Senate District 3 Update

Feb 21, 2021 | Email

February 20, 2021

Friends, 

I hope everyone is staying healthy and safe (and warm!). I want to share some important information and updates below so that you’re as informed as possible about recent events and resources available to you, and so that you’re also aware of certain new scams that are making their rounds. 

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

POVERTY TASK FORCE TO BRING MORE OPPORTUNITY TO MICHIGANDERS 

Lifting millions of Michiganders out of poverty will require bold new initiatives, expanded state policies and a significant financial investment, according to a new report released on Feb. 17 by the Michigan Poverty Task Force. 

The task force, led by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), consists of leaders from 14 state departments, with input from the Legislature and philanthropy and community organizations who worked together throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to develop a comprehensive anti-poverty agenda for Michigan. 

The group presented its findings – a list of 35 policy recommendations – to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who created the task force in December 2019 to identify new ways state government can help low-income Michiganders transcend poverty and build a better life. 

While many state government efforts are already in place to help Michigan’s poor, the Poverty Task Force offered 35 new policy recommendations organized in five main areas. Examples of the report’s recommendations include:

  • Benefits: Commission a comprehensive study on outcomes for former state assistance recipients and adopt a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) shelter stipend.
  • Economics: Increase access to Michigan’s Earned Income Tax Credit; support and incubate children’s savings accounts; and expand the housing choice voucher pilot program between the Michigan State Housing and Development Authority and the Michigan Department of Corrections.
  • Criminal Justice: Expand apprenticeship opportunities for inmates while incarcerated; and divert people with behavioral health needs away from the justice system.
  • Health, Safety, and Housing: Create child support pass-through to families who receive or have received cash assistance; and fund the Michigan Housing and Community Development Fund.
  • Education: Expand the Great Start Readiness Program; expand Early Childhood Home Visiting and Maternal-Infant Health programs; increase income eligibility for childcare; and expand school breakfast and breakfast-after-the-bell programs.

Today, 43% of Michiganders earn less than the basic cost of living and 1 in 5 children live in poverty, according to the United Way’s ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) report. To afford the basics, single adults need a salary of just over $21,000 and a family of four needs to earn over $61,000. 

More information on the Poverty Task Force is available at Michigan.gov/LEO.

AG NESSEL BRINGS AWARENESS TO COVID RELIEF PROGRAMS, WARNS OF NEW SCAMS 

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is reminding Michigan residents facing financial hardship during the pandemic that they may be eligible for continued rent and mortgage payment assistance, as well as deferred student loan payments. She is also warning that these relief programs may motivate bad actors to think of new ways to attempt to steal personal information and money. 

The Federal Trade Commission recently provided information on updates or extensions to these federal relief programs: 

Renters — The temporary stop on evictions for certain renters now runs through March 31, 2021. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has information on who is eligible and the steps to take. 

Homeowners — If you’re struggling to make your federally backed mortgage payments because of the pandemic, payment forbearance may still be available, and the pause on foreclosures runs through at least March 31, 2021. The Federal Housing Finance Agency tells you how to find out if your mortgage is federally backed. Contact your mortgage servicer to find out what other help is available to you. 

Student Loan Borrowers — For those federal student loans that are covered, the U.S. Department of Education has automatically paused payments through Sept. 30, 2021. 

Attorney General Nessel offers the following tips to avoid becoming a victim:

  • Beware of anyone who contacts you to offer financial services or rental assistance for a fee – you do not have to pay to get these benefits.
  • Don’t give your personal or financial information to anyone who contacts you – even if they claim to be a government official.
  • If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

The Michigan Department of Attorney General provides online consumer protection resources to educate and protect Michigan residents, including a library of consumer alerts with several scam examples. 

Consumer complaints can be filed online at the Attorney General’s website, or by calling 877-765-8388.

NEARLY 6,000 SMALL BUSINESSES AWARDED $52.5M IN GRANTS 

Critical relief totaling approximately $52.5 million for nearly 6,000 small businesses across the state has been awarded to date through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Michigan Small Business Survival Grant program. 

Approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund on Jan. 14, the Michigan Small Business Survival Grant Program allocated $55 million to provide support to Michigan small businesses to meet the urgent need of businesses that experienced a significant financial hardship due to COVID-19 emergency “gatherings and face mask orders.” The program allowed for grants of up to $20,000 to be awarded to businesses that are fully closed, with grants of up to $15,000 awarded to businesses that have been partially closed, or otherwise are open and can demonstrate an impact. 

Summary of grants allocated by local economic development organizations are as follows:

To see the full list of businesses that received Survival grants, visit MichiganBusiness.org/Survival.

In total, the MEDC has now launched 23 COVID-19 relief and recovery programs that have supported 24,460 businesses in the state and helped to retain nearly 200,000 jobs across all 83 counties. To learn more about MEDC’s COVID-19 response programs and the impact they are having on economic recovery efforts, MichiganBusiness.org/COVID19response. Other resources for economic reopening efforts as well as businesses across Michigan struggling with economic losses as a result of the COVID-19 virus can be found online at MichiganBusiness.org/COVID19.

STAY SAFE DURING BITTER COLD AND SNOW 

With snow-covered roads and frigid temperatures, the Michigan State Police (MSP) is encouraging state residents and visitors to be extra cautious when going outdoors. 

To stay safe during cold weather: 

  • Limit your time outside. If you need to go outside, wear layers of warm clothing. Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia.
  • Signs of frostbite include loss of feeling and color around the face, fingers and toes, numbness, white or grayish-yellow skin, firm, or waxy skin.
  • Signs of hypothermia include shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech, or drowsiness.
  • Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Only use generators and grills outdoors and away from windows. Never heat your home with a gas stovetop or oven.
  • Reduce the risk of a heart attack. Avoid overexertion when shoveling snow.
  • Check on neighbors. Older adults and young children are more at risk in extreme cold.
  • Pets are also at risk for cold weather injuries and should be kept indoors.

Safe winter driving tips: 

  • Check the weather before leaving for a destination. If the weather forecast looks dangerous, consider rescheduling or postponing the trip.
  • DO NOT crowd snowplows. Give snowplow drivers plenty of room to clear snow from the roads.
  • Keep tires at the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure and routinely check tire pressure during cold weather.
  • Make sure the windshield solvent reservoir is full and check the condition of all wiper blades and replace when necessary.
  • Wash your vehicle for better visibility to other drivers. Remove ice and snow from all lights, windows and license plate before driving.
  • Keep an emergency preparedness kit in your vehicle stocked with batteries, battery powered or hand-crank radio, flashlight, windshield scraper, jumper cables, shovel, blankets, first aid kit, non-perishable food and bottled water in the event you get stranded or stuck.

Michigan weather is unpredictable any time of year, but especially during the winter months. If you are stranded, do not leave your vehicle. Stay with the vehicle and wait for help. 

Motorists are encouraged to check travel conditions and weather reports before driving at Michigan.gov/RoadConditions. Major road closures can be found at Michigan.gov/Drive. The MSP/EMHSD asks that you tune into local news and/or view these websites rather than calling your local MSP post or 911 for travel conditions. 

For more information on how to prepare before, during and after an emergency or disaster, visit Michigan.gov/MIReady or follow MSP/EMHSD on Twitter at @MichEMHS.

GET COVERED DURING NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACE SPECIAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD 

With a new Health Insurance Marketplace special enrollment period open until May 15, Michigan’s state and federal leaders are encouraging Michiganders to act now to make sure they have quality health coverage for themselves and their families. 

The newly created special enrollment period for the Health Insurance Marketplace runs from Feb. 15 through May 15, with coverage beginning on the first day of the month after consumers purchase coverage. Based on national statistics from last year’s open enrollment period, approximately 90% of people who sign up through the Marketplace are eligible to receive federal subsidies, with approximately 75% of enrollees obtaining high-quality coverage for less than $50 per month. 

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). 

For more information about health insurance, including a schedule of upcoming DIFS and MDHHS virtual health insurance town halls, consumers should visit Michigan.gov/HealthInsurance or call 877-999-6442 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Consumers are eligible to apply for the Healthy Michigan Plan at any time online by visiting Michigan.gov/MIBridges or by calling 855-789-5610.

ATTORNEY GENERAL NESSEL WARNS CONSUMERS OF NEW CREDIT CARD SCAM 

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is warning consumers of a new scam that’s been reported by at least one resident to the Department’s Consumer Protection team. The complainant reportedly received a call from a scammer who insisted that a new Michigan law has passed which dissolves credit card debt as long as the credit card number, expiration date, security code and ZIP code are provided. Nessel is urging anyone who gets this call to immediately hang up as it is yet another attempt to cheat people out of their personal information and hard-earned money. 

Nessel encourages Michiganders to visit the Consumer Protection page on the Department’s website to get familiar with steps everyone can take to better protect themselves. Regardless of the type of scam, bad actors tend to use the same approach. Michiganders should always watch for one or more of the following signs: 

  • Urgent or secret requests.
  • Believable stories or connections.
  • Requests for financial or other personal information.
  • Unusual payment types, such as wire transfers or gift cards.
  • An offer too good to be true.

Your connection to consumer protection is just a click or phone call away. Consumer complaints can be filed online at the Attorney General’s website, or by calling 877-765-8388.

REMINDER: WEAR YOUR MASK EVEN AFTER RECEIVING THE COVID-19 VACCINE 

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is reminding all Michiganders, including those who have already received the vaccine, to continue wearing masks as the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine is administered throughout the state. 

MDHHS reminds Michiganders to follow these tips when wearing a mask: 

  1. Make sure your mask fits snugly against your face. Gaps can let air with respiratory droplets leak in and out around the edges of the mask.
  2. Pick a mask with layers to keep your respiratory droplets in and others’ out. A mask with layers will stop more respiratory droplets getting inside your mask or escaping from your mask if you are sick.

Please see the graphic below, to help make the best choices when selecting a face mask.

In addition, the CDC has recently recommended wearing two masks to increase protection against COVID-19. Double masking is an easy way to improve fit, which also improves protection. The more particles that are blocked, the better you are protected against getting COVID-19. Other options to improve fit include wearing a mask fitter or wearing a nylon covering (like a gaiter) over a mask. 

  • One cloth or medical mask = 40% of particles blocked
  • A cloth mask worn over a medical mask = 85% of particles blocked
  • Two medical masks worn, or a medical mask knotted and tucked properly = 95% of particles blocked

Data Source: Maximizing Fit for Cloth and Medical Procedure Masks to Improve Performance and Reduce SARS-CoV-2 Transmission and Exposure, 2021 

Those in need of a free mask can contact their local Community Action Agency or local MDHHS office.

RESIDENTS HAVE MULTIPLE OPTIONS FOR VACCINE SIGN-UP 

Recognizing that residents have varying degrees of technology access and understanding, particularly seniors 65 and older who are currently eligible to receive the vaccine, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is collaborating with community partners to ensure that anyone can sign up to get a vaccine when it’s available to them. 

  • Online. All residents are encouraged to visit Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine for the most up-to-date information about vaccine eligibility, safety information, and clinic locations.
  • No internet access or computer troubles? No problem! Residents who don’t have access to the internet or who struggle to use a computer can also call the COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136, which is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition, 2-1-1 has also partnered with MDHHS to help direct residents to vaccination clinics. This builds upon the existing partnership between MDHHS and 2-1-1 for assisting residents with connecting to local testing sites.
  • Go local. Local health departments and hospitals across the state have created sign ups, interest forms and waitlists, based on eligibility per the Michigan COVID-19 Vaccine Prioritization Guidance and will contact residents to schedule appointments as supply allows.
  • Contact your local pharmacy. Residents may also contact additional vaccination sites as they start to come online, such as local pharmacies like Meijer and others.

Beyond scheduling appointments, MDHHS recently announced its partnership with the national education technology company GetSetUp. Through this partnership, the MDHHS Aging & Adult Services Agency is offering a series of sessions to walk older Michiganders through the Michigan COVID-19 vaccine website. The goal is to help older residents who are eligible for the vaccine find their local health department to register online for a vaccine appointment or to be added to the waitlist.