Maria Horn

Today I got an enthusiastic text from my daughter Maude that said, “FYI I tested negative for Covid on Sunday and am getting tested again on Thursday!”  That first negative test, and the assurance that she would be able to get another one before she drove home from Minneapolis, were things that brought her a few steps closer to being home for Thanksgiving, and qualified as exciting news.  Holiday planning is different this year.

Among other things, our family gathering will be smaller.  I have hosted family Thanksgiving for as long as I’ve had a household to host it in, so it was sad to make the formal call with my extended family that we would not be together this year, and to let go, for now, of all of the holiday traditions that go with that.  It was hard to make the call, but also clear to all of us: by making these kinds of choices, and continuing to wear masks, maintain a bubble of social distance, and wash our hands, we not only keep our families healthy, we protect essential workers and our communities.  Health care workers are under increasing strain at the moment as the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 increase, so every little thing we can do to alleviate that burden helps. 
 
For more holiday gathering preparation guidance, click here.

Here’s a list of today’s topics:

• Office of Early Childhood and United Way of Connecticut 211 Child Care Offer Enhanced Child Care and Youth Camp Search Tool. Click here.
• Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce Economic Forecast Event. Click here.
• Connecticut Department of Public Health partners with nonprofit organization. Click here.
• Summer EBT program to bolster food aid for children with new federal award to Connecticut. Click here.
• Weekly update to Connecticut’s travel advisory. Click here.
• Testing Opportunities in the community. Click here.
• Charlotte Hungerford Hospital to return to previous COVID visitor restrictions. Click here.
• Connecticut Grown apparel and accessories. Click here.
• Reminder to sign up for COVID Alert CT.  Click here

 For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus, and click the link that is labeled, “COVID-19 Data Tracker.”
 
 
Office of Early Childhood and United Way of Connecticut 211 Child Care Offer Enhanced Child Care and Youth Camp Search Tool
 
The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC), the agency responsible for the oversight of child care and youth camps in Connecticut, in partnership with United Way of Connecticut’s 211 Child Care, announced the launch of an enhanced search tool which now makes detailed inspection information of child care programs, including youth camps, easily accessible to parents and other interested parties. The 211 Child Care statewide child care resource & referral service will now offer families detailed program offerings and licensing and inspection information all in one place.
 
This enhanced search tool, accessible at https://www.211childcare.org/, helps parents find and learn more about licensed home and center-based child care providers and youth camps in Connecticut. For providers, the enhanced search lookup tool will increase their visibility to the public and improve their ability to connect with and enroll families.
 
This enhanced tool is part of a larger effort to emphasize the value of licensed care in Connecticut and help parents find licensed child care more easily. For questions about the licensing and inspection information in the search tool, please contact OEC’s Licensing Help Desk at 860-500-4450.
 
For questions about the tool itself or for additional information on all the resources and supports 211 Child Care makes available to families and providers, please contact 211 Child Care at 800-505-1000.
 
Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce Economic Forecast Event
 
The Northwest Connecticut Chamber is holding an “Economic Forecast” virtual event this Friday, November 20, from 12:00 – 1:00 pm, featuring Donald Klepper-Smith of DataCore Partners, LLC.  The event is $15 for Chamber Members, and $30 for Non-Members. You can sign up here.

Connecticut Department of Public Health partners with nonprofit organization to launch ConnectToCare Jobs Portal for Long-Term Care Workforce
 
To address staffing needs and shortages in nursing homes statewide, the Connecticut Department of Public Health has launched the ConnectToCare online portal to match long-term care facilities in the state with qualified potential staff. ConnectToCare is a partnership between multiple states and the nonprofit organization Advancing States.
 
Job seekers eligible to register for ConnectToCare include those qualified for the newly created position of Temporary Nurse Aide, but will also include those qualified for the following positions in nursing homes:
 
·       Certified nursing assistants
·       Registered nurses
·       Licensed vocational nurses
·       Social workers
·       Activity aides
·       Speech therapists
·       Cooks
·       Environmental service aides
 
The Department of Public Health has already taken the step of registering all Connecticut nursing homes to the ConnectToCare portal, with the expectation of adding assisted living facilities and residential care homes in the coming weeks.
 
Anyone who wants to register as a job seeker in long-term care in Connecticut is encouraged to do so online at www.connecttocarejobs.com.
 
 
Summer EBT program to bolster food aid for children with new federal award to Connecticut
 
Connecticut has been selected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to run a Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) for Children program over the next three years in an effort to explore ways to alleviate hunger among low-income children during the summer. It is one of only four states and tribal nations approved for the program.
 
The Summer EBT program, as it is known, is slated to bring $5.7 million in additional federal food benefits to underserved areas of Connecticut. It joins ongoing food security efforts through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Summer Food Service program, along with special projects like the recent Pandemic EBT program. Other locations selected by the USDA to receive the unique grants include Missouri, Oregon, and the Cherokee Nation.
 
The Department of Social Services and State Department of Education applied for the grants on behalf of the state in part because this year’s COVID-19 public health emergency has shown the need for accessible nutrition options for children, specifically during the summer months.
 
Connecticut’s successful application proposed to significantly expand previous approaches to serve over 31,500 additional children each summer. Previous Summer EBT demonstration projects provided $374,880 in benefits to 4,165 Connecticut children in 2017, and $458,820 in benefits to 7,647 children in 2018.
 
The new federal aid will reach children identified as vulnerable, including those who have the most difficult time reaching a State Department of Education summer food site because of their location or lack of public transportation. Families will not have to apply for Summer EBT assistance, which will bring an additional $60 in food benefits per child. Information about eligibility and how children are identified for the service will be available in April 2021.
 
For more information on the grant announcement, read the press release issued by the USDA.
 
Weekly update to Connecticut’s travel advisory: Vermont added to list, no locations removed
 
The State of Connecticut’s travel advisory – which directs incoming travelers from states with a significant community spread of COVID-19 to self-quarantine for a 14-day period – was updated today and now includes the state of Vermont on the list of impacted locations. No locations were removed from the list this week. The list is updated once per week every Tuesday.
 
Anyone arriving to Connecticut from any of the impacted locations is required to complete a travel health form upon their arrival. The form can be filled out online at ct.gov/travelform.
 
For the most up-to-date information on the regional travel advisory, including an extensive list of frequently asked questions, visit ct.gov/Coronavirus/travel.
 
 
Reminder: Free COVID in North Canaan 

Free COVID testing will be provided in North Canaan by Community Health & Wellness Center on November 24.
The event will occur from 9:30 am to 12 pm at North Canaan Town Hall, 100 Pease Street, North Canaan, CT 06018 Call (860) 489-0931 with questions.

As the incidence of COVID-19 ticks up throughout the state, testing is more important than ever. If you currently live in a read zone town, please limit trips outside, avoid gatherings with non family members.

If you are looking for a testing events in your area, visit ct.gov/coronavirus, type in your zip code, and press “GO”.   
 
Charlotte Hungerford Hospital to return to previous COVID visitor restrictions
 
Due to the increase in COVID prevalence, Charlotte Hungerford Hospital will return to its previous visitor restrictions instituted earlier in the pandemic.  For more information, see https://hartfordhealthcare.org/health-wellness/coronavirus/visitor-restrictions
 
 
Buying Local?  Start with Connecticut Grown apparel and accessories!
 
As you start to think about your holiday shopping this year, buying local will be critically important for our small businesses.  Here’s an idea to get started: start your holiday shopping now with Connecticut Grown apparel and accessories.  Early access sale ends on November 23.  To check it out, go to https://connecticutgrownstore.com/

Reminder to sign up for COVID Alert CT
 
Connecticut has launched COVID Alert CT, an exposure notification app that can let you know if you have been exposed to COVID-19 – all without disclosing any of your personal information.
 
The app is available in multiple languages and is available both on Android and iPhone. 
 
Find out more, and learn how to download, or set up the app at ct.gov/covidalertct. 
 
Providing information to Connecticut residents
 
For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including an FAQ and other guidance and resources, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus.
 

Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can also call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance. Relay services can be accessed by calling 7-1-1. Anyone who is out-of-state or using Relay can connect to Connecticut 2-1-1 toll free by dialing 1-800-203-1234. The hotline is intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone who is experiencing symptoms is strongly urged to contact their medical provider.