August 21, 2021

Friends, 

The end of summer is quickly approaching, so I hope that you and your family continue to remain safe and healthy. With the upcoming school year just around the corner, we need to all remain vigilant in our battle with the COVID-19 pandemic and the new Delta variant. 

In this newsletter are updates regarding the USDA’s announcement to increase SNAP benefits by 25%, a reminder to catch up on immunizations, along with information on Gov. Whitmer’s MI Safe Communities proposed investment, and information meant to help you as we recover from the recent, severe weather. And finally, with school starting back up for many, I’ve listed some helpful tips for parents and caregivers of students as they prepare for the next stage of their children’s education this coming academic year. 

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at 517-373-0990, or email me if you have any questions or need assistance.

Working for you, 

Sylvia Santana
State Senator
District 3

USDA INCREASES PERMANENT SNAP BENEFITS NATIONWIDE 

On Monday, Aug. 16, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a 25% increase to permanent Supplemental Food and Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits — the largest increase in the program’s history. 

Starting Oct. 1, average monthly benefits under the SNAP program for 42 million Americans will increase by 27%, up to $157 per person, a move that will fight hunger and improve health. While benefit increases will vary by state, Michigan is projected to see some $539 million more, year-over-year, for the SNAP program. 

For more information on SNAP in Michigan, visit the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) website. MDHHS also has a website dedicated to locating a SNAP office near you should you need additional information. 

FAMILIES URGED TO CATCH UP ON ROUTINE VACCINATIONS 

August is Immunization Awareness Month, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) are urging Michigan families to talk to their health care provider to ensure family members are up to date on all recommended vaccines. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some individuals missed routine checkups and vaccinations. Like many other states nationwide, Michigan saw a decline in vaccination coverage due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to data from the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR), as of June 2021 only 54.7% of Michigan children 19 through 35 months of age were fully immunized with recommended vaccines. 

MDHHS encourages Michiganders to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Interactive Vaccine Guide, which provides information on the vaccines recommended during pregnancy and throughout a child’s life. Adults 19 and older can take the CDC’s Adult Vaccine Assessment Tool to find out which vaccines they may need. It is important that all Michiganders are current on recommended vaccines. 

August is also a critical time for those who are eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at preventing coronavirus, especially severe illness and death. Visit Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine for more information and to find a COVID-19 vaccine site near you. 

MI SAFE COMMUNITIES’ INVESTMENT TO REDUCE CRIME, SUPPORT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT 

On Monday, Aug. 16, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer put forward the MI Safe Communities framework to reduce violent crime while increasing public safety across Michigan. This proposal, which will utilize American Rescue Plan dollars to put Michigan’s public safety first, works to ensure that every Michigander can live freely and safely. 

The proposal includes holistic investments to expand opportunities through our education, jobs, and justice system. Through a partnership with the Biden Administration, Detroit is one of 15 jurisdictions nationally boosting investment in Collaborative Community Violence Intervention Programs, which help prevent retaliatory violence. Investment in hospital-based violence intervention programs helps to provide counseling, peer support, mediation, and social services to hospital patients recovering from violent injuries and preventing further violence and injuries. 

Overall, the governor’s public safety proposal includes investing more money into Michigan’s police departments to strengthen training policies and programs and foster collaboration between the Michigan State Police and local departments on specialty services, as well as getting illegal guns off the streets. The governor also proposed increasing the number of visiting judges to tackle the backlog which has piled up during the pandemic to ensure Michiganders get their due process faster and justice in their communities.

AG NESSEL CALLS ON ENERGY COMPANIES TO CREDIT CONSUMERS 

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel this week called upon the two largest utility companies in the state to credit customers who continue to deal with power outages after severe weather.  

Hundreds of thousands of customers throughout Consumer Energy and DTE Energy service areas suffered power outages last week after another round of storms moved through the state. Both utilities have been working around the clock to restore power, but many customers have now gone several days without during hot and humid weather. 

In response to these extensive electric outages, Nessel has called upon Consumers Energy and DTE Energy to voluntarily credit customers affected by the outages and to provide greater credits to assist customers who have lost hundreds of dollars or more in food and alternative housing costs. She has also called upon these same utilities to create a fund to assist displaced customers during significant power outages such as those we are currently experiencing. 

Currently, to obtain an outage credit, a customer needs to file with their utility:    

PREPARING FOR THE NEXT STAGE As a parent of three children, I understand that every stage of your children’s education is important and requires preparation. Below are a few tips that I hope will help you — and them — prepare and succeed in the coming academic year. 

Elementary 

Read to your child. Spending time reading to, and with, a child is priceless. Reading a book with them also helps to build their language comprehension and makes learning to read easier.  

Have a daily routine. Establish a schedule, because when students go to school, there will be one there that they will need to follow. If they are used to a schedule at home, the transition will be much easier for them.   

Middle School 

Get organized. The number one mission for middle school students should be to get organized. Going from one teacher to several can be tricky but having a system in place that keeps school materials organized is the best place to start. Color coding, or even using a different folder and notebook for every class, will help keep homework organized too.  

Take notes. There is no right, or wrong, way for students to take notes. The key is making sure they understand them and being able to use them to complete homework assignments and to study for tests. Everyone has their own style of notes — whether using pictures, graphs or just writing everything down — but parents and guardians should double-check to make sure the information is recorded correctly. 
 

High School 

Be well-rounded. High school is a time to sharpen both academic and social skills. Students should take time to try new clubs, sports, or other activities so that they can learn about themselves. College will be far easier if they know how to relax, and balance school with outside activities. 
Get smart about money. It is never too early to learn the value of a dollar and how to manage money. It’s a great idea to set high school students up with an account at a credit union or a bank and then to have a parent, guardian, or bank employee teach them the basics of money management. This is a valuable skill that they will use for the rest of their life, and it is much easier to learn early on when the stakes are low