March 12th Newsletter
Many thanks to those of you who were able to join my virtual town hall earlier this week. I appreciate your comments and questions regarding the 2021 legislative session. As I shared during the meeting, and have summarized in these newsletters, we were able to pass transformative legislation, including the repeal of the death penalty and legalization of marijuana - laws that I did not think would come to fruition in my lifetime.
As I also shared during the town hall, my office is here to serve you throughout the year, not just during the legislative session. Please contact us via email at delrwillett@house.virginia.gov or phone at 804-698-1073 with questions or requests for assistance. We may not be able to eliminate all of the “red tape” of dealing with the government but we do have expertise in navigating those channels. That assistance could include helping you to understand how the recently passed Federal COVID-19 Relief bill may benefit you, your family, and your business. See below for a summary of the major provisions of this critical federal legislation. I also will continue to keep you informed with relevant, accurate information via Twitter, Facebook, and my website.
Finally, you may recall that legislators typically only publish their newsletters during the legislative session. Given the extraordinary events of the past year, we continued to publish the newsletter after the 2020 session. Going forward, we will shift to publishing this newsletter every two weeks until we resume a session (which could include a special session this spring to fill the additional Virginia Court of Appeals positions that we just created).
Please stay well and stay in touch.
Sincerely,
Rodney
New Information
COVID-19 Vaccination in Virginia
The Richmond City and Henrico County Health District has made significant progress over the past week in vaccinating our most vulnerable residents. All seniors 65 and older in Henrico County and Richmond who had pre-registered for a COVID-19 vaccination by last week now have been either partially or fully vaccinated or offered vaccination appointments according to Richmond and Henrico Health District officials. The Health District also announced Monday that they are expanding vaccination eligibility to everyone in Phase 1B, including adults under 64 with certain medical conditions and restaurant workers.
The expansion is possible due to the increased weekly allotment of doses the department is receiving each week and because participating partner pharmacies are also receiving doses directly from the federal government. Additionally, the authorization of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine will further increase our regional supply and lead to increased vaccination rates in the near future.
Since the start of our vaccine distribution, we have struggled with a demand for the vaccine that far outweighed the available supply. As supply increases and more individuals receive the vaccine, it is crucial that we encourage everyone to pre-register at vaccinate.virginia.gov. If you have any questions about the pre-registration process or need help getting registered please call (877) VAX-IN-VA to speak with a trained call center employee.
If you registered online with the Richmond/Henrico Health Department earlier this year you may have received an email to verify and update your record. The Department of Health has added new questions to the form that needs to be completed. Missing information may result in a delayed appointment date. If you need to verify and update your pre-registration information you can do so online here. I encourage everyone to check the pre-registration list online here before registering again, as duplicates create confusion and delays in the system.
If you have any questions or concerns about the pre-registration process please call (877) VAX-IN-VA or email my office at delrwillett@house.virginia.gov and my staff is happy to assist you with any questions or concerns.
Data from this week’s vaccinations are still being collected but recent trends from the Virginia COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard show that our commonwealth has administered over 2.5 million doses, with an estimated 19% of our population receiving at least one dose. Our distribution efforts have taken extensive work in collaboration with local, state, and federal government agencies, as well as the hard work of our first responders, including the Henrico Police and Henrico Fire Department who have been instrumental in their work at our mass vaccination site at Richmond Raceway. While there is still much that can be improved, including some technological difficulties with pre-registering and scheduling appointments, I want to thank our local health department and all who have worked to improve this process over the past few weeks.
National COVID-19 Vaccine Updates
In his first prime time address last night, President Biden announced the next phase of our effort to vaccinate the U.S. Population, with the goal of getting the nation closer to normal by July 4th. You can read the comprehensive National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness online here to see some key elements of our national strategy taking effect in the coming weeks. You can read the full briefing room statement on these changes online here.
Make every adult in the U.S. eligible for vaccination no later than May 1— The President will direct states, Tribes, and territories to make all adults eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine no later than May 1st. This does not mean that all adults will be guaranteed an appointment by May 1st but that the eligibility will be expanded so all adults can have access to the vaccine. The White House COVID-19 Response Team has determined that our accelerated vaccination efforts will enable prioritized vaccinations to be far enough along by the end of April so that all eligibility restrictions for vaccinations can be lifted by May 1st.
Providing tools to make it easier for individuals to find a vaccine — The President will announce steps to make it easier for individuals to find a vaccine near them and address some of the barriers to getting vaccinated.
Find a Vaccination Website: By May 1st, as vaccines are available in more places, the Administration will launch a federally-supported website that will show the locations near them that have vaccines.
Technical Support to Improve Existing State Websites: Given that many Americans use their state websites to schedule appointments, the Administration will also deploy technology teams to states who need assistance to improve their websites.
Take New Steps to Reopen the Nation’s Schools — Now that the American Rescue Plan has passed, the Department of Education will begin this month to distribute the nearly $130 billion allocated to safely reopen schools for in-person instruction. These dollars will help schools pay for the critical supplies to implement the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommended mitigation strategies, hire more staff – and avoid laying off current staff – to accommodate the need for smaller class sizes due to physical distancing, and support children’s academic, social and emotional needs after a challenging year.
Expand screening testing in schools: The federal government will take steps to help schools implement regular screening testing to assist them in safely reopening classrooms, including through tests and test supplies as well as implementation assistance to make it easier for schools to adopt a testing program. This month, HHS will award $650 million in an initial investment in expanding K-8 school testing and testing in underserved congregate settings through new regional coordinating centers that will identify existing testing capacity, match it up to an area of need, and support testing. This effort will begin to bring more testing to teachers, staff, and students and serve as a bridge to the comprehensive testing investment in the American Rescue Plan that is critical to get the pandemic under control.
Provide Guidance and Support: The Department of Education will host a national Safe School Reopening Summit this month that will bring together students, teachers, families, community organizations, and state, local, or school leadership to provide assistance in implementing the CDC K-12 operational strategy for in-person instruction and supporting the academic, social, and emotional well-being of students.
Federal COVID-19 Relief Bill
Yesterday afternoon, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package that allocates money for direct aid, vaccines, schools, small businesses, and anti-poverty programs. Here are some of the major components of the stimulus package, broken down by direct individual aid, and aid to government programs.
Individual Stimulus Components
$1,400 per person in direct aid to individuals earning up to $75,000 and couples earning up to $150,000. Individuals will also receive an additional $1,400 payment for each dependent claimed on their tax returns.
Extension of $300 per week in federal unemployment insurance payments through September 6th.
Expansion of Child Tax Credit (CTC), increasing the amount to $3,000 for children ages 6 to 17 and $3,600 for children under age 6. The increased credit amount phases out for taxpayers with incomes over $150,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly, $112,500 for heads of household, and $75,000 for others, reducing the expanded portion of the credit by $50 for each $1,000 of income over those limits.
The stimulus package changes the structure of the CTC from a credit claimed once a year to monthly cash payments from July - December of this year, with the other half of the CTC paid when people file their tax returns. In other words, households would receive six months of monthly income, and then would receive the rest of the CTC through their tax refund.
How Will the Federal Government Distribute Stimulus Checks?
For households who have already filed their income tax return for 2020, the IRS will use that information to determine eligibility and size of payments.
For households that have not yet filed for 2020, the IRS will review records from 2019 to determine eligibility and size of payment. That includes those who used the “non-filer portal” for previous rounds of payments.
For tax returns with direct deposit or bank account information, the IRS will be able to send money electronically. For those households for which Treasury cannot determine a bank account, paper checks or debit cards will be sent.
See more information on direct stimulus payments online here.
Stimulus Government Programs and State and Local Governments
$15 billion in grants for Targeted EIDL Advance for struggling small business owners, separate from the existing Paycheck Protection Program, along with a $35 billion investment in local financing programs that provide businesses with low-interest loans.
$28.6 billion for the “Restaurant Revitalization Fund” to provide direct grants for small and independent restaurants.
An extension of eviction and foreclosure moratoriums until the end of September, with $5 billion set aside to help tenants struggling to pay rent.
$350 billion in aid for state and local governments.
$170 billion in aid for K-12 schools and higher education.
$50 billion for Covid-19 testing.
15% increase in SNAP benefits through September.
$20 billion toward a national vaccine program, in partnership with state and local governments.
Virginia Eviction Reduction Pilot (VERP) Program
Last week, Governor Northam announced the new Virginia Eviction Reduction Pilot (VERP) Program, which will award more than $2.6 million in grants to 14 localities to help build capacity and implement eviction prevention and diversion programs that address the underlying causes of evictions. The funding will support several communities identified as having the highest eviction rates in the Commonwealth, including the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, and Richmond.
During the 2020 Special Session, the General Assembly passed a two-year budget that included $6.6 million for the pilot program. The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development was directed to design and implement the pilot program using a coordinated systems approach to effectively prevent evictions and address immediate and long-term housing needs. This includes creating a collective impact model where organizations that serve as a safety-net within the community collaborate to ensure households have early access to resources to stabilize their housing situations. To learn more about the VERP, visit dhcd.virginia.gov/verp.
Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia, Inc. (HOME) has received $800,000 to serve the City of Richmond, a priority area with the highest rate of evictions in the Commonwealth. In partnership with the City of Richmond, Greater Richmond Bar Foundation, Firms in Service, and Central Virginia Legal Aid Society, HOME launched the Eviction Diversion Program in 2018, the first such program in the region. This funding will enable HOME to build upon the success of the Eviction Diversion Program by expanding outreach efforts to high-need communities, providing additional rental assistance, and expanding case management. The grant award will fund two additional eviction diversion counselors to work with clients providing intake, counseling, and rental assistance. See more information on funding awarded to all regions online here.
Mental Health Support for COVID-19
This week marks the one-year anniversary of the World Health Organization’s declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been an incredibly difficult year as we have lost over half a million Americans, and millions more have faced increased stress, isolation, and grief. If you are struggling with your mental health as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, please know that you are not alone and that we have resources available to support you.
The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) has established a warm line called Virginia C.O.P.E.S. which stands for compassionate, optimistic, person-centered, empowering support. Crisis counselors are available during the following times to take calls: Monday-Friday 9 am-9 pm and on Saturday-Sunday from 5 pm-9 pm. VA C.O.P.E.S can be reached by phone or text at 877-349-6428. Spanish-speaking counselors are available. Additional translation services are available for individuals who speak Mandarin, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Urdu, Korean, or Arabic. See more information online at vacopes.com.
Henrico Public Schools Parent/Guardian Feedback Survey
Henrico County Public Schools has opened a survey to gain feedback on the experiences of parents or guardians of HCPS students. The survey is anonymous and does not require you to give your name. The information collected from the survey will be used to improve the quality of our schools for all students and families.
Parents and guardians are instructed to complete one survey per school, even if they have more than one child in the same school. If you have children in multiple HCPS schools, you may fill out an additional survey for each respective school. See more information and complete the survey online here.
