Fresh Garlick – Thursday, March 10, 2022

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

March is recognized as Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, a time to celebrate this community and recognize the value of inclusion for all. As I have shared before: as a mother, wife, nurse, community volunteer, local elected leader, and a concerned citizen, I am deeply and personally committed to individuals with disabilities, their families and communities, and the many people who comprise the workforce engaging with these individuals. Our communities are strongest when we all have access to the support we need and with the right policies, individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities can live and work in their communities alongside their peers.

I know that for so many individuals with disabilities and their families, we are entering a new and challenging time in the pandemic. As we pass this 2-year mark, the human services workforce crisis continues and our loved ones remain in isolation and unable to access services, community activities, and job opportunities. As your State Representative and Chair of the permanent funded Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities, I will continue to take action to address this crisis and promote better services.

To read the proclamation from the Governor, click here.

Yours in Service,

Denise

• This Sunday, March 13 marks the beginning of Daylight Savings Time. If you’re not up at 2:00 AM to watch it jump forward, don’t forget to spring your clocks forward one hour, if they don’t do so automatically! A special thank you to Thomas Erb, President of Medfield’s own Electric Time Company, for this reminder.

• In Needham, John Halligan will be giving a presentation to the community on cyberbullying and teen mental health on March 16, 2022 at 6:30 PM in Powers Hall. Mr. Halligan will share the story of his son Ryan, who died by suicide and the lessons his family learned on bullying and teen depression. This presentation is sponsored by the Needham Exchange Club, Needham Youth and Family Services, Needham Park and Recreation, and the Needham Free Public Library. For more information, click here.

• In Dover, the Dover Planning Board has created a survey for residents to take to help inform potential zoning changes and design standards for Dover’s Village Center. The survey will close on March 14.Results from this survey will be reviewed at the Planning Board meeting on March 28 at 7:00 PM via Zoom. For more information, click here.

• In Medfield, this Saturday, March 12, 2022 is Electronic Recycling Day at the Medfield Transfer Station. Electronic Recycling will take place between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM and is only available for Medfield residents with MTS stickers. For information on fees, click here.

 

Legislative Updates

• On Wednesday, I joined my colleagues in the House of Representative in voting in the affirmative on H.4532, a $1.6B supplemental budget. This legislation will now be considered by the Senate. This budget funds many important initiatives including:
  • $700 Million for COVID related needs to help combat future variants
  • $100 Million for rental assistance and extending eviction protections
  • $100 Million for local winter damage road repairs
  • $10 Million for Ukrainian refugee resettlement assistance

Statewide Updates

• All residential households in the United States are eligible for a second order of at-home COVID-19 tests from the federal government. This order will provide an additional 4 rapid test. To place an order with USPS, click here.

 

• The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation is now hiring lifeguards for the upcoming summer to guard swimming pools, coastal beaches, and inland beaches. Lifeguards must be 16 by June 20, 2022. The Commonwealth offers free training classes and certifications to lifeguards that commit prior to the opening of swimming areas. Lifeguards will earn $21 an hour and will receive a $500 signing bonus if they sign up by March 27, 2022. For more information, click here.

 

• Effective April 1, the Commonwealth will be downsizing its Stop the Spread testing program. 11 sites across the state will continue to offer free COVID-19 testing with no insurance of ID required. The sites that will be open are in: Everett, Framingham, Lawrence, Lynn, New Bedford, Randolph, Revere, Springfield, and Worcester. To find COVID testing in Massachusetts, click here.

 

• This week is National Consumer Protection Week, a week devoted to informing consumers of their rights and educating consumers about common scams and identify theft protections. In the Commonwealth, there are many agencies and organizations that can assist you in navigating consumer issues including the Mass Attorney General, the Department of Public Utilities, and the Division of Occupational Licensure. For more information on these agencies, click here.

 

• Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are free, safe, and effective against COVID-19 and are available to individuals who live, work, and study in Massachusetts. To find a vaccine clinic, click here.
  • Individuals age 18 and older are eligible to receive any vaccine or booster
  • Individuals ages 12-17 are eligible to receive a Pfizer booster
  • Individuals ages 5-17 are eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine

 

• Massachusetts is now offering digital vaccine cards through the MyVaxRecords tool if you received your vaccine in the Commonwealth. MyVaxRecords utilizes your vaccination records from the Massachusetts Immunization Information System. To access your digital vaccine card, click here.

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