This will serve as an update concerning COVID-19 within Rockland County and access to the Town of Ramapo government buildings in light of the recent mandate by Governor Hochul. As many are aware Governor Hochul has issued a mask mandate but has not offered an executive order on the matter.Earlier this week the five Town Supervisors in response met via conference call with the heads of our two local hospitals, Dr. Mary Leahy, CEO of Good Samaritan and Dr. Mark. Geller, CEO of Montefiore Nyack. Dr. Leahy and Dr. Geller advised us of the following:• COVID-19 hospitalizations are up at both hospitals but not at a point that is problematic or approaching the crisis levels of the early pandemic. However, it will be a cause for concern if it continues to rise.• Of those hospitalized locally for COVID-19, just over 75% at Good Sam and over 90% at Nyack were unvaccinated adults.• Of those hospitalized for COVID-19 in County hospitals who were previously vaccinated the overwhelming number are the elderly or people who have other serious health conditions. The hospitals have had the first person of the season hospitalized with the flu. There is concern that this may be a particularly bad flu season so it is recommended that you get a flue shot.• There is concern despite all of the treatment options for COVID, that hospitalizations over the winter will rise and that this will stress an already overburdened healthcare system. We are not there yet—but everyone is tired and wants to be done with COVID—but COVID does not seem to be done with us yet. Finally, hospitalizations are up across the Tri-State for non COVID and non-flu issues. We were told this is a phenomena for the region for all hospitals and is not totally explainable but that it may be COVID related as people have not addressed other health issues thus leading to hospitalizations. There is also a rise in hospitalization for non-flu, non-COVID but with cold like symptoms as well which is also not totally explainable. The hospital CEO’s were asked what advice we could offer to our residents. The recommendations for the Town Supervisors to offer our residents were simple and as follows. • First, urge your residents to get vaccinated and when the time has elapsed (six months after vaccination) get a booster shot. While there are a number of vaccinated people who are getting COVID—the overwhelming number of those hospitalized are unvaccinated, the very elderly and those with underlying health issues. As per the doctors when you are vaccinated if you do get COVID the symptoms are typically much less severe and mimic a simple cold. • The next message was to wear a mask and social distance when appropriate. If you are not vaccinated they offered you really should get vaccinated but absolutely they stressed if you are not vaccinated you really should wear a mask. • Finally, they urged us to stress that people need to exercise proper hygiene and wash your hands and use sanitizer frequently to slow the spread of germs. This they said will help combat the flu, COVID and the common cold. In a related call last week, County Executive Ed Day offered to the Town Supervisors that 85% of all people age 18 and older in Rockland are vaccinated. Better still over 90% of the senior population are vaccinated which is the population that is most at risk as we saw from the doctors observations to be hospitalized for COVID.So I urge residents who are not yet vaccinated to please consider getting vaccinated. Currently, Good Samaritan is designated as the NYS location for our area for Pfizer vaccines and is distributing if daily. Also many pharmacies and health care providers offer vaccines and the booster shot so please get vaccinated and get a booster when able. Please check the Department of Health website to get an appointment.As it relates to Town Government due to the Governor’s mandate we are taking several steps that are practical to protect the public and comply with the Governor’s directive. We are continuing our existing policy that all visitors to Town Hall or other Town facilities must wear masks, regardless of vaccine status. When you do enter masks and sanitizer will be available immediately inside. Town employees as well will continue to wear masks whenever they are in public hallways or other public facing situations. We will not be checking visitors’ vaccination status but will have an employee in the public areas to ensure mask compliance.We are taking these steps to comply with the Governor’s directives and to insure public safety after discussions with our local hospital CEO’s in order insure our government run facilities are operating safely for our residents and employees.Thank you. |
Town of Ramapo
Ramapo Town Hall
237 Route 59
Suffern, NY 10901
845-357-5100
www.ramapo.org
Ramapo to give away turkeys to seniors and veterans
The Town of Ramapo will offer a Holiday Turkey Giveaway to seniors and veterans of the town. Turkeys will be distributed on Monday, December 20th at 1pm at the Supervisor’s office in town hall.
Suffern holds holiday parade
Town of Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht attended the Village of Suffern’s annual holiday parade with other elected officials. Holiday excitement was in the air!
Ramapo Highway Department employees Chris Stevens, Mike DeAngelo, and Chris Rouhotas received the award for the best-decorated truck for the holidays at the Orangetown Christmas Parade. The flag truck was also a big hit at the Suffern parade. Congratulations to the entire Town of Ramapo Highway Department!
Good Sam lights tree
Ramapo Town Supervisor Michael Specht attended the lighting of the Good Samaritan Hospital Christmas tree with the hospital CEO,Dr. Mary P. Leahy.
Rockland Community College Receives Federal Grant to Support Childcare Services for Students Who Are Parents
The funding helps provide access to quality childcare for enrolled students with children.
ROCKLAND, NY. (December 16, 2021)–Rockland Community College (RCC) is proud to announce that it has received a four-year federal grant totaling roughly $300,000 to help provide students who are parents with access to quality childcare. The grant is part of the Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program (CCAMPIS) from the U.S. Department of Education, which aims to support the participation of low-income parents in post-secondary education through the provision of campus-based childcare services.
Thanks to this grant, RCC will receive $76,185.00 in support each year. In keeping with CCAMPIS guidelines, the grant funds will help subsidize childcare costs for low-income, Pell-eligible students enrolled at RCC. Under the program, students contribute a nominal portion of the cost of childcare, and CCAMPIS funds the rest. The number of hours of subsidized childcare that a student is eligible for depends on their class schedule—but is not limited to hours while the student is in class—and is designed to allow time for homework, studying, tutoring, attending office hours, etc. On-campus childcare is currently available to RCC students at RCC’s Campus Fun & Learn Child Development Center at the Theresa Morahan Simmons Center for Children and Families. The program will serve 5-10 students in the first year, increasing to the full capacity of approximately 15 students annually in 2022 and beyond.
RCC students are not alone in facing this challenge. A recent report revealed that in New York, nearly 200,000 undergraduates are parents, and almost half are single mothers. To help address this problem, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has been pushing for The Preparing and Resourcing Our Student Parents and Early Childhood Teachers Act (PROSPECT Act). Sponsored in the Senate by U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and introduced in the House of Representatives by Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (D-CT-5), the PROSPECT Act would help address this issue by funding $9 billion in new grant programs to provide high-quality infant and toddler care at no cost to low-income parents attending community colleges and minority-serving institutions.
“It means everything! I am able to attend school, if it wasn’t for the CCAMPIS I would not have that opportunity. I am extremely grateful for this grant. I am now a year away from providing another income for my family of 5,” said Nikki Poliey, current student receiving the CCAMPIS award.
“This focus on early childhood education by Gillibrand, Booker, and Hayes further underscores the importance of grants like CCAMPIS. Infant care is the most expensive form of childcare and is available at the lowest capacity due to state-mandated ratios, so it is often the most in-demand,” says Kathleen Naylor, Grants Specialist for Rockland Community College. “We are proud to be able to help our students remain enrolled at RCC while ensuring that their children get the care they need,” she added.