Good day, Council for the Head Injured Community and Legislative & Advocacy Network:
In an effort to keep you informed of important news - particularly with regard to the coronavirus - the following is information that can be of use to you during these challenging times.
The Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey helpline will continue to operate during normal business hours. Telephone number is
732-783-6172. Stay connected with us at
www.bianj.org,
Best wishes to all,
Tom Grady
Director of Advocacy and Public Affairs
# # # # #
FROM THE BRAIN NJURY ALLIANCE OF NEW JERSEY
Join us at our gala tonight!:
Join us TONIGHT at 6:00pm as we celebrate the 14th Annual Gala from our living rooms-virtually! You can participate by following us here and watching videos from our honorees, checking out the online auction and more. Can't wait? Get a head start:
bianj.org/annual-gala
.
Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey’s coronavirus-focused webpage:
The Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey has a coronavirus-focused page that provides valuable information and can be accessed by clicking
https://bianj.org/covid-19/
.
FROM OUR PARTNERS
Mental Health Telephone Support Available During COVID-19 Outbreak:
The NJ Mental Health Cares helpline offers support to individuals experiencing anxiety and worry related to the coronavirus pandemic. New Jerseyans can call 1-866-202-HELP (4357) for free, confidential support. NJ Mental Health Cares will be answered from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week by live trained specialists.
For the latest COVID-19 guidance and information for individuals, families and providers, visit NJ Human Services’ website:
FROM THE NEW JERSEY GOVERNMENT
Murphy Administration Announces Waiver of Fees for COVID-19 Testing Services For Uninsured:
To ensure that individuals who are uninsured have access to testing for COVID-19, the Murphy Administration requires hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to waive patient fees for testing and related diagnostic services for those who lack health insurance.
In communication to the New Jersey Hospital Association and the New Jersey Primary Care Association, which includes 23 FQHCs with more than 120 satellite locations, New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said that the cost for testing and diagnosis should not be a barrier for any of New Jersey’s residents.
“Every single New Jerseyan with symptoms must have access to COVID-19 testing if we are going to end this crisis,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “Waiving testing fees for the uninsured is a critical step in allowing us to prevent more New Jerseyans from being infected and to identify those who already have been infected so they can get the care they need.”
Governor Murphy Signs Legislation to Modify Family Leave and Disability Benefits in Response to Covid-19
: Governor Phil Murphy signed S-2304 into law to expand the State's Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) and Family Leave Insurance (FLI) programs to provide more workers with access to paid leave benefits during public health emergencies.
"No one should have to decide between taking care of themselves or a sick family member and going to work during this pandemic," said Governor Murphy. "With this new law, we are providing hardworking men and women with the protections that they deserve and ensuring a healthier place to live and work."
S2304 expands the law's definition of a "serious health condition" to allow individuals access to TDI and FLI benefits during a public health emergency if they must take time off of work because they are diagnosed with or suspected of exposure to a communicable disease or to take care of a family member diagnosed with or suspected of exposure to a communicable disease. The bill also expands New Jersey's earned sick leave law to permit the use of earned sick time for isolation or quarantine recommended or ordered by a provider or public health official as a result of suspected exposure to a communicable disease, or to care for a family member under recommended or ordered isolation or quarantine.
FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
White House states federal government is to suspend foreclosures and evictions:
White House stated that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development plus the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are to both suspend foreclosures and evictions until the end of April.
President Signs Coronavirus Aid Package with Paid Sick Leave, Free Testing:
“President Trump signed into law a multibillion-dollar emergency aid package aimed at helping Americans impacted by the coronavirus,” Morgan Chalfant reports in
The Hill
. “The bipartisan measure, resulting from negotiations between the Trump Administration and Congress, “includes provisions offering paid leave benefits for Americans, bolstered unemployment benefits and free diagnostic testing for the virus.”
