Baker-Polito Administration Announces Extension of School and Non-Emergency Child Care Program Closures, Continued Steps to Support COVID-19 Response

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Extension of School and Non-Emergency Child Care Program Closures, Continued Steps to Support COVID-19 Response

New measures include deferred student loan payments, updated remote learning guidance and enacting legislation to protect residents from evictions and foreclosures

BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced new actions to support the ongoing COVID-19 response, including extending the closure of all public and private schools through the end of the school year, and the closure of all non-emergency child care programs until June 29, 2020. The Administration also announced further support for students and families impacted by COVID-19.

Schools and Non-Emergency Child Care Programs: Governor Charlie Baker issued an emergency order extending the closure of all public and private schools through the end of the school year, and the closure of all non-emergency child care programs until June 29, 2020 in an effort to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth.

·        This order expands the March 25 order suspending normal educational operations at schools and non-emergency child care programs. The Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) established a process to approve Exempt Emergency Child Care Programs to serve families of first responders, medical personnel and essential workers.

·        Emergency Child Care programs approved by EEC will continue operating. Currently there are 523 emergency child care programs statewide serving families of essential workers. Weekly attendance averages about 2,500 children in these programs across the Commonwealth.

·        EEC will continue to pay subsidies to child care providers based on their pre-COVID-19 enrollment, in order to support the workforce.

·        The order does not apply to residential special education schools.

Read the Orders here: K-12 School Order Link | Child Care Program Link

Child Care Program Resources: The Department of Early Education and Care is reviewing its regulations and funding programs to develop new approaches to incrementally restore child care capacity for family child care and center-based programs in the coming months.

• To support families of essential workers and families with children who have special needs, EEC and Care.com have partnered to assist currently unemployed child care workers and provide skilled in-home care. Care.com is offering both eligible families and child care workers free 90-day premium memberships, accessible here.

• Complementing the existing partnership between WGBH and DESE, EEC is launching further collaboration with WGBH to provide resources and activities for parents with young children.

Remote Learning Resources: The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will issue updated guidelines for schools to support remote learning efforts through the duration of the school year, including expanded STEM learning, and will prepare recommendations to strengthen summer learning opportunities for students.

• DESE has launched a Remote Learning Essentials initiative, focused on addressing access to tools, Internet connectivity, and educator training necessary to enhance remote learning during school closures.

• The department is conducting a survey of school districts to identify barriers that inhibit effective remote learning, including challenges around inequitable access to technology.

• An advisory group of administrators, educators, parents, students and business leaders will engage external partners to mobilize resources for schools, including philanthropic gifts and in-kind contributions.

• DESE will also solicit input from national and local education vendors regarding the potential to create a statewide online education platform for districts to opt into and customize.

STEM Learning: In partnership with EEC, DHE, the STEM Advisory Council and Regional STEM Networks, DESE has established online STEM education resources to provide continued support for remote learning opportunities. This includes virtual STEM learning opportunities for both students and teachers, and is accessible here.

No-Interest Student Loan Program: The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE) is deferring scheduled repayments for its No-Interest Loan Program for a duration of four months to support relief efforts during the COVID-19 public health emergency. These deferments will help approximately 12,000 students that participate in the $5 million program annually funded through the repayment of loans.

• All no-interest loan accounts currently in repayment will automatically be placed in a deferment from April 2020 through July 2020. This deferment will not count toward the program’s permissible 36 months of available deferment.

• If a payment has already been made for April, that payment will be applied to the outstanding balance and not refunded. While accounts are in deferment, borrowers who wish to continue monthly payments may do so, without incurring late fees until July 31, 2020.

• Accounts currently 120 days past due will not be placed into collections until August 2020, and regular credit bureau reporting will resume at the end of August.

Eviction and Foreclosure Protections: Yesterday, Governor Baker signed legislation into law to protect homeowners and tenants from eviction and foreclosure. An Act providing for a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures during the COVID-19 emergency ensures housing stability for residents and families, and can be read in its entirety here.

波士頓慈濟馳援抗疫 陸續發放10萬件醫療用品

(波士頓慈濟提供)

                     (Boston Orange 周菊子麻州綜合報導) 慈濟基金會波士頓聯絡處陸續獲得美國總會與台灣本會支援10萬件醫療用品，現正擴大濟助遭受新型冠狀病毒(COVID-19)打擊人士，另呼籲各界響應捐款，以期善長上限50萬元的比照捐款得以加倍。

美國的新型冠狀病毒(COVID-19)疫情，從3月起惡化。慈濟基金會波士頓聯絡處的師兄，師姐們，一直默默努力，分頭搜尋資源，把外科用口罩，N95口罩，KN95口罩，護目鏡等抗疫醫療用品，分送到各個醫院，老人院，看護中心等地，幫助病人，院民及醫護人員防疫。

截至4月19日，慈濟基金會波士頓聯絡處已送出2萬餘件這些醫療用品，同時還送上了祝福包。

日前，波士頓經文處轉述一名80餘歲台灣阿嬤買不到防疫口罩，非常焦急，擔心自己出外購物，搭地鐵，電梯時，容易被感染。波士頓慈濟新任負責人金滿師姐聞訊不及一小時，就已率同慈濟志工，把內有口罩，酒精消毒液和素食餅乾的慈濟防疫祝福包，送到台灣阿嬤手中。金滿師姐還代購了麵包、牛奶和雞蛋送上，讓阿嬤大為感動，

(波士頓慈濟提供)

本身是第一線醫護人員的波士頓慈濟廚藝能手蕭惠菁，也早從3月20日就知道布里吉婦女醫院(Brigham and Women's Hospital)等醫院的醫護人員急缺個人防護用品，和波士頓慈濟志工們向洛杉磯，紐約慈濟分會，以及波士頓各個群組搜尋，撥打了無數通電話，在週末的短短兩日內，募集1000個醫用防護口罩，8個N95口罩，一起捐給了布里吉婦女醫院的護理師公會。

(波士頓慈濟提供)

慈濟師姐李以蕙表示，新型冠狀病毒的肆虐，竟使治療病患的醫護人員都成了需要救助對象，最是讓人痛心。這一，二個月來，波士頓慈濟和各個善長仁翁攜手合作，為遭逢打擊，匱乏資源的人送上他們急需的用品與愛心。很多熱心人默默努力，奉獻，讓人十分感動。

慈濟美國總會與台灣本會，最近又先後運送10萬件醫療用品到波士頓，本地慈濟志工刻正計畫擴大防疫物資發放範圍，在醫護單位之外，先照顧其他領域的第一線工作人員，包括在機場，警察、消防單位服務的人們，之後再考慮照顧沒有口罩的一般民眾。

慈濟波士頓聯絡處新任負責人金滿師姊(左)也親自出門送口罩。
(波士頓慈濟提供)

波士頓慈濟表示，該聯絡處在捐贈醫療物資給醫護單位之外，同時發放熱食，濟助因疫情失業，生活出現困難人士。一些曾經接受慈濟經濟協助的個案，在這COVID-19大流行期間，也回來聯絡慈濟，尋求濟助。慈濟將陸續接受失業急難救濟金申請，在疫情穩定後，也將辦理物資發放，向需要協助家庭伸出援手。

 一名心地善良的企業家，最近表示，願意以50萬元為上限，比照慈濟所募款額來捐贈。波士頓慈濟因此呼籲各界踴躍捐款，以期愛心善意得以加倍。

波士頓慈濟強調，唯有攜手同心，才能弭平世紀災疫，疫情一日不平息，慈濟的”撫平美國疫情線”愛心濟助活動，就會堅持下去。查詢相關訊息或需要協助，可電洽617-762-0569 。(更新版 2)

台灣送給麻州10萬口罩

駐波士頓經文處處長徐佑典(中)送口罩給麻州政府，旁為麻州眾議員
黃子安(左)，MOITI主任Mark Sullivan(右)。(經文處提供)

                      (Boston Orange)為響應麻州貝克州長(Charlie Baker)呼籲支援麻州醫護人員個人防護裝備需求，駐波士頓辦事處徐處長佑典代表中華民國政府於本(109)年4月20日捐贈麻州政府十萬片醫療用口罩。上揭口罩已轉交麻州緊急事務管理署(Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency)，後續將由麻州政府陸續分送予第一線醫療照護人員使用，以實際行動展現台灣協助麻州政府共同抗疫!

(經文處提供)

蔡英文總統在本年四月初宣布，在台美醫療合作架構下，台灣除每週提供美聯邦政府十萬片口罩外，並再捐贈美國兩百萬片及其他疫情嚴重之友好國家八百萬片口罩，共同對抗疫情。台灣雖迄仍無法參與世界衛生組織(WHO)，但我們堅信防疫無國界，國際社會應該團結起來，彼此幫助，協力共度這場史無前例的全球危機。

(經文處提供)

台灣與麻州一向享有深厚友誼及長遠合作。此次捐贈的十萬片口罩全部均為台灣製造，並由台灣直接運抵麻州，更為麻州政府在疫情爆發後，首次接獲之外國政府直接援贈。台灣珍視與麻州的夥伴關係，將繼續共同攜手合作，一同度過難關。

除了前述的捐贈之外，本處也與麻州台灣人社團共同合作募款，將自台灣訂購的三千片口罩，以及由麻州台灣媽媽團隊手工縫紉的布口罩，捐贈給波士頓市警局、波士頓消防局，以及麻州交通局(MBTA)。麻州州政府、波士頓市政府及相關受贈之單位對來自台灣的愛心均表示由衷感謝。(波士頓經文處提供)

MAYOR WALSH RELEASES NEW MAP WITH TESTING SITES IN THE CITY OF BOSTON

MAYOR WALSH RELEASES NEW MAP WITH TESTING SITES IN THE CITY OF BOSTON

BOSTON - Monday, April 20, 2020 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) today launched a new mapping tool to help Boston residents find locations offering COVID-19 testing. The City of Boston is partnering with community health centers to increase access to testing, particularly in neighborhoods experiencing higher rates of COVID-19. "Every community deserves full access to COVID-19 testing. We will continue to work to expand access to testing for all residents across Boston, particularly our hardest hit communities," said Mayor Walsh. "Access to neighborhood-based testing will help us quickly identify cases, and get people the care and support needed to recover and prevent the further spread of COVID-19" According to the latest data from the Boston Public Health Commission, Hyde Park had 413 reported cases of COVID-19, Mattapan had 298, Dorchester had 1,274, East Boston had 410, Roxbury had 335, Roslindale had 302, and the South End had 372.   The map is available on boston.gov/coronavirus and bphc.org/coronavirus. Residents are asked to call ahead for pre-screening and to schedule an appointment. Residents can click on the interactive map to find the testing center with hours, address and contact information. It will be updated as new sites become available for testing. TESTING FACILITY ADDRESS CONTACT  Codman Square Health Center 637 Washington Street Dorchester, MA 02124 (617) 822-8271 The Dimock Center 55 Dimock Street Roxbury, MA 02119 (617) 442-8800 DotHouse Health 1353 Dorchester Avenue Dorchester, MA 02122 (617) 740-2292 Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center 632 Blue Hill Avenue Dorchester, MA 02121 (617) 825-3400 Mattapan Community Health Center 1575 Blue Hill Avenue Mattapan, MA 02126 (617) 296-0061 Whittier Street Health Center 1290 Tremont Street Roxbury, MA 02120 (617) 427-1000 East Boston Neighborhood Health Center 10 Gove Street  East Boston, MA 02128 (617) 569-5800 Upham's Corner Health Center 415 Columbia Road Dorchester, MA 02125 (617) 388-5007 Bowdoin Street Health Center 230 Bowdoin Street Dorchester, MA 02122 (617) 754-0100 Brigham and Women's Faulkner Community Physicians at Hyde Park 1337 Hyde Park Avenue Hyde Park, MA 02136 (617) 364-9880 Brigham and Women's Hospital (Boston main campus) 75 Francis Street Boston, MA 02115 (617) 732-5500 Carney Hospital 2100 Dorchester Avenue Dorchester, MA 02124 (617) 296-4000 Massachusetts General Hospital  55 Fruit Street Boston, MA 02114 (617) 726-2000 St. Elizabeth Medical Center 736 Cambridge Street Brighton, MA 02135 (617) 789-3000 Tufts Medical Center 800 Washington Street Boston, MA 02111 (617) 636-7216 Testing is free regardless of insurance or immigration status. Residents are encouraged to call the Mayor's Health Line at (617) 534-5050 to help with health insurance applications, navigating Boston's health care system, and with COVID-19 questions. Last week, Mayor Walsh and the Resiliency Fund Steering Committee announced additional funds for organizations that provide critical services and support to residents, vulnerable populations and Boston families whose wellbeing is most immediately impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency.  The East Boston Community Health Center received funding in the first round of fund distribution and will be expanding their testing to East Boston clients, in addition to first responders. Six community health centers in neighborhoods seeing higher incidences of COVID-19 to expand their testing capabilities for residents, including: Bowdoin Street Community Health Center Codman Square Community Health Center DotHouse Health Mattapan Community Health Center Uphams Corner Community Health Center Whittier Street Community Health Center Resources and information about COVID-19 are available online. Resources available on boston.gov and through City departments include support for renters and homeowners; small businesses; free meals for Boston students and families; free toiletries for Boston students; emergency childcare centers; support for older residents; information on homeless shelters; transportation options for health care workers; resources for those in recovery or those who have a substance use disorder; and mental health resources.  For additional questions or programs, please visit our coronavirus website or call 3-1-1, Boston's 24-hour constituent hotline. Text BOSCOVID to 888-777 to receive text alerts on a regular basis, available in 11 languages.

CITY OF BOSTON EXPANDS COVID-19 TEXT SERVICE TO INCLUDE 11 LANGUAGES

CITY OF BOSTON EXPANDS COVID-19 TEXT SERVICE TO INCLUDE 11 LANGUAGES

Enhanced language capacity to target over 37 percent of Boston residents that speak another language at home

BOSTON - Monday, April 20, 2020 - In an effort to ensure all of Boston's communities get timely and accurate information about COVID-19, Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the City of Boston's text alert service is now available in Somali, Chinese, Arabic, Vietnamese, and Russian, in addition to English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, French, Cabo Verdean Creole, and Portuguese. Texts are sent daily with information such as Boston case numbers, local updates about the spread of the virus, preventative measures to mitigate the spread, and city resources.  "It's important that the critical public health information we are sharing with our residents reaches every person in the language they speak so that collectively as a city we can be informed about the seriousness of this virus, and work together to stop its spread," said Mayor Walsh. "I am glad that we're further expanding our multilingual capacity by adding five additional languages to our text alert service."  Residents can text BOSCOVID to the City of Boston's new number 888-777 to opt-in to alerts in English and the following keywords to opt-in to alerts in the languages below:  Text BOSEspanol to 888-777 for Spanish Text BOSKreyol to 888-777 for Haitian Creole Text BOSFrancais to 888-777 for French Text BOSKriolu to 888-777 for Cabo Verdean Creole Text BOSPortugues to 888-777 for Portuguese Text BOSSoomali to 888-777 for Somali Text BOSChi to 888-777 for Simplified Chinese Text BOSbilAraby to 888-777 for for Arabic Text BOSViet to 888-777 for for Vietnamese  Text BOSRus to 888-777 for for Russian Residents who had previously subscribed under the former number used by the City will automatically continue receiving these text message alert updates, and there is no need to re-subscribe. Any resident who has questions is encouraged to call 311 to be connected with a telephonic interpreter, or through the Mayor's Health Line at (617) 534-5050. Updates in these languages can additionally be accessed through boston.gov/coronavirus#multilingual-help. Each language has its own page and hosts multilingual print materials distributed citywide:  Arabic: boston.gov/covid-19-ar  Cabo Verdean Creole: boston.gov/covid-19-cv Simplified Chinese: boston.gov/covid-19-zh Spanish: boston.gov/covid-19-es Somali: boston.gov/covid-19-so Russian: boston.gov/covid-19-ru Vietnamese: boston.gov/covid-19-vi French: boston.gov/covid-19-fr  Portuguese (Brazil): boston.gov/covid-19-pt Haitian Creole: boston.gov/covid-19-hc In addition to providing multilingual information via text alerts and Boston.gov, City of Boston employees and volunteers delivered printed information on COVID-19 to all homes in Boston in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cabo Verdean Creole and Russian, with additional printed materials online in  Portuguese,Arabic and Somali. The City of Boston has also deployed sound trucks throughout the hardest-hit neighborhoods to encourage residents to stay healthy and safe during the coronavirus pandemic. Mayor Walsh, along with many City employees, have been doing weekly robocalls for thousands of Boston adults over 60 years of age in multiple languages. Bilingual members of Mayor Walsh's team have also been conducting interviews with ethnic media to relay information in multiple languages. The Mayor's press conferences have provided ASL interpretation and English captioning on live streams. For more information on the City's response to COVID-19, please visit boston.gov/coronavirus.

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Implementation Of CARES Act Unemployment Benefits For Self-Employed, Gig Economy And Other Workers

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Implementation Of CARES Act Unemployment Benefits For Self-Employed, Gig Economy And Other Workers

Residents Can Now Apply For Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program

BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration announced today that Massachusetts residents who are not eligible for regular unemployment benefits can now apply online for the new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program.

The new federal PUA program provides up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits who are unable to work because of a COVID-19-related reason but are not eligible for regular or extended unemployment benefits. This includes self-employed workers, independent contractors, gig economy workers, and those with limited work history. Applicants can learn more and apply at www.mass.gov/pua.

“As a Commonwealth, we are committed to doing everything in our power, and moving as urgently as possible to get workers impacted by the COVID-19 crisis the benefits they deserve,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “With the implementation of this new federal benefit program, we can better support workers not normally covered by the unemployment system like those who are self-employed or work in the gig economy.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the lives of workers across the Commonwealth, and our Administration is doing everything we can to help,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “The implementation of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program in Massachusetts is another important step in our efforts to help those who are economically disrupted by this virus.”

To be eligible for this new program, individuals must provide self-certification that they are otherwise able and available to work but are prevented from doing so by circumstances relating to COVID-19, including their own illness or that of a family member.

Those able to telework with pay and individuals receiving paid sick or other leave will not qualify for PUA. Individuals receiving paid sick leave or other paid leave benefits for less than their customary work week, however, may still be eligible for PUA. Also, those working fewer hours, resulting in a loss of income due to COVID-19, who are not eligible for regular unemployment benefits may be eligible for PUA.

“It is vital that our workforce gets the resources and help they need during this critical time,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Rosalin Acosta. “I’m proud of everything our team is doing to rapidly implement new programs, and ensure that as many eligible workers as possible get some relief.”

The federal CARES Act signed into law on March 27 created PUA, as well as another temporary federal program called Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) that provides an additional $600 weekly benefit for those receiving unemployment benefits or PUA. FPUC provides that additional benefit through July 25, 2020. The Commonwealth announced implementation of FPUC earlier this month.

All approved PUA applications will initially receive the minimum weekly benefit amount, plus the additional $600 FPUC weekly benefit. Once a worker’s wages are verified, weekly benefit amounts may increase. The amount of PUA benefits received is based on the individual’s reported previous income. PUA benefits may not be more than the state's maximum weekly benefit rate for regular unemployment, which is $823 in Massachusetts.

Weekly benefits, including any increase to your weekly benefit amount, will be retroactive to January 27, 2020, or the date when you became unemployed, whichever is more recent, as long as you became unable to work because of a COVID-19 related reason.

PUA Application Process:

To apply, individuals must provide their Social Security number or US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) number if not a citizen of the United States, and their wage records for 2019, which includes 1099 forms, pay stubs, or bank statements. Applicants will also need the Social Security numbers and dates of birth for dependent children and, if requesting direct deposit for payment, your bank account and routing numbers. A full list of required documents is available at www.mass.gov/pua.

Please note that, initially, the system can only pay benefits retroactively to the week ending March 14, 2020. Eligible workers will be able to certify for benefits, and will be able to request benefits retroactively to January 27, 2020, if their dates of unemployment make them eligible.

Individuals who are determined ineligible for PUA will receive a written disqualification along with information on how to pursue an appeal. Additional information about the appeals process will be separately posted at a later date. Please visit www.mass.gov/dua for the latest information.