COVID-19 Community Resource Updates 
Prevention: Testing availability
Baystate Health is now hosting two COVID-19 testing sites; 140 High Street Springfield, 298 Carew Street Springfield, 164 High St Greenfield (Baystate Franklin Medical Center), 57 Union Street Westfield, 85 South St Ware (Baystate Mary Lane Outpatient Center) . These testing sites can be used with a referral from a Primary Care Physician and you will need an appointment. You don’t need to be Baystate Health affiliated, and these sites are for any patient over age 12 with COVID-19 symptoms- learn more here .
 
Symptoms of COVID-19 vary widely, and may include fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and loss of taste or smell. If you develop symptoms, you should call your primary care provider. If you do not have a primary care provider, you can contact an urgent care facility or your local health department. If your clinician deems it necessary, they will provide testing or give you a referral, allowing you to make an appointment at a testing site near you. For more information, visit the MDPH’s webpage on testing , and to view a list of testing locations, click here  
Moratorium on Evictions and Foreclosures Enacted!
PHIWM is a member of the Emergency Task Force on Coronavirus and Equity , an entity convened by the Mass Public Health Association to rapidly develop policy recommendations in recognition that COVID-19 is not impacting all residents equally. Communities that are already facing marginalization are being hardest hit by the virus and its economic repercussions. A moratorium on evictions and foreclosures (one of the Task Force’s initial recommendations) was signed into law on April 20, 2020! This legislation will put a temporary pause on eviction and foreclosure activity to protect both tenants and landlords.
Show Support for Emergency Paid Sick Time
Rep. Paul Donato and Sen. Jason Lewis filed An Act Relative to Emergency Paid Sick Time (HD.5039 / SD.2918) on 4/20/2020 to address gaps in benefits provided by current state and federal laws.  This legislation would guarantee all workers at least 10 additional paid workdays (80 hours) of job-protected paid sick time for immediate use during the COVID-19 outbreak or future public health emergencies. Take action today:
Updates from CISA
CISA’s staff has been working on identifying how to support local farms, restaurants, retailers, and others in weathering the necessary interruptions that the response to COVID-19 is bringing, and talking with state officials and partner organizations about to work together.​ View their   COVID-19 updates on their website.
Way Finder's RAFT Program
Way Finders’' Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program is a homelessness prevention program for eligible households of all configurations. New funds have enabled the program to assist eligible households facing housing instability due to COVID-19. For more information on this program click here .
Housing and Health: What You Need to Know During this time of COVID-19.
Join Springfield Healthy Homes, Arise for Social Justice and Focus Springfield as we host Jane Edmonstone from Community Legal Aid for a Facebook Live Chat to discuss what you need to know during the time of COVID-19.

Topics will include: accessing the courts, evictions for private and subsidized housing, repairs, foreclosure and unemployment

Send your questions in advance to Shirley Rodriguez and Liz Bewsee to make sure we address them live!
May 6, 2020
12-1PM
COVID-19 Resources on 413Cares
413Cares and Aunt Bertha have added a new COVID-19 keyword that allows for quick search of all new COVID-19 services. As services are added to address the needs due to the coronavirus, this is a tremendous addition that can be helpful to your staff and residents of our Western MA communities.

Check out the COVID specific resource lists on 413Cares and sign up to add your updates.
Help Us Promote 413Cares on Your Organization's Website
Help us spread the news of 413Cares by adding the search widget to your organization's website. Click  here  for a copy of the HTML code.
Blink a light outside your home, or a light that can be seen by others outside for 1 minute. The campaign will run until Governor Baker reverses our state of emergency (as the days grow longer we'll be in touch to push back the time.) Thank you for spreading the light and hope.