Friends, Happy New Year! I look forward to continuing to serve this community and supporting you all as best I can. Included in this newsletter is an announcement regarding an upcoming town hall discussion; information about the statewide art contest going on for student artists in Michigan; a reminder that if you start to feel sick, you can obtain a COVID-19 test at a testing site near you; resources for healing after a traumatic event; an article about the efforts happening to reduce homelessness in Oakland County; and, a look back at what my team and I accomplished in 2021. As always, if I can be of any assistance to you or your family, please call my office at (517) 373-2417, or email me at SenRBayer@senate.michigan.gov. Be well, |
Virtual Coffee Hour Join us for a town hall, hosted by Rep. Kyra Bolden, to discuss credit, lending, savings, homebuying, wills, trusts, and estates. Other guests joining me for the conversation include Sen. Jeremy Moss, representatives from People Driven Credit Union, and attorney Macie Gaines. |
WHEN: Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, from 5–6 PM WHERE: People Driven Credit Union, 24333 Lahser Road, Southfield, MI 48033
The town hall will also be streamed via Facebook Live. GOVERNOR WHITMER ANNOUNCES ART CONTEST FOR STATE OF THE STATE PROGRAM On Monday, Jan. 3, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced an art contest for the 2022 State of the State program cover. The governor is challenging Michigan’s K-12 students to come up with a creative design for the 2022 State of the State program cover following the theme “Why do you believe in Michigan?” During her State of the State address, Governor Whitmer will share her vision for Michigan and plan to address key issues to put Michigan first, including jobs, education, infrastructure, and Michigan’s strong economic progress. Students should be as creative as possible and are welcome to use crayons, markers, paint, or any other materials. To submit your design, please click here and follow the instructions on the webpage. Submissions will be accepted exclusively through the online system and must be received no later than 11:59 PM on Sunday, Jan. 16. The student artist of the winning design will receive a prize. FEELING SICK? GET A COVID-19 TEST NEAR YOU AND HELP PREVENT THE SPREAD! Please remain conscious of your personal health as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 spreads through our community. The virus can affect individuals differently, so if you or someone in your family begins experiencing any symptoms related to COVID-19, please isolate yourself according to CDC guidelines and seek out a COVID-19 testing site near you to confirm your health status. Getting tested and following the proper procedure after receiving your results is the best way to protect your family, friends, and community from the continued spread of COVID-19. RESOURCES FOR HEALING AFTER A TRAUMATIC EVENT The tragic events that unfolded at Oxford High School will impact our community for years to come. Now more than ever, we must work to collectively heal and try to process the trauma that this event has caused in many of our lives. Those looking for resources available for adults and children in Oxford at this time can visit OxfordStrongCommunity.org for mental health resources, events centered around healing, and ways to support the community. Another resource for anyone affected is Common Ground, an excellent organization right here in Oakland County. Their crisis line is ready and available; call or text 1-800-231-1127. If you have struggled to discuss this event with your child, know there is no shame in continuing to take time to process and heal from this tragedy. After an extremely traumatic event like this, it’s very important that we continue to help students in a way that is supportive and based on research related to mental health outcomes. Here are some ways you can help:
For many people, using the tips and strategies mentioned above may be sufficient to get through the current crisis. At times, however, an individual can get stuck or have difficulty managing intense reactions. It is important to seek professional help if you feel like you are unable to function or perform basic activities of daily living. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of self-harm due to this event, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-8255. OAKLAND COUNTY ‘BLUEPRINT TO END HOMELESSNESS’ FINALIZED No member of our community should feel like they are living on the edge of financial stability and homelessness. Implementing strategies and plans to work against poverty and homelessness is more important now than ever as we face the coming winter months and an ongoing worldwide pandemic. Oakland County, through their Oakland County Neighborhood and Housing Development (OCNHD) Department, along with Professor Jason Wasserman from the William Beaumont School of Medicine at Oakland University, developed a blueprint for eradicating homelessness through prevention, housing with wraparound services, reforming the system of care, and engaging the community. With support and assistance from the Oakland County Homelessness Task Force, Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter and his team, and the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, Rep. Brenda Carter and I secured a $250,000 grant to develop this vital blueprint. Despite delays due to COVID-19, a task force was created last year and the blueprint was recently finalized. This task force included representatives from, among others, OCNHD and Community Corrections, Alliance for Housing, HOPE Hospitality and Warming Center, Community Housing Network, Lighthouse, Haven, Samaritas, Street Democracy, City of Ferndale, and Centro Multicultural de la Familia. I stand in full support of this blueprint and am excited and ready to help implement the goals and procedures deemed most important in tackling this issue. Working to prevent homelessness is a difficult, multifaceted issue in our community, which is why we need creative minds working together to come up with solutions to make sure no one faces living without a place to call home. MICHIGAN REDISTRICTING UPDATE The Michigan redistricting commission voted on and approved the new maps for Michigan’s legislative districts. For the state Senate, the commission voted for its “Linden” map, with nine commissioners backing the new map. Two Republicans, two Democrats and five independent commissioners voted in favor of the plan. Understanding what redistricting means for you when voting is one of the first steps in engaging with our democracy. Please feel free to learn more about the “Linden” map and what comments were made about it as we continue to work through this process. 2021 YEAR IN REVIEW Team Bayer had many accomplishments last year. Below is a look back and a snapshot of just some of our work done in 2021. |
As an elected representative, I believe in being readily available and transparent because my office is your office. |