In this newsletter: Celebrating Packed With Pride, Information on an education virtual check-in, reopening Oregon, and more.

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In this Update:
* Packed With Pride
* Virtual Check-in This Week
* Reopening Oregon
* Oregon Employment Department Updates
* Stay Home, Save Lives
* Nurses Week
* Belated Mother's Day Wish

Hello Friends and Neighbors,

As we plan our re-opening we continue to see how society is changing around us, and how our communities are rising to the moment. One example is an organization formed in Tualatin and Tigard that is living up to their name: Packed with Pride. They have raised $250,000, distributed around 4,000 boxes of food in their first six weeks, and were highlighted in the Oreognian this weekend. I'm proud to have been an early supporter of the project in its kick off phase and am pleased to see them getting the recognition they deserve. Read more here ([link removed]) ..

They have volunteer shifts available -- and need your help! Please click this ([link removed]) link if you are interested in volunteering with Packed with Pride this week.

If you are unable to volunteer this week, but can afford to chip in $100, $50, or $5 to help us continue the work, please click here: [link removed]

Their goal is to continue to provide food support to vulnerable families until our schools open up again.

Virtual Check In

Please Join me this Thursday, May 14th at 6pm for a virtual check in with Superintendents, teachers and students from around the district. Please register here to get your Zoom invitation.

Please register in advance here! ([link removed])

Reopening Oregon

This past week, Governor Brown announced more details in the state’s reopening strategy. There is a lot of good news in this announcement. Thanks to extraordinary measures taken by every Oregonian over the past two months, we have cut the state’s projected infection rate by 70%; prevented as many as 70,000 infections, and 15,000 hospitalizations. While this news is something to celebrate, I recognize the impact on Oregonians, families, and businesses and I am eager to share what the plans are for reopening.

Governor Brown is expected to issue an executive order opening several categories of retail businesses that were required to close under EO 20-12 (furniture/jewelry/boutiques). These businesses will be permitted to open statewide so long as they are in compliance with theretail guidance ([link removed]) issued by the state. Malls will have separate guidance from general retail and will be part of Phase 1.

Counties are open to submit plans to the Governor’s office showing they meet the public health requirements to move into Phase 1. These requirements include:
* Declining COVID 19 numbers
* Adequate testing
+ 30 tests per 10,000 people per week.
* A contact tracing system
+ 15 contact tracers per 100,000 people
+ Ability to trace 95% of contacts in 24 hours
+ Culturally and linguistically competent tracers
* Isolation / Quarantine facilities
* Sufficient health care capacity
+ PPE supply
+ Hospital bed capacity to manage a surge

For details about the prerequisites for phased opening, you can look here ([link removed]) .

The loosening of requirements does not signal a return to life as we knew it a few months ago. There are three phases in Oregon’s reopening plan and our final phase is dependent on a reliable treatment or vaccine.

There is no avoiding the fact that this process comes with calculated risk. It is likely that reopening will spur an uptick in new cases. And to that extent we must recognize we will be living with this virus for a long time and even with reopening we will still need:
* Vulnerable populations to stay at home
* Limited visitation to nursing homes & hospitals
* Limited gatherings
* Limited travel
* Increased hygiene, cleaning, and sanitation
* People to stay home when sick
* People to use telework when possible

The state's strategy remains focused on data and science. Testing and tracing protocols will enable the state to identify and respond to outbreaks as soon as they occur, to allow for recalibration of the reopening strategy if necessary.

One thing is clear: none of us wants to endure another stay at home experience. A thoughtful, measured, and incremental approach to reopening gives us the best chance of finding our way through the COVID pandemic.

Further guidance is available for:
* Employers ([link removed])
* Outdoor Recreation ([link removed])
* Personal Service Providers ([link removed])
* Food and Beverage Service Establishments ([link removed])
* Retail Establishments ([link removed])
* Shopping Centers & Malls ([link removed])
* General public ([link removed])

Updates from Oregon Employment Department

Sometimes progress is contextual. For what it’s worth, Oregon is among the best states in the country when it comes to successfully processing unemployment claims. Even with our old computer system and all the glitches, we are getting benefits out to a higher percentage of applicants than most other states.

That said, my colleagues and I won’t rest until everyone has their benefits. We know that cash is absolutely critical for people’s financial stability.

Below is the latest news from the Oregon Employment Department (OED). As a reminder, you can go to their COVID-19 page here ([link removed]) .

The agency is continuing to see initial new claims go down, but they are still getting more than normal. They received around 20,000 new claims last week, which is down from earlier in the pandemic when claims were in the 60,000-80,000 range per week. They have processed 83% of claims and are continuing to increase the speed of processing the backlog of claims. With that said, there are still thousands of claims pending, and the agency is focused on doing all it can to clear its extensive claim backlog, while doing more staff training to address complex issues. There are now more than 600 new staff members working to process claims, and they are hiring more people to process Work Share claims as well.

OED is also working on an extension program for people who have exhausted benefits. This is likely a couple weeks away, but program testing is happening now. People who have exhausted their benefits should still file weekly claims and those will be handled when the extended benefits program is up and running.

If you have emailed the department with an issue and haven’t gotten a response, you are encouraged to resend the email.

OED has received tens of thousands of claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which was created through the CARES Act to assist workers who didn’t qualify for traditional unemployment benefits. The agency recognizes that the initial state application has issues and is working on improving this. The current system is not giving acknowledgement that a claim has been received, which I know has been frustrating for many. PUA applicants should do weekly claims.

The agency is working on an FAQ sheet that will answer common questions from workers, including information about going back to work, working less than full-time hours, and more. I will share that when it is available.

I’m glad that more than 310,000 Oregonians have been helped and are getting their benefits. I’m still fighting for the more than 60,000 Oregonians still waiting. I know that help is needed.

Enjoy the Nice Weather – Responsibly, Please

We should all look for ways to get outside while maintaining physical distance and covering our faces, but we can’t forget that no county has reopened yet and we are still following the Stay Home, Save Lives directive.

It is critical that even if we go outside for essentials or exercise, we should limit travel and stay in our own communities. As Willamette Week details here ([link removed]) , some of our best vacation destinations are urging people to stay away. And, please, remember these tips when going outside:

Nurses Week

Last week was Nurses Week 2020, and this year it feels different than in years past. The past few months have tested nursing professionals like few have experienced before.They had to fight for their colleagues and patients as they experienced a shortage and rationing of PPE in facilities. The future will hold challenges, and I know nurses on the frontlines will advocate for those changes to be safe for nurses and patients across Oregon. And I want all nurses to know, I am advocating in Salem for your safety.

[link removed]

And a Belated Mother's Day Wish

I was thinking of my mother over the holiday and how her courage started me on my path to becoming a legislator. When I was young, my father was diagnosed with cancer. To survive, he depended on Medicaid and for a period of time our family relied on food stamps. I still remember, even at that young age, watching my mom feel shame. No one should ever feel that kind of shame. I came to the legislature to fight for moms and all caregivers. Over the last two years, I championed legislation that supports mothers, children and families. Here’s a few I’m most proud of:

1. Voted for A Paid Family & Medical Leave Program, because nobody should have to choose between the family they love or the job they need.

2. Closed a loophole to keep guns out of the hands of those convicted of domestic violence.

3. Expanded workplace protections for pregnant and nursing mothers.

4. Set up a voluntary nurse home visiting program to support families with newborns.

5. Fought to fund the family preservation project which provides critical services to incarcerated mothers, their children and their families from across the state.

6. Modernized Oregon’s hate crimes law to better protect vulnerable members of our communities. No mother should worry their child will be harmed because of the color of their skin or their religion.

7. Voted for Adi’s Act, which provides support to all schools to prevent youth suicide. No parent should lose their child to suicide

Stay In Touch

Please email me (http:// [email protected]/) if you have specific concerns. Our office is doing everything we can to help and protect all Oregonians.

To read past newsletters, you can go here ([link removed]) .

For up-to-date information, please check this link ([link removed]) for OHA news or this one ([link removed]) for OHA COVID-19 updates or Governor Brown’s COVID-19 Resource page ([link removed]) .

Thank you for reading! We will get through this together.

Sincerely,

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Rachel for State Representative . 1980 willamette falls drive . Suite #120 - PMB#135 . West Linn, Or 97068 . USA