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The Safe for School Hotline, a partnership between Oakland County and Beaumont Health has launched.
The hotline is available at 248-551-4242 from 5 a.m.- 8 a.m., Monday-Friday through December 30.
In June, the Board unanimously approved funding for the telephone screening hotline, which assists parents and guardians by pre-screening and identifying potential illness in students prior to entering a school. Hotline staff help answer questions about COVID-19 symptoms, the need for testing, and what circumstances are considered high-risk when sending a child into a school facility.
In addition to the hotline, Oakland County Health Division has hired public health nurses who assist school officials in developing and adhering to safety protocols. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/Safe4School.
Flu shots are available at Oakland County Health Division office locations by appointment only.
Health Division offices are located at the following addresses:
- North Oakland Health Center, 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Building 34 East, Pontiac
- South Oakland Health Center, 27725 Greenfield Road, Southfield
In addition, Oakland County Health Division has launched a new program to vaccinate homebound residents 65 years and older for influenza in their homes by appointment. Residents can call the Health Division’s Nurse on Call at 800-848-5533 to make an appointment.
Flu and COVID-19 are both respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. Getting a flu vaccine will not protect against COVID-19, however the flu vaccination has many other benefits, including:
- Helps prevent flu illness
- Reduces risk of flu-associated hospitalizations
- Has been shown to reduce severity of illness if you do get the flu
- Protects you and the people around you including those more vulnerable to the disease
Payment options include Medicare, Medicaid, most Blue Cross Blue Shield plans and Blue Care Network, and additional insurances. No one will be denied access to services due to lack of insurance; there is a discounted/sliding fee schedule available.
Oakland County and United Way for Southeastern Michigan are offering the Oakland Together COVID-Relief Microgrant Initiative. Eligible residents in Oakland County can apply online for a $500 microgrant to cover necessary expenses or gaps in income resulting from the economic repercussions of COVID-19.
Applicants must:
- Be a resident of Oakland County, Michigan
- Be age 18 or older
- Have household income of $70,000 or lower in normal years (pre-COVID)
- Be the only applicant in the household
They must also meet one of the following criteria:
- Disruption of income (lost or reduced income for a period of time, e.g., due to job loss, layoff, furlough, or unpaid leave of absence)
- Reduced income (ongoing reduced income, e.g, due to reduced hours, partial furlough, or reduced tips/commissions)
- Loss or lack of income (no or minimal current income, e.g., due to job loss, layoff, furlough, unpaid leave of absence, or inability to find a new job)
- Increased expenses
- An emergency need or inability to meet a basic need
Applicants should prepare all of the documentation before going online and clicking the apply button, and they will not be able to save their progress. The application must be completed in in one sitting.
To apply, visit http://bit.ly/OCMicroGrants.
Advantage Oakland offers high-value, low, and no-cost training and workshops to help businesses succeed.
November workshop topics include writing a resume, starting a business, growing your current company, pivoting your business to thrive in a new environment, changing your career and much more.
For more information and to register, visit http://bit.ly/TrngWorkshpsOC20.
This October, the “Clean, Drain, Dry, Dispose” pilot program was launched to help prevent spread of aquatic invasive species, and the 2020 Oakland County Native Plants initiative hosted an event to help the spread of invasive plant species. Funding for both programs was approved by the Board earlier this year.
Two self-service, waterless, solar-powered, mobile boat cleaning stations are at the heart of the “Clean, Drain, Dry, Dispose” pilot program, which launched on October 8 at Dodge #4 State Park.
The self-service boat cleaning stations can be used to clean, drain and dry any watercraft, plus dispose of any organisms. Three hand tools allow for manual removal of non-native plants and animals, and solar panels power a vacuum and air blower that prevent accidental transport of organisms left on boats to other bodies of water.
The stations will travel to high-use Oakland County boat launch sites under the direction of Oakland County Parks and Recreation.
In addition, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hosted its Native Plant Scatter and Grow curb-side event on October 16. Nearly 100 kits were distributed to teach residents about the importance and benefits of native plants to our ecosystem and increase the number of native plants throughout the county.
Indigenous plants benefit the environment in a variety of ways, including providing shelter and food for regional insects; birds and other wildlife prefer native plants for food and shelter; plus they help reduce the number of invasive plant species.
The Oakland County Board of Commissioners has announced the Oakland Together Lifeline pilot program, which will launch later this year at select American House Senior Living Communities.
The program originated with ideas from the Oakland County Task Force on COVID-19 Impact on Seniors’ Social Isolation, Loneliness and Health, and aims to reduce isolation among Oakland County’s older adults by using touchless technology to connect seniors to friends, family and others.
As part of the pilot program, Amazon Echo Show devices will be provided directly to residents in selected local senior living facilities for their personal use. The seniors will be taught how to use the devices, without relying on staff for assistance, to stay connected with friends and family.
The pilot will also provide further information on how technology can be used by seniors to feel connected and help inform future Oakland County programming beyond senior living facilities. Social isolation and loneliness, which have been heightened for many during the pandemic, have been linked to many physical and mental health problems including heart disease, diabetes, anxiety and depression.
The Oakland Together Lifeline pilot program is still being finalized with support from Oakland County’s health division and department of information technology.
The Board of Commissioners website has an updated webpage with resources and information related to the Board’s efforts to combat COVID-19. Visit www.oakgov.com/boc and click on “COVID-19 Resources” to visit the page.
Visitors will find a progress report on Oakland County’s efforts to combat this virus in four areas – residents and communities; businesses and workers; education and schools; and health and safety.
In addition, each area has a list of resources related to the topic to help residents find assistance relevant to them.
To find information about COVID-19 testing, community assistance programs and much more, visit www.oakgov.com/boc/Pages/covid.aspx.
Oakland County employers who need talent can apply for a share of $27 million allocated statewide for approved training programs in 2021 under Michigan’s Going PRO Talent Fund.
The fund, which was reinstated by the state, provides grants for employers to hire and train workers to earn industry-recognized credentials in advanced manufacturing, software development, construction trades and robotic operations.
It also allows current workers to expand their skills and creates registered apprenticeships for new employees. Since 2013, county employers have received more than $7.5 million of Going PRO Talent Fund grants.
The application period for grants begins November 2 and ends November 30 at 5 p.m.
Oakland County Michigan Works! is hosting five free virtual information sessions on the Going PRO Talent Fund. Pre-registration for the sessions is required, and the online meetings provide important details about the program, eligibility criteria and the application process.
For the full schedule of sessions and more information, visit www.OakGov.com/GoingPro.
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