Governor Lamont Provides Update on Connecticut’s Coronavirus Response Efforts

(HARTFORD, CT) – As the State of Connecticut continues taking actions in response to the global spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Governor Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 4:00 p.m. on Friday, May 22, 2020:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases, deaths, and tests in Connecticut. It is important to note that these newly reported updates include data that occurred over the last several days to a week. All data in this report are preliminary, and data for previous dates will be updated as new reports are received and data errors are corrected.

County-by-county breakdown:

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Updated data on the impact of COVID-19 on nursing homes and assisted living facilities

The following documents contain updated data regarding each of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Connecticut that have reported positive cases of COVID-19 among their residents. The data is presented as it was reported to the state by each of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities. This data is updated on a weekly basis.

Connecticut Department of Social Services announces children enrolled in school meals program will soon receive additional, emergency SNAP benefits

The Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) today announced that because of the cancellation of in-person, pre-K to grade 12 classes at all schools in the state for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year, the families of approximately 265,631 public school students and 1,748 private school students who participate in the free or reduced-price meals program will soon receive additional, emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits under the federal Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program to ensure that children continue to receive nutritious meals while learning from home during the pandemic.

Initially, when schools were slated to reopen on May 20, the state received federal approval to provide $71.3 million in EBT benefits. That amount, however, increased to $97.5 million when the decision was made to cancel in-person classes for the remainder of the academic year. The emergency SNAP funding for children who participate in the free or reduced-price meals program was authorized by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

DSS estimates that it will issue approximately $34.5 million in additional food benefits to about 70,000 SNAP-eligible households and $63 million in food benefits to about 80,800 households not currently enrolled in SNAP. DSS is partnering with the Connecticut State Department of Education on the plan, which was approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service.

Specifically:

• Pandemic EBT SNAP benefits will be deposited in the EBT accounts of about 70,000 households currently enrolled in SNAP on or about Sunday, May 24. An additional 800 households enrolled in the Temporary Family Assistance Program, but not currently enrolled in SNAP, will also receive Pandemic EBT SNAP benefits in their EBT accounts at that time.
• DSS will mail EBT debit cards to about 80,000 households not currently enrolled in SNAP and will deposit Pandemic EBT SNAP benefits into their new EBT accounts on Sunday, June 7, for Medicaid-enrolled households and on Sunday, June 21, for all other households. These are households that do not currently have EBT cards because they are not enrolled in SNAP or cash assistance.

Benefits can be used at any location that accepts SNAP/EBT cards. This includes famers’ markets and direct market farms. Pandemic EBT participants will also have online access to eligible food purchases through delivery or curbside pickup when it is implemented in the overall SNAP program.

Families do not need to apply for Pandemic EBT benefits, as children are automatically eligible because in-person classes are not in session. The planned one-time benefit is $364.80 per child enrolled in the free and reduced-price meals program.

Connecticut farmers impacted by COVID-19 eligible for Coronavirus Food Assistance Program funding

Governor Lamont, Congressman Joe Courtney, and state Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt are encouraging Connecticut farmers and producers who have been impacted by COVID-19 to sign up and receive financial assistance through the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, which was authorized by Congress through the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The program, which will provide up to $16 billion in direct payments to deliver relief nationwide, is available for producers of agricultural commodities who have suffered a five-percent-or-greater price decline or who had losses due to market supply chain disruptions due to COVID-19 and face additional significant market costs. Eligible commodities include: non-specialty crops, wool, livestock, dairy, and specialty crops (fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and mushrooms). USDA will consider additional crops to be eligible for the program by collecting information on potentially eligible crops, including aquaculture, nursery, and cut flowers.

The USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will accept applications beginning May 26. While offices are open by phone appointment only, the department will be working with agricultural producers by phone and using email and online tools to process applications. For additional program details, including eligibility, applications, a payment calculator, and a list of locations of the nearest FSA offices, visit www.farmers.gov/cfap.

“This federal assistance is crucial for Connecticut’s farmers to continue their operations and maintain our state’s vibrant agricultural diversity,” Governor Lamont said. “Throughout all of the market disruptions, producers have continued planting, growing, and caring for their animals in order to meet the needs of consumers for fresh, local food.”

“This update from Secretary Perdue couldn’t have come soon enough for our dairy and commodity crop farmers in eastern Connecticut,” Congressman Courtney said. “Before we passed the CARES Act, we made sure it included a way for our farmers to receive direct support, straight into their pockets. Now, farmers can finally start preparing to apply on May 26 for the funding we authorized specifically to help them offset the steep price declines we’ve seen due to COVID-19. My colleagues and I on the Congressional Dairy Caucus are working to authorize more resources to help all of our farmers through this crisis, and we’re not letting our foot off the gas to press the USDA to expand these new direct payments to producers in the nursery and aquaculture sectors. We’ve got a wide variety of nursery growers and shellfish farmers in eastern Connecticut, and I am continuing to pursue that assistance for them as aggressively as possible. Right now, I encourage our farmers to sign up as soon as possible to take advantage of direct payments through this new program.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how fragile our food system is,” Commissioner Hurlburt said. “We all know how important food is, but now many people understand how important it is to have a robust, local food system for people to access. These payments will support our farmers at a critical time and provide the funds necessary to stabilize our food supply chain. For residents who are interested in supporting local farms, please visit www.CTGrownMap.com to find farms in your area.”

For more information, read the press release issued today by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture.

Connecticut Department of Labor awarded $2.33 million federal grant to create disaster relief jobs, employment and training services

The Connecticut Department of Labor has been awarded a $2.33 million federal grant to create temporary disaster relief jobs for dislocated workers and other eligible individuals, along with employment training services and any necessary supports. The Disaster Recovery National Health Emergency Dislocated Worker Grant was awarded to assist the state as it continues to respond to the challenges resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak.

State Labor Commissioner Kurt Westby said that the grant will be used to address critical needs resulting from the public health emergency that has impacted every part of the state, including the unprecedented surge in unemployed individuals, the public health crisis straining health care infrastructure, and the increased demand for workers in disaster relief and humanitarian assistance jobs.

“A wide range of Connecticut employers, including private-sector businesses, community-based organizations, and municipalities will have the opportunity to leverage the funding to fill and create a variety of temporary disaster relief jobs that support efforts to combat the COVID-19 crisis,” Commissioner Westby said. “These jobs will provide re-employment opportunities and will help stimulate Connecticut’s economic recovery.”

The agency expects the disaster relief jobs to fall into three job categories: cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting public facilities; delivering medicine food, or other supplies to quarantined individuals and vulnerable populations; and health care support jobs to assist with sick and vulnerable individuals.

The Connecticut Department of Labor will partner with the state’s five regional workforce development boards and their employer partners to implement these programs. The five boards are Capital Workforce Partners, Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board, Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board, The WorkPlace, and Workforce Alliance.

For more information, read the press release issued today by the Connecticut Department of Labor.

Governor Lamont encourages residents to sign up for the state’s CTAlert notification system

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.

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 are strongly urged to contact their medical provider.