April 2020 Work Force Newsletter

April 2020

Childcare Scholarships Available for Income-Eligible Essential Workers

New York State is using a portion of the federal CARES Act funding to provide free child care for income-eligible essential workers. Essential workers using a regulated child care provider can receive a scholarship for the cost of care as long as the funds to support it are available (funding has been extended to May 15th). This program supports essential workers who are required to work outside of the home.

Employees who meet the definition of an essential employee and have child care needs can register here. They will be contacted by their by a Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) Agency within 1 business day to review this application and next steps.

More information is available from the Childcare Council: 
https://childcarecouncil.com/2020/04/essential-workers-can-obtain-free-child-care-through-state-scholarships/

Webinar: COVID-19 and the Intellectual & Developmental Disability Community: Facts and Myths

The Arc of Monroe is hosting a virtual Arc Connections Webinar Event. Dr. Steve Sulkes and Dr. Geoffrey Weinberg of University of Rochester Medical Center will present about COVID-19 and the Intellectual & Developmental Disability (I/DD) Community, including facts & myths. The webinar will be held on Friday, May 1 from 3 - 4:30 PM.

You can register here: https://arcmonroe.org/events/covid-19-and-the-i-dd-community-facts-and-myths/?occurrence=2020-05-01

2020 Virtual Dementia Education Series for Health Care Professionals

The Alzheimer's Association Rochester/Finger Lakes Chapter and the Finger Lakes Geriatric Education Center are offering a webinar series for health care professionals on Alzheimer's Disease. This free, seven-session webinar series is designed to give all health care practitioners up-to-date information on Alzheimer’s Disease warning signs, diagnosis, and treatments, as well as available supports and services across New York State. Sessions are offered on Thursdays and begin on May 7.

You can learn more here; online registration will be available soon. 
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/medicine/geriatrics/flgec/alzheimers-disease-education.aspx

Finger Lakes COVID-19 Resource Hub

We recognize that the not-for-profit community is facing significant challenges in light of COVID-19, and we are here to help. Common Ground Health, in partnership with the Finger Lakes Performing Providers System (FLPPS), S2AY Rural Health Network, and the United Way have launched the Finger Lakes COVID-19 Resource Hub, which includes a simple, on-line social networking platform called Mighty Networks. Mighty Networks allows you to post needs, share resources, and co-create solutions.

Of note, this hub is designed to be a resource and safe place for community agencies and service providers to ask and respond to questions by peers. It is not open to the public. 

Interested in joining? Please contact Catie Kunecki at Catie.Kunecki@commongroundhealth.org and include your organization’s name. 

NYSDOH COVID-19 Health Care Provider Updates

New York State Department of Health hosts a weekly health care provider update related to COVID-19. Meetings occur on Thursdays 1:00-2:00 PM. To accommodate the large number of participants, webinars are streamed via YouTube Live:

https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/weekly-healthcare-provider-update

For audio only, you can dial in: 844-512-2950

Please share your health care workforce updates

If you have a training opportunity or workforce update you'd like us to share, you can send it to: melissa.pennise@commongroundhealth.org, and we will add it to the next newsletter.

Please share this newsletter with others in your organization who might benefit and encourage them to sign up to receive it. 
https://www.commongroundhealth.org/newsletter-sign-up