Update: April 24 8:00 p.m. – State Response to Coronavirus

Friends and Neighbors,

Governor Lamont this evening announced Executive Order 7FF.

The Order expands the definition of telehealth services to permit Medicaid-enrolled providers offering covered services to “new or established patients” to use audio-only telephone

Governor Lamont also provided an updated list of nursing homes with residents who have tested positive for COVID-19, along with corresponding data regarding the number of related fatalities among residents in each facility.

He announced the SBA will resume taking applications for business assistance under the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program beginning Monday morning at 10:30, and announced that Raytheon Technologies is donating more than $3 million worth of charter transportation and personal protective equipment (PPE) to the State for distribution to first responders and front line health care professionals.

To watch the full video of the governor’s afternoon press conference, please click here:

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-24

The Executive Order can be read here: https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/04-2020/Governor-Lamont-Coronavirus-Update-April-24

Executive Order No. 7FF enacts the following provision:

• Additional flexibility for Medicaid-enrolled providers to perform telehealth through audio-only methods for new patients: Expands the definition of telehealth services in order to permit Medicaid-enrolled providers offering covered telehealth services to “new or established patients” who are Medicaid recipients to engage in telehealth through the use of audio-only telephone.

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Governor Lamont announces federal approval of $72.3 million in new SNAP food benefits for children in free and reduced-price school lunch program

Governor Lamont announced that the State of Connecticut received federal approval today for its plan to provide $72.3 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to children eligible for the free and reduced-price meals program. Authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the new Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) program is expected to bring food benefits to about 270,000 Connecticut children who are not able to receive meals at school.

The Department of Social Services (DSS) initially estimates that it will issue approximately $34 million to 70,000 SNAP-eligible households and $38.3 million to 80,000 non-SNAP-eligible households for school closures extending from March 17 through May 20. DSS partnered with the State Department of Education on the plan approved today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Services.

DSS estimates that SNAP benefits will be deposited in EBT accounts beginning in mid-May. Families do not need to apply for these benefits, as children are automatically eligible because school is not in session. The planned benefit is $267.90 per child enrolled in the free and reduced-price meals program. Additional benefits may be provided if school closures extend beyond May 20. Further information will be posted as it becomes available at www.ct.gov/snap.

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Residents encouraged to consider non-perishable food donations to Connecticut’s food pantries

Governor Lamont is encouraging Connecticut residents with extra canned and other non-perishable food items to make a donation to a food pantry in their area. To find local food pantries, visit www.211ct.org/foodpantries. Monetary donations are also welcome, as are monetary donations to Connecticut’s regional food banks – Foodshare and the Connecticut Food Bank.

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SBA Resuming Paycheck Protection Program/EIDL

The SBA will resume taking applications for business assistance under the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program beginning Monday morning at 10:30.

The new package includes:

• An additional $320 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program with a greater focus on helping small businesses:
• Minimum of $30 billion in PPP will be set aside for community development financial institutions, banks and credit unions with less than $10 billion in assets.
• Another $30 billion in PPP at least will go to banks and credit unions with assets between $10 billion and $50 billion.
• An additional $60 billion in loans and grants for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program. (This program provides a $10,000 emergency grants as well as loans for eligible businesses)

Businesses should contact their banks as soon as possible to check on previously submitted applications or to file a new application

The SBA website will have updated info shortly: https://www.sba.gov/

Joint Statement by Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin and SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza on the Resumption of the Paycheck Protection Program

WASHINGTON — U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin and Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) Jovita Carranza issued the following statement today on the resumption of the Payroll Protection Program (PPP):

“We are pleased that President Trump has signed into law the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, which provides critical additional funding for American workers and small businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. We want to thank Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, and Leader McCarthy for working with us on a bipartisan basis to ensure that the Paycheck Protection Program is funded so that small businesses can keep hardworking Americans on the payroll.

The Small Business Administration will resume accepting PPP loan applications on Monday, April 27 at 10:30AM EDT from approved lenders on behalf of any eligible borrower. This will ensure that SBA has properly coded the system to account for changes made by the legislation.

All eligible borrowers who need these funds should work with an approved lender to apply. Borrowers should carefully review PPP regulations and guidance and the certifications required to obtain a loan.

The SBA website will have updated info shortly: https://www.sba.gov/

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Governor Lamont Announces $3 Million Donation of Personal Protective Equipment by Raytheon Technologies to Connecticut for Use by First Responders and Health Care Professionals

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that Raytheon Technologies – the recently merged company consisting of Raytheon Company and United Technologies – is donating more than $3 million worth of charter transportation and personal protective equipment (PPE) to the State of Connecticut’s relief supplies, which will be distributed by the state to first responders and front line health care professionals.

The donation includes 455,000 KN95 medical masks, 325,000 surgical masks, 120,000 protective coveralls, and 4,500 ICU coveralls. The gear is being purchased from suppliers in China and shipped to the Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security commodities warehouse, where it will be sorted and delivered to those in need through a joint operation with the Connecticut National Guard. The Raytheon Technologies team on the ground in China coordinated the logistics of the acquisition and air travel to the United States. The first shipment is scheduled to arrive in Connecticut on Sunday.

More information can be found here: https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/04-2020/Governor-Lamont-Announces-Donation-of-Personal-Protective-Equipment-by-Raytheon-to-Connecticut

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As of 4:00 p.m. tonight – Friday, April 24^th – the state has diagnosed a total of 23921 cases of Coronavirus. Updated virus totals and Town-by-Town statistics can be accessed here: https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus

The total statewide number of COVID-19 associated fatalities is 1764.

Latest COVID-19 Testing Data in Connecticut

Updated 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 24, 2020

Total patients who tested positive: 23921

Fairfield County: 10227

Hartford County: 4570

Litchfield County: 808

Middlesex County: 561

New Haven County: 6286

New London County: 448

Tolland County: 375

Windham County: 139

Pending address validation: 507