Department of Public Health Changes, COVID-19, Census News
May 13, 2020Some good news here...
Connecticut Receives Its Largest Shipment of PPE to Date
From Governor Ned Lamont's press release:
The equipment, which came from suppliers in China, has been delivered over the last couple of days to the state’s commodities warehouse in New Britain. It includes:
- 6 million surgical masks;
- 500,000 protective masks;
- 100,000 surgical gowns; and
- 100,000 temporal thermometers.
You can read the full release here but despite the great news and great work from our state purchasing team, we are far from being out of the woods.
There are many hotspots requiring proper and sufficient quantities of PPEs like gowns and gloves and kn95 or N95 masks for healthcare facilities like Child Care, Group Homes, Nursing Homes and of course we hope that the surgical masks will end going to the most vulnerable in our communities as well as to service workers (example: highway rest stop workers, security guards etc.).
We also need to continue increasing the positive testing followed by antibodies testing for all the patients and workers but also for the general public should they want to, without the need of an Rx.
The re-opening of the state would seem quite gloom if the healthcare workers and the general public cannot get equipped properly.
Here is the link to an effort to help getting PPEs to the hotspots of our state, thanks to the help from United Way of Coastal Fairfield and from the SEIU CT State Council!
Judicial Branch Operations Update
Here is an update in additional changes made to continue minimizing the time individuals need to physically be in court.
The Supreme Court began hearing cases remotely on Monday, April 27
CT Domestic Violence Service Snapshot During COVID-19
Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) and our 18 member organizations have been working hard throughout COVID-19 to provide flexible services that meet the everchanging needs of victims during this public health crisis.
While services provided by our 18 member organizations and CT Safe Connect, the state’s domestic violence resource hub, have been remote since mid-March, all services remain available 24/7 via call, text, chat and email.
We wanted to provide you with a brief update and snapshot of Connecticut’s domestic violence response system during COVID-19. This includes the needs of victims when they contact us for help. We know that this period of social distancing presents increased opportunities for domestic violence.
We have seen an increased number of victims reach out who have never before contacted our service system. We have also seen that COVID-19 is having an impact on the ability of victims to access basic needs, which can certainly exacerbate an already abusive relationship.
A brief review of statewide service data shows that…
- Contact to Safe Connect, Connecticut’s centralized domestic violence resource hub, has been increasing week-over-week since the state’s stay-at-home order went into effect.
- 66% of the individuals who contacted Safe Connect during March and April had never previously reached out for services from either Safe Connect or one of our 18 member organizations.
- Calls to and from our 18 member organizations have increased 20%.
- Our 18 member organizations have been proactively outreaching to existing clients to ensure that they have what they need to be safe.
- Approximately 50% of callers express concerns related to COVID-19, including access to basic needs, rent/mortgage payments, food insecurity, and emotional/mental well-being.
- Our 18 member organizations have spent substantially more money over the past two months providing financial assistance to victims and survivors so that they can access basic needs.
- Shelter protocols have shifted to ensure adherence to social distancing guidelines, this has included increased utilization of hoteling victims and survivors.
- This means that our 18 member organizations have the full expense of operating their shelter, coupled with spending more on hotel costs.
- Safe Connect and our 18 member organizations assisted with the filing and service of process of 46% of temporary restraining order applications filed in April.
- Overall, total restraining order applications are down compared to this same time period in 2019.
Over half of the US has responded to the 2020 Census!
Hi there Fairfield County neighbors! Yvette here from the Census Community Engagement Team. We recently reached an important milestone. More than half of the nation’s households have responded to the 2020 Census. That represents more than 74 million households nationwide. This is a great achievement and we thank you for that. If you haven’t responded already, please do so online today here.
Long Term Care Ombudsman Program News
The Connecticut Long Term Care Ombudsman Program will be hosting regular live interactive discussion on FB live. Please joins Mairead Painter every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 5:30pm to review the current state of affairs and guidance as it pertains to skilled nursing facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen on Facebook here.
“Courage to Speak — Courageous Parenting 101”,
The first, “Courage to Speak — Courageous Parenting 101”, to be held on Thursday, May 14, 2020, at 3:00PM, features the screening of a family, school and community approach to prevention. An approximately 25 minute screening and training for parents will be followed by dynamic discussion on the importance of prevention, with guests to include DMHAS Commissioner Delphine-Rittmon, State Senator Bob Duff, and Courage to Speak Founder, Ginger Katz. This work is sponsored by DMHAS through a federal grant. Participants may submit questions which may be addressed by panelists during or after the discussion.
CT Alert
Sign up for CTAlert, Connecticut’s alert system on COVID-19 updates! Governor Lamont is encouraging Connecticut residents to sign up for CTAlert, the state’s emergency alert system, which provides text message notifications to users. To subscribe, text the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.
