigan food assistance recipients will see the 15% increase added to their Bridge Cards by the end of January that are in addition to benefits they received earlier in the month. Food assistance increases by $102 per month for a household of four, which will now receive $782 per month. In subsequent months, the 15% increase will be added to Bridge Cards from Jan. 20-30. “Helping families put food on the table is our job,” said MDHHS Director Robert Gordon. “We’re glad we can provide more food assistance to Michiganders who are in need as a result of COVID-19.” Whitmer and MDHHS also are announcing continuation in January of an initiative that provides additional food assistance to 350,000 Michigan families as a response to the pandemic. Through the initiative, anyone receiving food assistance who doesn’t already qualify for the maximum monthly benefits will see their payment raised to the maximum monthly amount for their household size. Eligible clients will see these additional food assistance benefits on their Bridge Card by Jan. 30, with payments beginning for some households on Jan. 20. Anyone who receives both this payment and the 15 percent increase will receive them on the same day. Below are the new maximum allowable benefits for SNAP customers based on their respective household size for January through June:
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 by calling a customer 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, 7 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 |
Gov. Whitmer: President Biden’s Strong Administrative Actions will Save Lives
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 20, 2021 Media Contact: [email protected]
Gov. Whitmer and Lt. Gov. Gilchrist: President Biden’s Strong Administrative Actions will Save Lives, Create a More Equitable America
LANSING, Mich. — Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II released the following statements after President Biden took bold administrative action on his first day in office to implement a national strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic, fight climate change, and advance racial equity:
“On his first day in office, President Biden has made it clear that he is committed to ending the COVID-19 pandemic once and for all and building a stronger, more sustainable nation for future generations,” said Governor Whitmer. “President Biden’s action to urge Americans everywhere to do their part and mask up and launch a coordinated national response to the pandemic will undoubtedly save lives and put us on track to defeat our common enemy: COVID-19. And President Biden knows that the health of our people is inextricably linked with the health of our climate. His swift action to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement and combat climate change will ensure a safer planet for our kids, grandkids, and generations to come. President Biden’s message is clear: we must all join forces to end the pandemic, save lives, and build back our country better. Let’s get to work.”
“President Joe Biden is making good on his promise to be a president for all Americans, not just in title, but by his words and his actions,” Lt. Governor Gilchrist said. “By taking strong action to provide the relief that so many people need in this moment, we can keep alive the hopes and dreams of so many during these difficult times. I applaud President Joe Biden for immediately extending the eviction and foreclosure moratorium to keep families in their homes; expanding the student loan pause to give individuals the financial freedom to get on their feet; and following through on his promise to root out systemic racism, lift the Muslim travel ban, and make America a more welcoming place. Through his leadership and executive actions, Americans can rest assured that they will no longer be forced to face our generation’s greatest challenges alone. As President Joe Biden said, we will get through this together.”
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$39M in Going PRO Talent Fund grants awarded
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MDHHS launches campaign to inform Michiganders about COVID-19 vaccine
MDHHS launches paid media campaign to inform Michiganders about safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 19, 2021
Contact: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112
LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has launched a statewide paid media campaign to inform Michiganders about the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine in response to research about attitudes toward the vaccine and to address vaccine hesitancy among Michigan residents.
“We want all Michiganders to get the facts about this safe and effective vaccine and the steps that were taken to develop it,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health. “I am grateful and proud to have gotten both doses of my vaccine and I urge Michiganders to make and plan and get vaccinated when it is their turn. This is the way forward out of the pandemic and our chance to return to a sense of normalcy.”
MDHHS is committed to accelerating vaccine delivery as we work to reach our goal of vaccinating 70% of Michiganders over age 16 as quickly as possible with the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccine is currently available to health care workers, long-term care residents and staff, Michiganders over age 65, preK-12, day care staff and other essential frontline workers.
The $1.5 million campaign was developed after conducting a statewide survey and six focus groups among key target audiences. It includes television, connected TV, radio, streaming audio, YouTube, search, print in minority publications, social media and digital media.
Digital ads with specific messaging and targeting parameters were also developed to connect with our vaccine hesitant segments.
According to research, 66% of Michiganders are likely or very likely to get the COVID-19 vaccine and 34% would like to get it as soon as possible. However, there are disparities when it comes to who is likely to get the vaccine with 47% of white Michiganders very likely to get the vaccine versus 25% of black Michiganders.
Top reasons for not getting the vaccine as soon as possible include concerns about side effects (67%); not wanting to feel like a test subject (66%); needing to know more about its safety (65%); wanting to learn more about how the vaccine performs over time (62%); needing to know more about its effectiveness (61%); and concerns about politicians pushing out the vaccine before it’s safe (58%).
Khaldun encourages Michiganders wanting to know more about the COVID-19 vaccine to visit Michigan.gov/COVIDVaccine. As new information is learned, it will be posted to this website.
Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
21 shipments of COVID-19 vaccine impacted due to temperature
21 shipments of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine impacted due to temperature issues during shipment by distributor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 19, 2021
Contact: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112
LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has been notified by McKesson that several shipments of Moderna vaccine shipped on Sunday, Jan. 17, had their temperature reported as going out of range and getting too cold. The cause of this is under investigation by McKesson.
Each vaccine shipment is equipped with a temperature monitoring device used to monitor the vaccine temperature while in transport. McKesson is working quickly to repack additional vaccine to ship out as replacement doses for those that may be compromised and the majority of the 21 shipments were resent on Monday night with the rest being sent Tuesday. An additional six shipments were held back to check that there were no issues with the vaccine which may delay scheduled vaccinations at those six vaccine provider sites.
“We are committed to accelerating vaccine delivery as we work to reach our goal of vaccinating 70% of Michiganders over age 16 as quickly as possible with the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health. “Although it is unfortunate that this vaccine will not be able to be used, we are pleased that the safeguards put into place to ensure the integrity of the vaccine worked. This is the first report of vaccine potentially being compromised during shipment in Michigan and we are working quickly with the distributor to have replacement vaccine shipped out.”
Vaccines are shipped to vaccine providers across the state by the manufacturers and distributors. No vaccine is shipped or distributed by MDHHS.
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.