We are excited to share that Secretary of State Steve Simon will join our weekly webinar on Wednesday, July 27 from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Secretary Simon and his team will share information on exercising your right to vote and they specifically want to hear about the challenges people experiencing homeless face in exercising their right to vote. This webinar will be interactive, and we hope to hear from as many people as possible. Help us spread the word about this opportunity to share your voting experiences and ideas with Secretary Simon!
We continue back on our weekly webinar schedule this week and hope you join us tomorrow from 1:00-2:00 to hear from the speakers bureau and updates from the Minnesota Department of Health team on testing updates. If you have any questions about your registration, please email Elizabeth Dressel.
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has created an online bulletin for programs providing shelter and housing support services to American Indian community members. This bulletin features resources and strategies that can help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Published twice a month, it includes culturally relevant, accurate, and timely messages related to COVID-19 and suggestions on how to use that information. We know the pandemic has disproportionately impacted the American Indian community in Minnesota and that providing culturally relevant COVID-19 information can help people understand how to keep their communities safe and healthy over time.
You can subscribe for this newsletter here. After you enter your email, scroll to the Facilities and Providers heading and then click on the box for American Indian COVID Updates for Shelters. Once you click submit at the bottom of the page, you will be subscribed to the newsletter! Please reach out to Anne Parks, Anne.Parks.C19@state.mn.us, with any questions on this new bulletin.
MDH is contracting with Homeland Health Specialists Inc. (HHSI) to meet the COVID-19 testing needs of shelter and correctional settings. Options such as on-site testing led by HHSI staff using antigen or PCR testing (“pop-up testing”) OR laboratory analysis of specimens collected by on-site staff (“specimen processing”) will be available and includes:
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Pop-up testing:
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Homeland Health Specialists provides testing supplies and a team of testing staff that will come to your facility to conduct a testing event.
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PCR (nasal swab, saliva) or antigen testing available.
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Specimen processing:
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Homeland Health Specialists provide testing supplies, shipping materials or courier access. Staff at your facility will collect the test specimens and package specimens for laboratory analysis.
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PCR (nasal swab, saliva) testing available.
In addition to the new contract with HHSI, tests can still be ordered through MDH as long as supplies last:
Testing continues to the be an important tool in this phase of the pandemic. Testing is still the only way to confirm if someone is sick from COVID-19 and testing asymptomatic people who have been exposed reduces the risk that they will unknowingly spread the disease. Confirming if someone has COVID-19 (whether or not they have symptoms) allows for identification of persons at risk for developing illness. Importantly, effective medications for COVID-19 are widely available. People who test positive and are at higher risk may be prescribed the medications to prevent severe disease. It is very important to test right away after symptom onset to get patients medicine in time for it to work!
Cases among people experiencing homelessness and the staff who support continues to remain steady. The MDH team continues to monitor cases and our team continues to plan alongside local public health and emergency management on ways to be best prepared to support people experiencing homelessness through any future surges. If you are looking for any information or resources you can find information at https://mich.mn.gov/covid-19 or email Health.R-Congregate@state.mn.us.
On June 16th Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released guidance for congregate living settings for recognizing, treating, and preventing monkeypox. CDC is tracking multiple cases of monkeypox in the United States and is urging facilities to maintain situational awareness to help prevent the spread of the virus. Minnesota Department of Health recently confirmed the first case of monkeypox in Minnesota: News release: Minnesota reports first case of monkeypox. To date, there have been no monkeypox cases identified among people in congregate settings.
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MDH's Monkeypox Informational Site - information about monkeypox and guidance for healthcare providers.
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CDC’s Monkeypox Landing Page – information about signs and symptoms, prevention, transmission, treatment, outbreak data, and links to detailed recommendations for healthcare providers
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Preventing Monkeypox Spread in Congregate Settings – information on responding to cases in congregate settings, including protocols to isolate people who are infected and identify and monitor people who have been exposed, recommendations for cleaning and disinfecting, and guidance for use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
Minnesota Housing’s Housing Stability Team is seeking feedback from organizations that have previously applied or are eligible to apply for their grant programs to learn more about your experience and ways they can improve. Minnesota Housing’s Housing Stability Team strives to be a funding partner that providers want to work with to collaboratively help people who experience housing stability. The Housing Stability Team also desires that when they partner with you, your experience is positive and fair. Complete a brief survey to help the Housing Stability Team better understand how they are doing in achieving that goal.
It is a short survey that should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete, and all survey responses will remain anonymous. Survey responses are due by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 26. In addition to the survey, Minnesota Housing will be hosting several focus groups and conducting a limited number of one-on-one interviews. You can indicate your interest in participating in a focus group or an interview by answering the related question in the survey. Minnesota Housing will analyze all the data and will consider how to revise our funding application, and due diligence and contracting processes, in accordance with applicable state and federal requirements, so that you may have a positive and fair experience when partnering with Minnesota Housing. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact joel.salzer@state.mn.us.
Minnesota Housing Finance Agency invites members of the community to apply to be community reviewers to help score and recommend grantees for their 2022 Capacity Building Grant program. Minnesota Housing has created this community reviewer opportunity because we are striving to create a grantmaking process that values, listens to, and acts on the input of people who have experienced housing challenges. Community Reviewers will be required to complete all the following activities to receive a one-time payment of $500 after completion of all activities. Please visit the Minnesota Housing website for a list of meeting dates and deadlines referenced here:
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Participate in a required Community Reviewer Orientation and Grant Reviewer Training Meeting.
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Review and score six to eight applications (estimate about 8 to 10 hours total over a three-week period).
- Participate in a 2-to-3-hour time block of grant applicant interviews.
- Participate in two selection meetings (one 4-to-5-hour time block to select interview finalists and one 2-to-3-hour time block to identify recommended grantees).
- Provide feedback of your experience as a Community Reviewer to Minnesota Housing’s grant program and evaluation staff.
It is expected that it will take about 20 to 23 hours during the months of July through early October to complete the activities identified above. Please only apply if you can commit to participating in all of the activities. Applicants are not eligible to serve as Community Reviewers if their employer plans to apply for the 2022 Capacity Building Grant program.
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Help us spread the word about a new newsletter for engagement opportunities for people who have experienced or are currently facing homelessness. The Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness is building a new newsletter list to share opportunities for people who have faced or are currently facing homelessness to share their input, ideas, and expertise. Interested individuals can sign up for the newsletter by filling out this form. We will share a range of opportunities in this newsletter from state agencies and partner organizations and the newsletter will be sent out as opportunities are available. Please email elizabeth.dressel@state.mn.us if you have any questions.
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The Frontline Worker Pay application is open until July 22, 2022. Applicant support is available to assist applicants in multiple languages. Visit https://frontlinepay.mn.gov/ to apply and view all available information on the program including an application overview document, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), an application fact sheet, and an outreach toolkit.
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