December 3, 2021
Friends,
Our hearts are heavy this week as we mourn the loss of four students and the injuries of seven others from the tragic shooting at Oxford High School on Tuesday afternoon, and for those of us who are parents or caregivers of children. We hope and pray nothing will ever happen to our children — when tragedy strikes, it is very difficult to find the words to convey our emotions.
Still, we know we must stand strong in the face of danger. We must provide our students with comfort and security, even at times when we find it hard to believe. That’s why, in this newsletter, I’ve included a section on tips for talking with your kids about these very tragedies and what families can do to help.
The Oxford shooting was undoubtedly jarring, and especially so when it hits in a community that is not terribly far from us. But together, we can cope with loss and help with healing.
Should you need any help, please do not hesitate to contact my office by phone at (517) 373-8360 or by email at SenPWojno@senate.michigan.gov.
Warmest regards,
Paul Wojno
State Senator
District 9
TALKING ABOUT THE OXFORD SCHOOL SHOOTING
Parents and adults need to first deal with and assess their own responses to crisis and stress before we are inevitably called upon to be a source of calm, comfort, and security for children. Still, there are some tactics that have been proven to be especially beneficial in the long run for those, who are especially vulnerable right now.
Among them:
- Try to keep routines as normal as possible. Children gain security from the predictability of routine, including attending school.
- Limit exposure to television and the news.
- Be honest with children and share with them as much information as they are developmentally able to handle.
- Listen to children’s fears and concerns.
- Reassure children the world is a good place to be, but there are people who do bad things.
- Rebuild and reaffirm attachments and relationships.
It is also important to try to recognize the signs of trauma, which are very normal at a time like this. Most notably, experts say students may “seem more agitated, irritated, may act out more. They may show more of a temper or have trouble sleeping. Children may be quieter or withdrawn. You may see crying or an unwillingness to even go back to school or participate in normal activities. Or they may seek more support,” according to a trauma-informed psychologist quoted in a story by the Detroit News.
The American School Counselor Association also a list of resources to help after a school shooting.
Please know that help is always available and it is not weak to seek that help.
To learn about speaking to your children about safety, visit HopkinsAllChildrens.org.
To learn about speaking to your children about violence, visit NaspOnline.org.
If you or a loved one is concerned about suicide, call 800-273-8255 or visit SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
To help your children manage distress after a shooting, visit Apa.org.
APPLY NOW FOR THE CHILDCARE STABILIZATION GRANT
The Childcare Stabilization Grant is a non-competitive grant for child-care providers who are looking for financial support. Applications for this grant opened on Nov. 8, 2021 and will close on Dec. 8, 2021. All eligible childcare providers are urged to apply.
Grants for home-based licensed providers start at $3,300, and grants for centers start at $9,200.
For more information about the grant and to watch a recorded webinar that explains more, please visit Michigan.gov/MDE. You can also contact your Great Start to Quality Resource Center for one-on-one assistance with your application by calling 877-614-7328 or call the Child Development and Care Call Center at 866-990-3227.
AG NESSEL LAUNCHES HOLIDAY CONSUMER PROTECTION HOTLINE
As families welcome in the holidays, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is launching a holiday consumer protection campaign focused on ways to protect your information at stores and online.
Continuing through mid-December, the Attorney General’s website will focus on educating consumers on the numerous tactics used to cheat them out of their funds during the holidays.
Nessel’s first alert focused on ways to keep your credit card accounts safe from those who would like to get their hands on your information and your money, with tips such as creating a strong password and PIN that is unique to only that specific credit card, as well as keeping the information private and shredding documents like statements before they go in the trash.
Nessel is also reissuing her online shopping and wise charitable giving consumer alerts.
Keep the following in mind if you’ll be spending money online:
- Research the retailer. You will know the business and their existing inventory if you’re visiting a store, but on the web some businesses are fabricated by people who just want your credit card information or other personal details.
- Avoid online retailers if you cannot verify their listed physical locations and customer service phone numbers. Then double-check any listed information is legitimate by putting them in an online search.
- Do an online image search of the product and any other images the seller has posted to see where the product is coming from, how much it really costs and who else is selling it. Watch this video to learn how to do that.
- When making online purchases, pay with a credit card. Credit cards provide protections that allow you to dispute charges if an item is not delivered or is not as advertised.
- When donating this holiday season, consider reviewing the AG Charity Search Database to verify worthy causes. Nessel’s Wise Charitable Giving Consumer Alert also provides insight on certain questions you should be able to get answered when giving to an organization or case.
The Department provides a library of resources for consumers to review anytime on a variety of topics. Also, 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.
MDHHS EXPANDS OPIOID HEALTH HOME SERVICES TO ADDITIONAL COUNTIES
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently approved Michigan’s State Plan Amendment (SPA) to expand its Opioid Health Home initiative into PIHP Regions 6, 7 and 10. The expanded SPA will allow thousands of Medicaid beneficiaries meeting the eligibility criteria to receive OHH services.
A Health Home is a benefit awarded to Medicaid beneficiaries who have a diagnosed with an Opioid Use Disorder and reside within one of the following Prepaid Inpatient Health Plan (PIHP) regions/counties:
- PIHP Region 1 (counties in the Upper Peninsula)
- PIHP Region 2 (21 northern-most counties of the Lower Peninsula)
- PIHP Region 4 (specifically Calhoun and Kalamazoo Counties)
- PIHP Region 6 (Lenawee, Livingston, Monroe, Washtenaw)
- PIHP Region 7 (Wayne)
- PIHP Region 9 (Macomb County)
- PIHP Region 10 (Genesee, Lapeer, Sanilac, St. Clair)
Individuals who meet the criteria are able to work with a team of providers who will attend to a beneficiary’s complete health and social needs. Participation is voluntary and enrolled beneficiaries may opt out at any time.
According to a 2019 report, in Michigan, half of Medicaid beneficiaries with a mental illness do not receive treatment in a given year and for beneficiaries with a substance use disorder, more than two-thirds do not receive treatment in a given year. Health Homes are a proven model to increase access to coordinated and integrated care, which is especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For OHH-specific information, including eligibility and available resources, visit Michigan.gov/OHH.
WHITMER SIGNS EXECUTIVE DIRECTIVE TO CONNECT FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES, BUSINESSES TO HIGH-SPEED INTERNET
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday, in preparation for the billions in federal funds Michigan is expected to receive over the next 5 years specifically for high-speed internet from the newly enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act — also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan — issued an executive directive (ED) to state departments and agencies to collaborate with the legislature and ready the state to continue expanding high-speed internet access.
The state will continue working to lower the cost of internet service, and help families, communities, and small businesses get and stay connected to affordable, reliable high-speed service.
The ED directs state departments to take a range of actions to help Michigan continue expanding high-speed internet, including:
- Putting Michigan workers and businesses first, prioritizing in-state businesses and workers as the state continues building up high-speed internet infrastructure.
- Helping local communities build more efficiently, using the “dig once” principle to complete work on water, high-speed internet, the road, and other utilities simultaneously wherever possible.
- Prioritizing the improvement of high-speed internet infrastructure in communities with the slowest speeds first to ensure we are making equitable investments.
- Collaborating with local service providers to develop an even more granular, comprehensive map of internet coverage in Michigan to strategically close the digital divide.
- Developing a digital equity plan to identify barriers to internet access, make long-term plans with counties and communities to improve access, and assess how enhanced access improves a range of other social, economic, and health-related outcomes.