Update: April 3 8:30 p.m. – State Response to Coronavirus

Friends and Neighbors,

Governor Lamont this evening announced additional SNAP benefits are available to qualified households, DSS has extended the deadline for winter heating assistance, and there will be a 10 percent across-the-board increase in Medicaid payments to long term care facilities. The governor also asked for volunteers to help provide services at many different types of providers, such as food banks, deliveries to the elderly, shelters, and more.

In a press release tonight, Governor Lamont announced:

Connecticut Labor Department provides updates following number of unemployment benefits applications

The Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) has processed more than 90,000 of the over 250,000 unemployment claims filed in less than three weeks by residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of claims recently received far exceeds the amount the agency typically receives in one year.

While the numbers are staggering, they are not unique to Connecticut. Unemployment claims are up in record numbers across the country, and everyone is doing their best to process claims as quickly as possible. Nationwide, approximately 6,648,000 seasonally adjusted initial claims were filed for the week ending March 28, an increase of 3,341,000 from the previous week. This marks the highest level of seasonally adjusted initial claims in the history of the seasonally adjusted series.

“The agency is working diligently to serve its residents and appreciates the public’s patience as it works to process the thousands of claims that have been filed as a result of the pandemic,” Labor Commissioner Kurt Westby said. “We want to let people know that although it will take some time, all eligible claims will be processed, paid, and retroactive to the date they were filed.”

Agency employees are working overtime and weekends to ensure benefits are paid as quickly as possible. Westby said the estimated backlog is approximately five weeks. More than 80 employees are processing claims – a significant increase from the 20 typically processing new applications – and additional staff will continue to be trained to assist in the upcoming days and weeks.

To speed up the processing of their claims, unemployed residents who have not yet filed should:

• Visit www.filectui.com
• Click the link that says “For quicker payment of unemployment benefit, please follow these instructions”
• Information will be provided on filing claims as a “Temporary Shutdown” option and provide guidance on entering a return to work date.

For residents that have already filed a claim, Westby noted that it is very important they check their email (including junk and spam folders) daily for updated messages from CTDOL. Messages may include next steps or a request that claimants log back onto their claim since following these instructions will help speed up processing.

For additional information read the list of Frequently Asked Questions the agency created related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of the CARES Act that was approved by Congress last week, CTDOL is also tasked with administering several federal stimulus unemployment benefit programs. The agency is fortunate to be part of the ReEmployUSA five-state consortium made up of Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. Although the state joined the consortium to build a new benefits system more quickly, it is now lending its expertise to help develop necessary programming that will provide the federal benefit programs more quickly.

“Our employees appreciate the support we have received from the public, the Governor’s Office, and other agencies, including technical support from BEST and human resource help from the Department of Administrative Services. The agency has helped people survive economic recessions, but this is the first pandemic we have faced when providing unemployment benefits. We know bills need to be paid and how important it is to provide this economic lifeline to our residents.”

State reminds businesses that small businesses can apply for federal assistance under the recently adopted CARES Act

Governor Lamont, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner David Lehman, and Department of Banking Commissioner Jorge Perez are encouraging small businesses and sole proprietors to reach out directly to their banks and credit unions to apply for the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The program was recently created by Congress as part of the CARES Act to respond to the nationwide COVID-19 crisis.

Administered by the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA), the program authorizes up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses that keep all their employees on the payroll for eight weeks and can use the money for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities. Seventy-five percent of the money must be used for payroll.

Businesses and sole proprietorships should contact their banks and credit unions directly to access the loans. They should also closely review the information and application form for borrowers on the U.S. Treasury Department’s website prior to contacting their banks and credit unions. This will help identify the documents needed to collected and present during the application process.

Commissioner Perez is reminding those involved that since this is a brand new program that is still under development by the federal government, it may take a bit longer than anticipated as the first several days are expected to be very busy.

Additional information about PPP can be read on SBA’s website.

The governor’s full press release can be read here: https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/04-2020/Governor-Lamont-Coronavirus-Update-April-3

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Additional SNAP benefits for nearly 100,000 households

The Department of Social Services is providing Emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to nearly half of Connecticut SNAP participants on April 9 and April 20, 2020. Authorized by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, the extra food benefits will go to approximately 97,000 households not currently receiving the maximum benefits allowed for their household size. This means that all households enrolled in SNAP will receive the maximum food benefit allowable for their household size, even if they aren’t usually eligible for the maximum benefit. More information at www.ct.gov/snap.

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Department of Social Services extends deadline to apply for winter home-heating assistance

The Department of Social Services today announced that it is extending the application period for the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program. Residents will now have until June 1, 2020 to apply for assistance to help cover this past winter’s heating bills (the previous deadline was May 1). For application sites and eligibility information, visit ct.gov/staywarm, call 2-1-1, text CTWARM to 898-211, or contact a community action agency.

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Governor Lamont Announces Extensive Measures to Support Connecticut’s Long-Term Care Facilities, Staff, and Residents

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced a series of major actions his administration is taking to support Connecticut long-term care facilities, staff, and residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effective immediately, the state’s 213 nursing homes are receiving a 10 percent across-the-board increase in Medicaid payments to help meet extraordinary costs from the public health emergency, Governor Lamont said.

The payment increase will be applied toward employee wages, including staff retention bonuses, overtime, and shift incentive payments; and new costs related to screening of visitors, personal protective equipment, and cleaning and housekeeping supplies.

More information can be found here: https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/04-2020/Governor-Lamont-Announces-Extensive-Measures-to-Support-Connecticuts-Long-Term-Care-Facilities

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Governor Lamont Urges Volunteers From the General Public to Participate in Connecticut’s COVID-19 Response Efforts 

Volunteers of All Backgrounds Can Register at ct.gov/coronavirus

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and a large number of state officials and nonprofit providers are urging Connecticut residents to consider taking on a volunteer role in their communities to help respond to the COVID-19 crisis. While the state already began a campaign seeking out volunteers who have health care experience, today the state is launching a campaign seeking volunteers from the general public who are needed for other services at many different types of providers, such as food banks, deliveries to the elderly, shelters, and more.

The governor stressed that the COVID-19 outbreak is having a wide-ranging impact, and that means a large amount of skill sets are required to ensure that every community in Connecticut has the resources they need to combat this pandemic.

Volunteers from the general public will be matched with a community provider in need. Here are the basics:

• Volunteers must be 18 or older, and should not volunteer if at risk or compromised. Those who are immunocompromised, over 60, showing symptoms of COVID-19, or live with or care for someone in any of those categories should avoid being in public, including for volunteer efforts. Please stay safe, stay home.
• Volunteers do not need to be health care workers. In addition to calling on physicians, nurses, and other medical professionals who may be retired, the state needs community members to help out at food banks, food deliveries to the elderly, and at shelters in a number of ways.
• For those who do have a background in health care, the state’s medical community has specific needs at this time. Hospitals have advised the state that they have a high need for critical care nurses and repository therapists.
• Every effort is being made to keep volunteers safe. The state and all of the organizations involved are working hard to make sure that everyone helping out can do so as safely as possible. If any volunteers have concerns, they are strongly urged to ask about the safety protocols of the organization they are volunteering.
• Volunteers will be sent where they are most needed and feel most comfortable. The volunteer process is centralized so that the state and participating organizations have a clear picture of everyone who can help, and everything that is needed. That way, volunteers can be matched with an opportunity that is most in need of that person’s skillset.

The Lamont administration and the State of Connecticut are grateful to the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD), which has made the Disaster Assistance Response Technology database available to help manage the statewide volunteer effort for this emergency, as well as the Connecticut VOAD chapter for their support.

Anyone interested in volunteering should register at: ct.gov/coronavirus

More information can be found here: https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/04-2020/Governor-Lamont-Urges-Volunteers-From-the-General-Public

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As of 4:00 p.m. tonight – Friday, April 3rd – the state has diagnosed a total of cases of 4914 Coronavirus. Updated virus totals can be accessed here: https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus

Governor Lamont also said the state death toll related to Coronavirus has risen to 131. 

Latest COVID-19 Testing Data in Connecticut 

Updated 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 3, 2020

Total patients who tested positive: 4914

Fairfield County: 2716

Hartford County: 679

Litchfield County: 173

Middlesex County: 91

New Haven County: 891

New London County: 40

Tolland County: 79

Windham County: 27

Pending address validation: 218