Michelle L. Cook

From now until December 15, small businesses in Connecticut can obtain group health insurance regardless of the number of employees who enroll thanks to Access Health CT's Employee Participation Waiver Period. Any local small business with 50 employees or less that is not currently enrolled through Access Health CT Small Business can participate.
 
By waiving the minimum number of employees typically required to enroll in a small group health insurance plan, Access Health CT is offering some relief for local small businesses, particularly those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and peace of mind for their employees.

To address the current strain on the system, our state launched a new $2.7 million program to enhance mental health services at our colleges and universities. The Connecticut Campus Mental Health Program will provide awards to eligible higher education institutions to drive innovative and evidence-based strategies to improve access to care, education and awareness, and better equip staff and students to support those experiencing mental health challenges. Funding is provided through federal coronavirus relief.  

Applications will be open to all nonprofit undergraduate institutions with an endowment per student of less than $100,000. Further information is available here.

Additionally, CHESLA still has funds remaining for its MyCHESLA in-school loan program at a low 4.59% fixed rate with no fees. Graduate students have the option to defer principal and interest while in-school, although paying the accruing interest is encouraged.

CHESLA continues to place a priority on low-cost financing products for higher education. These rates are the lowest in the history of CHESLA’s respective programs.

To find out if you could benefit from these historically low interest rates, visit the CHESLA  website here.

For those who need help, I want to share information on energy assistance services available in the state.
Some of the energy assistance programs available in Connecticut include:

• Connecticut Energy Assistance Program: Administered by the Connecticut Department of Social Services, the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP), provides winter heating cost assistance to more than 75,000 income-eligible households every year, regardless of their heat source. People should contact their local Community Action Agency to apply. Statewide consumer and application information is available on the web at www.ct.gov/staywarm or by calling 2-1-1. CEAP has significantly higher benefit levels from a record $135 million in federal funding to help heat Connecticut homes. Both homeowners and renters can be eligible. CEAP helps enrollees afford the cost of natural gas and electric heat, as well as deliverable fuels like oil and propane.
• Nonprofit heating assistance services: Operation Fuel and other nonprofits provide year-round emergency energy assistance to low-to-moderate-income households that don’t qualify for CEAP or who run out of CEAP benefits. Information is available at operationfuel.org.
• COVID-19 Payment Plans for Utility-Heated Customers: The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) has directed all regulated electric, gas, and water utilities in the state to offer COVID-19 payment plans, which both residential and non-residential customers are eligible to enroll in through the end of the public health emergency declaration. COVID-19 payment plans are available to any customer requesting financial assistance to facilitate the repayment of past due balances in addition to the customer’s current monthly bill. These plans require no initial or down payment or demonstration of financial need; can be up to 24 months in length; and waive any fees or interest in the calculation of the monthly payment amount. Customers can receive information on these payment plans by contacting their utility companies.
• Electric Utility Bill Assistance from UniteCT: Established by Governor Lamont and administered by the Connecticut Department of Housing, UniteCT provides rental and utility assistance funding for those financially impacted by COVID-19. UniteCT has become a model for other states by successfully delivering more than $18 million to electric customers to date to help pay down their arrearages (back bills). Connecticut residents who rent their homes can apply through their electric utility company or municipal electric company.  For more information, visit portal.ct.gov/DOH/DOH/Programs/UniteCT.
• Winter Protection Program – Moratorium on Heating Source Shut-Offs: From November 1 through May 1, there is a moratorium in Connecticut on heating source shut-offs for eligible households. Customers should contact their utility and inquire about the Winter Protection Program, as well as other programs for which they may be eligible. More information is available from 2-1-1 by visiting uwc.211ct.org/winter-protection-winter-moratorium/.
• Energy-Saving Solutions – Energize CT: Energize CT can help customers save money on energy bills by providing advice, information, and financial incentives to make homes more energy efficient. For more information, visit energizect.com.
• Consumer Protections Regarding Third-Party Electricity Suppliers: Over the past decade, Connecticut has enacted a series of consumer protections for customers of electric suppliers, including prohibiting variable rates and giving PURA the discretion to prevent customers who were designated as “utility hardship” from being switched to electric suppliers. Just this year, Governor Lamont signed Public Act 21-117, which prohibits cancellation fees for residential customers who are under contract with an electric supplier and strengthens PURA’s oversight over electric suppliers.

For further guidance on energy assistance programs available in Connecticut, please call 2-1-1. Please share this information with anyone that might need some help.

To be eligible for state benefits, Veterans with an OTH discharge must apply and demonstrate to the EQRB that their discharge was the result of any of the above causes. Applicants who receive a favorable determination must submit all required documentation to relevant agencies. More information about the process is available on the EQRB website here. 

No member of our military should face unnecessary barriers to obtaining the benefits they've earned serving our country. 

Vaccines remain an effective tool to prevent a severe case of COVID-19. With the holiday season underway, it is important that we all continue to wear masks, and get vaccinated or boosted.

All adults are eligible to receive a COVID-19 booster shot. Studies have found that the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine drops about 6 months after the second dose is administered for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and after 2 months for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

For vaccine clinics in our community and to learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine, please visit the state's COVID-19 Vaccine Portal here.