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 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 16, 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 and click the link that is labeled, “COVID-19 Data Tracker.”

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 today announced the launch of the ConnectToCare online portal to match long-term care facilities in the state with hundreds of 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

There are currently more than 300 individuals who have successfully completed their training to become temporary nurse aides who can register with ConnectToCare as a job seeker. Over the next few weeks, the Department of Public Health will be working with industry leaders, the Connecticut Department of Labor, labor unions, and local workforce boards to recruit to the portal other potential job seekers for these positions.

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

The Connecticut Department of Social Services, in collaboration with the State Department of Education, today announced that Connecticut has been selected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to run a Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer 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.

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.