March 20, 2021
Friends,
Today is the first official day of Spring, and I hope this newsletter finds you all safe, healthy, and enjoying the sunnier weather as we move into the warmer months.
It was a difficult winter, but we have come out on the other side stronger, and more unified, than before. With the support of the American Rescue Plan that President Joe Biden signed into law last week, and the work we’re doing in Lansing to help Michiganders and their families, brighter days are ahead — as long as we continue to do what is needed to stop the spread of COVID-19.
In this newsletter, you’ll find updates related to changes in who is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine and when, as well as information related to home heating help and food assistance for Michigan’s college students.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office at 517-373-0990, or email me if you have any questions or need assistance.
Stay safe and be well,
Sylvia Santana
State Senator
District 3
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR FORD FIELD COVID-19 VACCINE CLINIC
Michiganders can now begin registering for the COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Ford Field in Detroit. The community vaccination site is set to officially open on March 24.
After the registration process is completed, people who have registered will receive an invitation email, call, or text when it’s their turn to schedule the appointment. Vaccine appointments will be scheduled a few days in advance.
Hours of operation
The Ford Field site will operate from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., seven days a week, for eight weeks under the federal government’s vaccination pilot program. The facility will be managed by the State of Michigan with support from FEMA, Wayne County, the City of Detroit, Ford Field, Meijer, Henry Ford Health System, and the Detroit Lions.
How to register
All COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Sign-up is available through these three options:
- Online at meijer.com/register/CL2021
- Text EndCOVID to 75049
- Call the MDHHS COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136 (press 1)
Residents who don’t have access to the internet or need assistance navigating through the registration process can use the MDHHS COVID-19 Hotline to register. Call Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is expected that the call center will have long wait times, so calling is recommended only for people who cannot register online or by text.
No cost
The vaccine will be offered at no cost, and insurance is not required, nor will it be requested at the vaccination center. Any Michigan resident who is currently eligible to receive the vaccine under the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) vaccine prioritization guidance will be able to register for an appointment.
Free parking & Ride Sharing Available
Free parking will be available at the vaccination site. For those who indicate, during the registration process, they need assistance obtaining transportation to and from the vaccination site, the state is working to provide free of charge ride share options.
While vaccinations are ongoing, Michiganders are still encouraged to practice preventative measures including wearing a mask, social distancing, and frequent handwashing.
>> Michigan residents seeking more information about the COVID-19 vaccine should visit Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine.
MINORITY-OWNED, UNDERSERVED SMALL BUSINESSES ENCOURAGED TO APPLY FOR PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM LOANS
State officials and leaders from the Michigan Bankers Association, Community Bankers of Michigan, the Michigan Credit Union League, and the National Business League are urging Michigan’s minority-owned and other underserved businesses to apply for forgivable loans through the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) before the current March 31 deadline. Participating banks, credit unions, and Community Development Financial Institutions are available to support new and existing small business customers as they navigate through the PPP process.
While loans can be obtained through any participating banks and credit unions, small business owners may wish to pursue a PPP loan through a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) which provides access to financial products and services for residents and businesses in low-income communities to expand economic opportunity. CDFIs offer specialized customer service to underserved communities, including those customers with limited or no credit history or those that require additional support.
To find a participating lender, small businesses should visit the SBA’s Lender Match or search for a participating lender in their area. Consumers are encouraged to call or check the website of the lender before visiting to learn about additional steps being taken to protect consumer and employee safety during the pandemic, including offering services by appointment or online.
MARCH RECOGNIZED AS BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS MONTH
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has proclaimed March as Brain Injury Awareness Month to promote awareness of brain injuries. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) are the leading causes of injury-related death and disability in the United States, and 155 people die every day on average.
Falls are the leading cause of TBI (40%) in the United States and cause more than half of all TBIs in children ages 0 to 14 years. Falls cause 81% of TBIs among adults aged 65 and older. Other leading and preventable causes of TBI include being struck by an object or person, motor vehicle crashes and substance abuse.
Prevention strategies reduce the risk for TBI and death and include:
- Removing hazards in and around the home
- Using protective gear while playing sports
- Taking caution in bad weather
- Driving unimpaired and without distractions
Observable signs of traumatic brain injury may include appearing dazed or stunned, forgetting an instruction, moving clumsily, answering questions slowly, losing consciousness, showing mood, behavior or personality changes, and being unable to recall events prior to and/or after a hit or fall.
>> For more information, visit the CDC website on Traumatic Brain Injury.
>> For more tips to keep your home safe, visit CPSC.gov and SafeKids.org.
>> More information about sports concussions is available at Michigan.gov/SportsConcussion.
COVID-19 VACCINE ELIGIBILITY EXPANDED TO AGES 16+
On Friday, March 12, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) officials announced the state is expanding vaccination eligibility for Michiganders ages 16 and older with disabilities or medical conditions that put them at high risk of negative COVID-19 outcome beginning Monday, March 22. The state is also announcing that beginning Monday, April 5, all Michiganders aged 16 and up, who were not previously eligible, will be eligible to receive a vaccine.
Here’s the current COVID-19 vaccine eligibility timeline:
Monday, March 8
- Michiganders aged 50+, with medical conditions or disabilities
- Caregiver family members and guardians who care for children with special health care needs
Monday, March 22
- All Michiganders aged 50+
- Michiganders aged 16+, with medical conditions or disabilities
Monday, April 5
- All Michiganders aged 16+
With the expanded vaccine eligibility, providers are still encouraged to schedule appointments and allocate vaccinations to residents based on highest risk, including older residents, essential workers, and frontline workers. The most recent vaccine prioritization guidelines can be found online at Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine.
Medical conditions that place individuals at increased risk for severe illness from the virus that causes COVID-19 are eligible for vaccination and include:
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Down syndrome
- Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
- Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2) and severe obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2)
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease
- Smoking
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus
The following medical conditions might place an individual at an increased risk for severe illness from the virus that causes COVID-19, and are therefore also eligible for vaccination:
- Asthma (moderate-to-severe)
- Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
- Cystic fibrosis
- Hypertension or high blood pressure
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids or use of other immune weakening medicines
- Neurologic conditions, such as dementia
- Liver disease
- Overweight (BMI > 25 kg/m2, but < 30 kg/m2)
- Pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissues)
- Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder)
- Type 1 diabetes mellitus
Those eligible to receive a vaccine should:
- Check the website of the local health department or hospital to find out their process or for registration forms; or
- Check additional vaccination sites, such as local pharmacies like Meijer, Rite Aid or Cardinal Health (U.P. residents); or
- Residents who don’t have access to the internet or who need assistance navigating the vaccine scheduling process can call the COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136 (press 1), Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. or can call 2-1-1.
It is important to note that, while supplies are increasing, there remains a limited amount of vaccine available, so there may be a waitlist for available appointments. As more vaccine becomes available, the state will continue to move more quickly through the priority groups.
APPLY FOR HOME HEATING CREDIT BY SEPT. 30
Michiganders who need help with their winter energy bills can now apply for the Home Heating Credit, according to the Michigan Department of Treasury (Treasury). Low-income, deaf, disabled or blind persons, disabled veterans, and senior citizens may qualify, and applicants are not required to file a Michigan individual income tax return to receive the credit.
Individuals can apply for the Home Heating Credit electronically through the e-File system and all applications must be received by Sept. 30, 2021.
Forms and instructional materials are available on the internet at Michigan.gov/IncomeTax or by calling 517-636-4486. Forms are also available at many libraries, Northern Michigan post offices, and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) offices across the state. During 2020, the state Treasury Department processed more than 270,400 Home Heating Credit claims, totaling more than $58.3 million. The average credit was $216.
>> Additional information can be found on the Home Heating Credit website.
>> For more information about the resources available for heating assistance, go to Michigan.gov/HeatingAssistance.
CAREER AND TECH ED COLLEGE STUDENTS CAN APPLY FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE
Michigan students in college career and technical education programs are reminded they are now eligible to receive food assistance if they meet income and other program requirements, and are enrolled at least half-time in an occupational program that leads to employment under the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the Twenty-First Century Act of 2018, known as Perkins V.
Additionally, CTE college students who enroll in SNAP can take advantage of an additional payment provided each month until June, which amounts to an extra 15% to help recipients affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- For anyone currently enrolled in a Perkins program with an existing food assistance case who has experienced a loss of income, their MDHHS caseworker will determine Perkins program status to ensure the benefits are correct.
- Any Perkins student who wants to apply for food assistance should provide documentation from their school that outlines their major and program or course of study to assist in determining their eligibility for SNAP. Examples could include a proof of registration and a document showing their major, program, or course of study. A caseworker will use that information to determine eligibility.
>> Students interested in applying for food assistance can go to Michigan.gov/MIBridges.
DRIVERS REMINDED TO TAKE ACTION AFTER ACCIDENT
The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) is reminding drivers who excluded or opted out of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) medical coverage for themselves or a family member that changes to, or loss of health insurance coverage in their household, can also affect their auto insurance coverage.
Under the new law, if a person who has opted out of or is excluded from PIP medical coverage loses qualified health coverage, and does not do one of the following in 30 days, they may find themselves with no medical coverage if they are injured in an auto accident:
- Get replacement qualified health coverage and provide proof of coverage to the auto insurer, or
- Add PIP medical coverage to their auto insurance policy.
Anyone who needs health coverage may purchase a plan and take advantage of subsidies to lower their costs during the current special enrollment period on the Health Insurance Marketplace, which runs from Feb. 15 through May 15. Coverage begins on the first day of the month after you enroll. To review coverage options and enroll, consumers can visit the Health Insurance Marketplace at HealthCare.gov or call the Marketplace Call Center at 800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325).
>> Consumers with questions about auto insurance can contact DIFS Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 833-ASK-DIFS (833-275-3437) or visit Michigan.gov/AutoInsurance.