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To begin incremental changes to reopen, some healthcare facilities are being granted permission to reopen for elective and nonessential procedure. Where hospitals can spare Personal Protection Equipment to perform those procedures can start doing that May 1st. Governor Brown announced Thursday that she will be lifting her order as long as hospitals and healthcare providers can demonstrate they have met new requirements for COVID-19 safety and preparedness.
Rep. Hayden, a surgical dentist and Vice-Chair of the Oregon Legislature’s House Healthcare Committee said he’s been working to restart the healthcare sector since the executive order to close private practices first went into effect.
“While I respect Governor Brown and other governors across the country are scrambling to flatten virus transmission curves, the decision to shut down private sector health practices is having a negative, second-tier parallel crisis effect to the Covid-19 crisis. This new crisis is being caused by a stoppage of preventative, diagnostic, mental health, and emergent care unrelated to coronavirus, and it’s having damaging effects everywhere healthcare shutdowns have been implemented.”
Thursday afternoon the House passed a $484 Billion funding package that allocates $310 Billion for the Small Business Administration and it’s Paycheck Protection Program. President Trump signed it into law the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act which is set to be available on Monday. This bill enhances the already created programs from the initial CARES Act.
White House Press Release
The latest from Oregon Employment Department, including their first FAQ on PUA.
PUA is a program that provides unemployment benefits to workers not typically covered by regular unemployment insurance benefits. This includes the:
- Self-employed, 1099 contract workers, and gig workers who weren’t already eligible
- Employees whose wages are not reported for unemployment insurance
- Employees who have not earned enough wages or worked enough hours for regular unemployment benefits, and
- People who were going to start work but could not.
MORE INFORMATION about PUA/SEA, click here
Additional UI Information:
The backlog of claims that the Unemployment Insurance program is dealing with is larger than ever. Here are some resources to help if you are experiencing issues with your claims or need to file and to get things moving:
Please reach out to my office if you have done the steps and still can't get a response. Send me an email with your information to: rep.shellyboshartdavis@oregonlegislature.gov
We know a lot of you are waiting patiently, and we are feeling your frustration. We are frustrated too. Hopefully this information helps!
The Joint Emergency Board met on Thursday in a completely virtual setting to vote on several budget issues to help bring relief from COVID-19 complications. The eleven-point list consisted of action items that needed funding with a total allocation of over $30 million to support Oregon’s greatest needs. This committee is designed to convene outside of regular session to fill budget gaps and distribute the federal assistance that has come to Oregon.
Action Item list
Governor Brown’s Press conference last week announced the plans for creating a framework to reopen Oregon. That work is underway to reopen regionally but several other factors need to be met before we can absolute start that process. Some of those factors include a decline in growth rate of new cases, enough supply of personal protective equipment, hospital surge capacity, robust testing, contact tracing, and isolation strategy. These strategies have worked for the most impacted populations but the need to reopen is rapidly becoming a necessity.
Read more about reopening plan here
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will award over $40 billion to health care providers and hospitals. The funding comes as a result of HHS distributing over $40 billion of the $100 billion that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act designated for provider relief. In addition to this funding HHS has already distributed $30 billion nationwide, including $291 million to Oregon.
Read more here.
Friends, if you are interested in the amount of supplies and federal funding provided to Oregon, here is The President's recent 'FEMA COVID-19 By the Numbers' report sent to legislators.
#AmericaWorksTogether
From City of Albany:
The City of Albany offers utility bill relief to Albany businesses closed by COVID-19
"The City of Albany recognizes the impact of Governor Brown’s executive order related to the COVID-19 virus on local businesses and is offering to temporarily suspend water and sewer service and related utility bills. The action is intended to help businesses get through these critical weeks and months and on to recovery.
Closed businesses that are not using water or sewer services should contact the City utility billing office at 541-917-7547 to suspend those services and stop receiving utility bills until service resumes.
If your business has a fire sprinkler system or other private fire suppression system connected to the water meter, please make city staff aware of it when you call. Temporary suspension of service is still available, but the meter for the fire sprinkler would remain in service for fire protection. If any water or sewer usage occurs while service is suspended, the account will be billed accordingly."
Questions? Call utility billing, 541-917-7547
MORE BUSINESS ASSISTANCE in Albany, click here
Our local Fish of Albany’s website is back up!
Our Food Pantry provides emergency food boxes Monday-Friday starting at 3pm by appointment. Please call the office 9am-3pm to make an appointment.
Update from FoA:
** Calling in to request a food box will be the protocol for the duration of the virus event. We will give you a time to pick up your box. We cannot deliver boxes. Distribution will begin at 3pm. Please don’t arrive earlier than your pick-up time. This is for the safety of our staff, volunteers and clients. Thank you! **
We anticipate an increased volume of requests over the next few weeks. Please be patient with us during the busy-ness anticipated and watch for updates here and posted at our service sites. Our services, open hours, etc. could change at any time.
Increased sanitation and social distancing practices will be in place. We appreciate your understanding and compliance.
Our volunteers are awesome! Thank you!
Stay safe and healthy!
For assistance or to make a contribution, click here
Follow Fish of Albany on Facebook
From Salvation Army Corps of Albany:
The Salvation Army Albany Corps Community Center remains open for help as many people have been furloughed or laid off due to COVID-19. We are available Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9am-11:20am for food boxes, personal hygiene items, household items, baby items, and other essentials. We can deliver to those who are shut-in. Please visit us at 345 Columbus St SE, Albany, or call us at 541-928-4774.
Additional resources may be found by visiting albany.recovers.org
District 15 doing great things!
Xtreme Grafx doing what they can to support the community during these tough times.
#AmericaWorksTogether
Reminder: The Oregon Health Authority – OHA: www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus211Info is an excellent source of information about resources and benefits, and they are also ready to answer your questions about coronavirus. They are open seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. by phone (call 211), text (text your ZIP code to 898211) or email (help@211info.org).
Together, we will get through this. Be kind to one another and reach out if you or a loved one need assistance.
Better together,
 Follow me on FACEBOOK and TWITTER for up-to-date information.
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1415
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-389, Salem, OR 97301
Email: Rep.ShellyBoshartDavis@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/boshartdavis
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