Democrat,

The past several months have been a stressful time to say the least and we are all hungry for more information about the COVID-19 crisis, especially how to keep ourselves and our friends and family safe and healthy. With so much misinformation being spread, we want to be a resource to you by providing updates whenever possible, so here is the latest: 

Governor Murphy Announces Schools to Remain Closed

On Monday, the Governor confirmed that all New Jersey schools will remain closed and students will continue to receive home instruction for the rest of the school year. This isn’t a surprise, but it’s a sobering reminder that we are still in the midst of this crisis and need to take smart steps to reduce the number of new cases before we can start getting back to normal. 

New Jersey Joins Multi-State Agreement to Develop Regional Supply Chain for PPE and Medical Equipment

Governor Murphy, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, Delaware Governor John Carney, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo and Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker recently announced a joint multi-state agreement to develop a regional supply chain for personal protective equipment, other medical equipment and testing. The states will work together to identify the entire region's needs for these products, aggregate demand among the states, reduce costs and stabilize the supply chain.

Read more about the Regional Supply Chain program here.

Important COVID-19 Resources *UPDATED*

Main Resource Website

https://covid19.nj.gov/

Testing Site Locator

https://covid19.nj.gov/search.html?query=Testing+Centers+in+NJ

Symptom Tracker

https://self.covid19.nj.gov/

PPE Donations

https://covid19.nj.gov/ppedonations

Volunteer Sign-Up

Those with medical experience willing to volunteer should go to https://covid19.nj.gov/volunteer to sign up.

Housing for Medical Volunteers Donation Portal - online signup form to express an interest in donating facility space or housing services to support the State’s response to COVID-19.

Jobs Portal

For those looking for work: https://jobs.covid19.nj.gov.

For employers: https://jobs.covid19.nj.gov/intake.

Department of Labor Resources

Please visit our website nj.gov/labor to find the latest and most reliable information including: What programs are available for employers and employees and who qualifies for these programs.

• If you have an Unemployment Insurance related question please also visit https://myunemployment.nj.gov/
• If you have an Earned Sick Leave or Temporary Disability related question please also visit: https://myleavebenefits.nj.gov/

Guidance for employers: https://www.nj.gov/labor/employer-services/business/covid.shtml

Guidance for employees: https://www.nj.gov/labor/worker-protections/earnedsick/covid.shtml

Business Resources

NJEDA - COVID-19 business portal: https://cv.business.nj.gov

SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program: https://faq.business.nj.gov/en/articles/3789809

HMFA Resources

NJHMFA to Provide Free Housing Counseling to Families Faced with Potential Eviction or Foreclosure- https://njhousing.gov/foreclosure/

DOBI:

Mortgage Relief: Under Governor Murphy’s proposal, New Jerseyans who are struggling financially as a result of COVID-19 may be eligible for the following relief upon contacting their financial institution: 

• 90-Day Forbearance Period for Mortgage Payments
• No Negative Credit Impacts Resulting from Relief
• Moratorium on Initiating Foreclosure Sales or Evictions
• Relief from Fees and Charges

List of national banks, state-chartered banks, credit unions, and servicers who have agreed to provide mortgage forbearance and financial protections announced by Governor Phil Murphy:

https://www.state.nj.us/dobi/covid/mortgagerelief/index.html

Mental Health Resources

Commissioner Persichilli emphasized the importance of utilizing and sharing information on the state’s mental health resources. Residents may be feeling additional stress due to isolation, unemployment, anxiety, and a mix of other factors caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Please share the information below with your constituency. 

• The Department of Human Services offers a NJ Mental Care hotline at 866-202-HELP. Specialists are available from 8 am to 8 pm 7 days a week.
• ACCESS of St Joseph's in Paterson offers a helpline for individuals who are hard of hearing at 973-870-0677. Specialists are available Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.
• The state’s substance abuse hotline is 844-REACH-NJ. 

Motor Vehicle Commission

With the threat from COVID-19 continuing and New Jersey having the second-most cases in the United States, it has now been determined to continue the closures until May 10.

In most cases you can renew your license, replace a lost license, change your address, renew your registration and complete other transactions through our easy-to-use online portal.

Resources for Undocumented and Underinsured Populations

Below are some resources available for our undocumented and uninsured populations throughout the pandemic. Please see the links below and the attached document, we urge you to share these links and information with your constituency.

• How can I get treatment for COVID-19 if I'm uninsured or undocumented?
  • https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/general-public/how-can-i-get-treatment-for-covid-19-if-im-uninsured-or-undocumented-how-do-i-cover-health-costs-associated-with-covid-19
• Fact sheet for undocumented and uninsured
  • https://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID-19_Resources_forUndocumented_and_UninsuredFactsheet.pdf
• Governor Murphy Announces Efforts to Support Consumer Access to COVID-19 Screening, Testing, and Testing-Related Services
  • https://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/562020/20200310a.shtml

Thank you for your support. We will continue to get through this crisis together. 

Chairman John Currie