COVID Update 5.4
May 5, 2021I joined an emergency meeting of the Litchfield County Opiate Task Force on Monday night, following a heartbreaking and disturbing spike in the number of overdoses in our region. We are facing a tsunami of mental health challenges: the mental and behavioral health epidemic predated COVID-19, but has been severely exacerbated by it.
We must all do what we can on a personal level to support those who are struggling, and as your representative, I'm pushing to be sure the financial resources are available for the organizations that do incredible work to provide services and solace to those affected. It is an inspiring group that includes law enforcement, medical and public health professionals, addiction treatment specialists, policy makers, and volunteers who understand the need to reach everyone in our community. As Tom Narducci, Administrative Director of Public Health at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, said during the call, it’s about “access, access, and access.”
The recent statistics are grim, but the message of this group was one of hope. Maria Coutant Skinner, Executive Director for the McCall Center for Behavioral Health, encouraged people not to give up. “I applaud the courage that brought you all here,” she said. “Every single day, we see that recovery is possible. There are people there to help, whenever a person is ready.”
For resources that can help, see the Northwest Connecticut Substance Abuse and Mental Health Resource Guide.
Here’s a list of today’s topics:
- House Session May 4. Click here.
- CT Exceeds Five-Year Goal for Increasing Diversity in the Educator Workforce. Click here.
- Emergency Broadband Benefit Enrollment will Begin May 12. Click here.
- Video Series on Vaccines from Nuvance Health. 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, “Data Tracker.”
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| Town | Total Cases | Total Deaths | Number of Tests | Number of Positive Tests |
| Canaan | 13 | 0 | 836 | 18 |
| Cornwall | 48 | 0 | 2,254 | 58 |
| Goshen | 154 | 1 | 5,353 | 188 |
| Kent | 161 | 0 | 12,537 | 194 |
| Norfolk | 66 | 0 | 2,392 | 76 |
| North Canaan | 208 | 8 | 10,448 | 235 |
| Salisbury | 142 | 0 | 12,2445 | 171 |
| Sharon | 112 | 1 | 5,420 | 151 |
| Torrington | 3,460 | 140 | 91,781 | 4,247 |
The House was in session on Tuesday May 4, and will return to session on Thursday, May 6
During House session on Tuesday, which ended at around 1:30 am (I’m getting to know the couch in my office a little better), we passed a number of good bills, some moving on to the Senate and some to the Governor’s desk. Here’s a selection of a few of those bills:
Telehealth
Throughout the ongoing pandemic, we've seen not only the benefits but the critical need for telehealth services for both patients and providers. Just passed through the House, HB 5596 will extend the safe, comprehensive access to healthcare that has offered vulnerable patients piece of mind and providers the ability to effectively assist patients while combating the pandemic.
Explanation of Benefits (EOB)
HB 6389 provides privacy and security for vulnerable individuals seeking medical care. By safeguarding the explanation of benefits, all individuals can more freely obtain care for highly sensitive conditions.
Domestic Violence
Sexual orientation, gender identity, or being a survivor of domestic violence survivor should not be a hinderance to accessing insurance, but Connecticut currently does not offer protections against discrimination for these groups. HB 6590 removes a current barrier to accessing this basic need and offers necessary protections to guarantee complete equity and inclusivity.
Continuing Education for Public Adjusters
The property and casualty sector of the insurance industry is complicated and constantly changing. Just passed by the House, HB 6625 adopts continuing education requirements for public adjusters to be kept up to date so that the Connecticut consumers can rest assured that they are protected.
Invasive Species
Invasive species can cause significant damage to Connecticut's lakes, ponds, and rivers – threatening the water quality and existing aquatic plant life. HB 6384 provides transparency and additional funding to support needed efforts for combatting this growing problem in our state's waters.
Birth Certificates for Adult Adoptees
Birth certificates can hold the key to who we are – for many adoptees, that clarity has been missing. With the passage of HB 6105, the House has taken a step towards allowing adoptees 18 and over an understanding of their families' history.
Taiwan Sister-State
Did you know that Connecticut and Taiwan are Sister States? 22 years ago, the state of Connecticut and Taiwan formed a Sister-State Relationship to recognize our mutual support of a closer economic and trade partnership. Today, the House recognized this special relationship and reaffirmed our continued channel of cultural, educational and economic exchange.
Simplifying Election Administration
In the land of steady habits, it's often necessary to update our processes to ensure they are working to meet the needs of our current age. With the passage of HB 6579, the House has done just that by modernizing and simplifying election administration processes to meet today’s needs.
Real Estate Receiverships
To reduce ambiguity in real estate receiverships, HB 6356 provides uniformity and predictability in the rules and guidelines for all courts in Connecticut when appointing a received to a property.
Student Loan Debt Task Force
Too many carry the burden of student loan debt throughout their lives. Many young people are living paycheck to paycheck with the cost of their loan debt making milestones like buying a house, achieving an advanced degree, affording a family, and so much more seem like impossibilities. Just passed, HB 5895 will establish a task force to investigate what tools are needed to address this crisis.
Connecticut exceeds five-year goal for increasing diversity in the educator workforce
The importance of teachers in my life cannot be overstated. Mrs. McCartney in fifth grade, Mrs. Cortese in high school biology, as well as professors from college and law school, changed the trajectory of my life. Having a teacher who models what it looks like to be a smart, successful adult makes a world of difference for a child. Which is one of the many reasons I’ve been a strong supporter of Connecticut’s efforts to increase diversity in the educator workforce.
Over the last five years, school districts in Connecticut have hired more than 1,900 educators of color, exceeding the goal set by the State Board of Education to increase the number of educators of color by 10% – approximately 1,000 positions – between 2017 and 2021, a remarkable achievement.
A wide range of evidence supports the benefits of a diverse teacher workforce, including its positive impact on strengthening schools and resulting in better outcomes for students of all races and ethnicities, such as reduced dropout rates, improved college admissions, and achievement gains.
Emergency Broadband Benefit enrollment will begin May 12
The $3.2B Emergency Broadband Benefit program provides a discount of up to a $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for qualifying households on qualifying Tribal lands. The benefit also provides up to a $100 per household discount toward a one-time purchase of a computer, laptop, or tablet if the household contributes more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase through a participating broadband provider.
A household is eligible if one member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:
- Has an income that is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid or the FCC’s Lifeline program;
- Approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision, in the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 school year;
- Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year;
- Experienced a substantial loss of income through job loss or furlough since February 29, 2020 and the household had a total income in 2020 at or below $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers; or
- Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider’s existing low-income or COVID-19 program.
Emergency Broadband Benefit enrollment will begin (opened) on May 12, 2021. Eligible households can enroll through a participating broadband provider or directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) using an online or mail-in application. Additional information about the Emergency Broadband Benefit is available at www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit, or by calling 833-511-0311 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. any day of the week.
Video series on vaccines from Nuvance Health and community partners
In collaboration with community partners, Nuvance Health’s vaccine video series addresses questions and dispels myths about the COVID-19 vaccine. Additional videos are shared on the Nuvance Health YouTube channel.
Q&A featuring Dr. Brenda Ayers, Dr. Lee Isabell and Michelle James, Executive Director, Community Action Agency of Western CT:
Providing information to Connecticut residents
For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus. Residents can also subscribe to text message alerts from the state by texting the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.
Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance. Anyone who is out-of-state or requires a toll-free number can connect to Connecticut 2-1-1 by dialing 1-800-203-1234. This 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 are strongly urged to contact their medical provider.