Last week we shared information on the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision in the Legislature v. Palm case, which struck down the State’s Safer at Home order. We are still under an order, issued by the City of Milwaukee, with more details available here.
This update contains information regarding continued economic and policy responses to COVID-19. The State of Wisconsin received funding through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which Governor Evers has been working to develop and approve plans for the expenditure of these funds. This update also provides information on the plans and progress to help to bring relief to our community.
Please visit my Facebook page and Twitter feed for more frequent updates. As always, do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you!
In service,
Evan Goyke State Representative 18th Assembly District
Wisconsin Coronavirus Relief Fund
Yesterday Governor Evers announced a $1.17 billion dollar effort to address testing, tracing, and health care in order to prevent, or recover from, COVID-19.
Health Care ($635 million)
Funding for PPE, ventilators, hospital/healthcare providers if there is a surge in COVID-19 cases
Testing ($260 million)
COVID-19 test kits: Everyone who needs a test should receive a test. The state’s testing program will spend $202 million to provide COVID-19 test collection kits to Wisconsin hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, local public health departments, and others at no cost to ensure that everyone who needs a test receives a test.
Local preparedness grants: These grants will provide $30,000 in funding to 96 local and tribal public health departments (for a total of approximately $3 million) to update preparedness plans and ensure Wisconsin communities, schools, and businesses are prepared to support testing efforts into the fall.
Local community and occupational testing pilots: These pilot programs will distribute $45 million in funding to local public health departments, occupational health providers, home health agencies, and health systems to conduct COVID19 testing in congregate, community, and occupational settings. This program will incentivize testing by providing eligible providers $35 per COVID-19 test administered to a Wisconsin resident and will run through August 31, 2020.
Public health testing coordinators: The testing program will provide $10 million in funding to local and tribal public health departments to coordinate local testing efforts.
Tracing ($75 million)
Contact tracing program will pair newly obtained analytics software with the labor of individual state employees to reach out to a COVID-19 patient’s recent contacts.
Up to $50 million will be available to local and tribal public health departments to hire additional staff to perform disease investigation, contact tracing, and monitoring. The remaining funds will go towards technology resources and hiring additional state staff to supplement local efforts to quickly and effectively conduct interviews.
"We're All In" for Small Business
Earlier this week Governor Evers in conjunction with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) unveiled the We’re All In Initiativethat combines federal CARES Act funding with specific Wisconsin programs aimed at helping small businesses recover from the public health emergency.
The program includes $2,500 cash grants to assist with the cost of business interruption or for health and safety improvements, wages and salaries, rent, mortgages, and inventory.
The specifics of the grant requirements are still being finalized. The details that have been released are:
Grants in the amount of $2,500 will be available for small businesses with 20 or fewer FTEs impacted by COVID-19 that have not already received WEDC COVID-19 assistance.
Up to 30,000 businesses may receive grants.
The application period for these grants will open in June.
People interested in receiving up-to-date information on the We’re All In initiative, including the timeline for the applications for the We’re All In Grant Program, can subscribe to daily alerts at www.wedc.org/focus-forward.
Wisconsin Rental Assistance Program
Wisconsin Rental Assistance Program (W.R.A.P.) is a $25 million initiative that will provide short-term financial assistance for those who's incomes have been impacted due to COVID-19. The financial assistance can be used for eviction prevention once Emergency Order # 15 expires on May 26th. A qualified applicant could receive up to $3,000 of rental assistance.
Under the Department of Administration, the Wisconsin Community Action Program Association (WISCAP) will allocate the rental assistance funding to local community action agencies, or "CAP" agencies, to distribute based on eligibility criteria. Milwaukee's CAP agency is the Social Development Commission (SDC) which serves all of Milwaukee County and works with a vast network of other social service providers.
All In for Agriculture
Today Governor Evers announced a $50 Million Wisconsin Farm Support Program and a $15 million Food Security Initiative. Due to the disruptions in Wisconsin's food supply chain caused by COVID-19, The Wisconsin Farm Support Program aims to provide Wisconsin farmers and food processors relief via direct payments. The direct payments will help to revitalize local economies and strengthen rural communities.
The Food Security Initiative will receive $15 million of funding to help supply food pantries and support nonprofits that are offering food security resources in response to COVID-19. Some of this funding will be used for helping organizations and local restaurants with costs associated with following public health and social distancing guidelines, like curbside pick-up or delivery services.
The Wisconsin Farm Support Program and Food Security Initiative work together to increase access to Wisconsin-made products for those who need it the most. The Food Security Initiative helps local food banks pantries to purchase and distribute Wisconsin agricultural goods and products, which in turn, bolsters the economy.
JFC & State Agency COVID-19 Response Plans
Following the passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) at the federal level, Wisconsin received funding for COVID-19 efforts outlined above, as well as dollars for things like education and childcare. I am happy to report that plans for the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and the Department of Children and Families (DCF) have made it through the Legislature and will now move forward.
Department of Public Instruction
Wisconsin received $174.7 million dollars from the federal government via the CARES Act to support education efforts in Wisconsin as part of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSERF). Much of the funding will go to K-12 local educational agencies (Local Education Agencies or LEAs).
At least 90% of these dollars per the CARES Act, or $157.3 million, must be distributed to LEAs based on their 2020Title 1 Part A allocations which can be foundhere. This allocation is based on the number and percentage of children from low-income families. This money must be used for Preparedness and response efforts, sanitation, and distance learning/online instruction. Milwaukee Public Schools could receive upwards of $50 million.
Wisconsin will also receive $526,106 from the federal government to support library services for such uses as technical infrastructure upgrades and connectivity upgrades.
The other 10% of ESSERF money, $17,477,800 would be used for assistance such as:
Building capacity for, and expanding access to, high quality online instructional resources
Providing training to educators regarding remote and on-line learning
Expanding and building staff capacity for student mental health services
Provide funding for child care providers that have stayed open in order to serve children of essential workers during the pandemic.
Provide hazard pay for these child care workers.
Provide funding for child care providers that have been forced to close during the pandemic, so that once the state reopens and all Wisconsinites can return to work, there are enough child care providers for working families.
DCF intends for two-thirds of the $51.6 million to be dedicated to the portion of the plan that will support providers who have remained open to serve the children of essential workers. The remaining one-third will be dedicated to the other two pillars of the plan.
