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Greetings:
Today, thirty-one counties are in Phase One of Oregon’s Reopening Framework. Approved counties can begin reopening businesses, restaurants and bars and other personal services with certain limitations. In addition, new guidelines will also take into effect for all counties that are not entering Phase 1. This does not eliminate physical distancing requirements, and will be crucial moving forward to protect public health. Multnomah County is not approved for Phase 1 reopening and will continue to evaluate the phases of reopening the economy based on a health equity framework, prioritizing those at greater risk and adapting as necessary to the evolving situation. The Multnomah County Status Report Log details information on the progress the county is making to meet reopening criteria. More information on the specific criteria for from the Governor’s office is available here.
Oregon Health Authority Update The Oregon Health Authority reports up-to-date information regarding testing statistics that can be found on their website. You can review the daily update and read the weekly report that details the overall picture of the COVID-19 response across government agencies. Here are some recent developments from OHA:
- Oregon Health Authority has learned of the state’s first case of pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome, a rare but emerging condition in children that is believed to be associated with COVID-19 infection.
- The Oregon Health Authority is amplifying efforts to recruit healthcare professionals to join the State Emergency Registry of Volunteers in Oregon (SERV-OR) as Governor Kate Brown advances plans for safely reopening Oregon. Health care professionals can register to volunteer with SERV-OR at SERV-OR.org.
Emergency Board Update The Emergency Board met today at 1 p.m. to discuss the distribution of federal coronavirus response funds.If you would like to review the agenda items that were discussed, read through meeting materials, or access the livestream of the meeting, you can access that information here. Funding will go to many important areas that have been significantly impacted by COVID-19 such as:
- Payroll expenses for public safety, public health, health care, human services and similar employees whose services are substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the public health emergency
- Expenses to facilitate distance learning, in connection with school closings
- Expenses to improve telework capabilities for public employees to enable compliance with public health precautions
- COVID-19 related expenses of maintaining state prisons and county jails
- Expenses for care for homeless populations
- Expenses related to the provision of grants to small businesses to reimburse the costs of business interruption caused by required closures
- Expenditures related to a payroll support program for Unemployment Insurance costs if such costs will not be reimbursed by the federal government
Department of Corrections Coronavirus Update The Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) recently participated in a town hall event focusing on COVID-19 with the Coos County Public Health Department and the Oregon Health Authority. The recorded meeting can be found here. Some of the highlights that were shared include:
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Prevention Plans and Protocols for adults in custody (AIC)
- Physical distancing guidelines in place
- Comprehensive training and personal protective equipment for (AIC) job assignments.
Food Benefits For Families You may be eligible for food assistance or other benefits if you are waiting for an unemployment claim to get processed. For Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP), DHS will take it into account if you have been laid off or lost hours recently when they calculate your benefit. If you have a child who qualifies for free or reduced lunch, you will receive Pandemic EBT (P-EBT), an additional benefit to ensure access to groceries and healthy food for families. Benefits will be issued to families with children enrolled in Kindergarten through 12th grade. Families can receive P-EBT and also receive grab and go meals being offered through their child’s school. For more information about this program click here.
Please reach out to my office if you have any additional questions, or if there’s anything you think I could help with.
Sincerely,
 Representative Barbara Smith Warner
House District 45
email: Rep.BarbaraSmithWarner@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1445
address: 900 Court St NE, H-295, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/smithwarner
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