Dear Neighbor,
I hope this message finds you well and that you’re enjoying the vibrant colors of the season across our beautiful state. Fall is in full swing as the temperatures begin to drop and Halloween is around the corner. I have included some tips on how to stay safe this Halloween, as well as some updates and other resources you may find helpful.
Featured in This Newsletter:
- Halloween Safety Tips for Drivers and Pedestrians
- DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
- Cyber Security Awareness Month
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- Recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- MDHHS Launches Partnership with Forgotten Harvest
- Protect Yourself from Illness
- Health Insurance Open Enrollment Begins November 1
- Macomb County Families Invited to Jump-Start College Savings
As always, it is an honor to represent you. If you would like any assistance with state-based issues, please feel free to reach out! You can email me at SenPWojno@senate.michigan.gov or call (517) 373-8360.
Warmest regards,
Paul Wojno
State Senator
District 10
Halloween Safety Tips for Drivers and Pedestrians
On Halloween, it is important to be aware of the additional pedestrians on the roads and sidewalks. According to studies, pedestrian fatalities are 43% higher on Halloween, so it is vital that both drivers and pedestrians use extra caution throughout the night.
Safety Tips for Drivers:
- Be alert of trick-or-treaters and other pedestrians
- Drive slow down and scan the roads
- Watch for pedestrians in unexpected places and children who might dart out into the street
- Make sure your headlights are on
- Limit any distractions in your car and keep music low so you can hear pedestrians
- Always yield to pedestrians and never assume that they see you
Safety Tips for Pedestrians:
- Parents should accompany children under 12
- Parents and children should consider choosing costumes that are lighter in color or adding reflective material to the front or back of the costume
- Follow the rules of the road and obey traffic signs and signals
- When possible, use crosswalks or intersections
- Look for cars in all directions before crossing a street
- Carry a flashlight or glow stick while walking to be more visible to drivers
DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
This Saturday, October 25, is the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Prescription Drug Take Back Day. On this day, you may safely dispose of unwanted or expired medications. The Drug Take Back Day reflects the DEA’s commitment to Americans’ safety and health, encouraging the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting.
You may drop off tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs at the designated collection sites. The drop-off sites will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. To find the nearest location to you, please click here.
Cyber Security Awareness Month
October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, and the Michigan Dept. of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) is reminding Michiganders to take proactive steps to protect themselves from scammers and cyberattacks.
Taking measures to protect your information is vital to cyber safety. Below are a few tips to help you achieve this:
- Use strong, unique passwords. Create passwords with at least 12 characters and never reuse them across accounts. Consider using a password manager.
- Enable multi-factor authentication. Add an extra layer of protection with a code, fingerprint, or security key.
- Think before you click. Never click on suspicious links, pop-ups, or attachments unless you can verify the source. Verify emails by contacting the sender directly — not by replying to the email or using contact information contained in the email.
- Update software regularly. Install updates on phones, computers, and apps to fix security vulnerabilities.
- Stay alert to scams. Financial institutions will never call, text, or email asking for your passwords or account numbers. If in doubt, contact your bank or credit union directly using the contact information on your statement or their website.
To learn more about cybersecurity practices, please click here.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Nearly one in eight American women will develop breast cancer over the course of their life. In 2025, it is estimated that 9,900 Michigan residents will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and 1,350 Michiganders lose their lives. To spread awareness and honor those impacted, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is observed October of each year.
To improve mammography standards in Michigan, Sen. Sarah Anthony introduced Senate Bill 136 last Spring — legislation to improve mammogram reporting standards and increase early detection by aligning Michigan’s breast density notification standards with federal guidelines
While my colleagues and I work to get this legislation across the finish line, there are also steps you can take to help raise awareness and save lives. One of the most important things you can do is know your family history and get screened annually starting at age 40. The Michigan Dept. of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) encourages residents to take advantage of the following free health screening programs to put their health into their own hands:
- The Breast & Cervical Cancer Control Navigation Program (BC3NP), available statewide, provides free breast and cervical cancer screening services to low-income women.
- The WISEWOMAN Program helps participants understand their chronic disease risk factors and make healthy lifestyle choices. Every participant receives a free health screening.
- To learn more about these programs, call 844-446-8727 or visit Michigan.gov/cancer.
Recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Domestic violence is a serious crisis facing women and families across Michigan and the United States. On a typical day, more than 20,000 phone calls are placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide.
To help protect those of domestic violence, abuse, harassment, or stalking, my colleagues and I introduced bipartisan legislation this past week that would make much-needed reforms to our state’s Personal Protection Order process (PPO). Currently, it can cost up to $100 to serve a PPO in Michigan — an amount that could be especially tough for someone fleeing domestic violence to afford. To eliminate this financial burden and other barriers, these bills would require a PPO to be served at no cost to the victim.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please visit the Michigan State Police webpage on domestic violence here for more information or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. Additional resources can be found here.
MDHHS Launches Partnership with Forgotten Harvest
The Michigan Dept. of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has launched their partnership with Forgotten Harvest! The program was created to reduce food insecurity in southeast Michigan. This initiative hosts pop-up food distribution events at MDHHS offices in the region.
On-the-go pantries allow individuals to schedule appointments and select groceries from fresh produce to grains to proteins. Additionally, culturally appropriate food options are offered when available — such as halal and kosher-friendly items — when serving communities with specific dietary needs.
Forgotten Harvest, Michigan’s largest food rescue organization, has more than 65 permanent mobile pantry partners throughout southeast Michigan in addition to the On-the-Go mobile pantries. To locate a food pantry, visit Forgotten Harvest’s website.
Appointments to shop at Forgotten Harvest’s Community Choice Market in Oak Park can be made by calling 248-268-7756. Individuals in Southeast Michigan in need of food must make an appointment by emailing mdhhs-fh-oakland@michigan.gov to help minimize wait times and ensure adequate food supplies.
Protect Yourself from Illness
When temperatures begin to drop, it becomes more common to pick up illnesses and viruses, especially in the fall and winter months. Common illnesses include COVID-19, flu, and RSV. Below, I have included some tips to prevent and protect yourself and others from unwanted illness.
Take everyday preventative actions to stop the spread of germs:
- Stay up to date with immunizations.
- Practice good hygiene by covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze, using and teaching children proper handwashing technique, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces such as countertops, handrails, and doorknobs.
- Take steps for cleaner air for respiratory virus prevention.
When you may have a respiratory virus:
- Use precautions to prevent spread, such as remaining at home for at least 24 hours when respiratory virus symptoms are present.
- Seek health care promptly for testing and/or treatment if you have risk factors for severe illness. Treatment may help lower your risk of severe illness.
Additional prevention strategies:
If interested in outbreak data of reported viral infections in Michigan, please click here.
Health Insurance Open Enrollment Begins November 1
The Health Insurance Marketplace Open Enrollment period begins Nov. 1 and ends on Jan. 15, 2026. However, consumers must select a plan before Dec. 15, 2025, for their coverage to begin on Jan. 1, 2026. If the deadline is missed, with most insurances, you would have to wait a full year to obtain coverage.
To get ready for open enrollment, Michiganders should gather important tax and income verification documents, take the time to shop around and compare health insurance plans, and keep track of the shortened deadlines and new requirements listed below.
Michiganders who utilize HealthCare.gov for their health insurance needs should be aware of the following changes:
- Health Insurance Marketplace policyholders may need to be prepared to update their income, immigration status, and other information quickly, as the amount of time allowed to resolve data discrepancies was shortened from 150 days to 90 days.
- This year, information about monthly premiums for 2026 may not be included in notices insurers send to their current customers. Michiganders should be sure to log into HealthCare.gov long before Dec. 15, 2025, and review their information during Open Enrollment if they automatically re-enroll.
- New enrollees — including those who enroll outside of open enrollment due to a life event or income change — may need to prove eligibility before they can receive subsidies that help offset the cost of their monthly premium.
- Looking ahead to next year, open enrollment will be shortened by a month — ending Dec. 15, 2026, rather than Jan. 15, 2027.
The Michigan Dept. of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) has created a video to help consumers learn about health insurance and get answers to their open enrollment questions on the Health Insurance Marketplace, and it can be viewed at Michigan.gov/HealthInsurance.
Open Enrollment navigators are also available to provide free, local assistance to consumers who need help signing up for health coverage. For assistance, visit HealthCare.gov or call 800-318-2596.
Macomb County Families Invited to Jump-Start College Savings
The Michigan Dept. of Treasury is inviting Macomb County families to attend a free community enrollment session to learn how to start saving for college with as little as $25 — and receive a $100 enrollment bonus.
The Utica community enrollment session will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25, at the Utica Public Library (the Gibbing Room), 7530 Auburn Road. Attendees can drop in at any time during the session to receive one-on-one help and guidance on Michigan’s two 529 college savings plans: the Michigan Education Trust (MET) and the Michigan Education Savings Program (MESP). No appointment is necessary.
In addition to personalized assistance, attendees will be eligible for an exclusive MET enrollment bonus of $100. The limited-time offer is designed to help families maximize their college savings from the start.
Learn more here.