COVID-19 Resources for State Leaders
The Council of State Governments
By Vanessa Grossl, CSG policy analysis
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to severely impact state economies, businesses and the workforce with over 26 million now unemployed nationwide. Here is how it has impacted different sectors of the workforce in recent days:
Continue reading “The Impacts of COVID-19 on Workforce Sectors”The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) addresses agriculture, rural development and other issues under the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS). Among these is funding to ensure that the domestic nutrition assistance programs have adequate resources to help those impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency. This funding is provided for:
Continue reading “The Impact of COVID-19: An update on the USDA Food and Nutrition Service Programming Including WIC”by Sean Slone, CSG senior policy analyst
As states and cities are passed over for funding in the latest federal stimulus package, many of them are coming to grips with the sort of havoc the coronavirus pandemic is wreaking on their budgets. While there will certainly be a clearer picture of those numbers in the months to come, the preliminary estimates are devastating enough to prompt a variety of conversations about what actions may be needed to address those impacts.
Continue reading “States Grapple with Cost of COVID-19”By Sean Slone, CSG senior policy analyst
There is growing concern for the future of higher education in the U.S. as the coronavirus pandemic has forced colleges and universities to shut down campuses this spring, move classes online, consider cutting staff and, in some cases, suspending admissions. With many states expected to have to cut budgets in the months and years ahead and with a return to campus this fall far from a sure thing, some are suggesting many institutions may not survive. But the pandemic is just one factor hastening a trend of the last few years.
Continue reading “Can Colleges Survive COVID-19?”By Taylor Lansdale and Casandra Hockenberry, CSG Overseas Voting Initiative
On April 24, the United States Postal Service (USPS) issued an alert listing service suspension around the world as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. USPS is suspending acceptance of mail, until further notice, from 27 countries due to foreign postal operator suspensions. The notice also listed suspensions of mail services to 84 countries as a result of a lack of transportation. The same alert also listed several Diplomatic Post Offices as closed.
Continue reading “COVID 19 Mail Disruptions Presents Challenges for Election Officials, May Disenfranchise Overseas Voters”Following natural disasters and in times of national crisis, America’s private sector steps up to aid the states. We are proud of the herculean efforts of CSG Leadership Circle and Associates, our private sector members, as we combat COVID-19 together.
Associates in Action articles highlight CSG Associates’ philanthropic efforts and public-private partnerships throughout the states.
Esri, a CSG Leadership Circle member, developed a mapping resource to assist states battling the COVID-19 pandemic. As the health crisis evolved this spring, Esri supported users and the community-at-large with location intelligence and geographic information system (GIS) as well as mapping software, services and materials, which are helping state and local governments monitor, manage and communicate the impact of the outbreak. Esri also developed a COVID-19 resource portal containing software, templates for maps and informational products, and support materials including white papers, technical blogs and training content.
Continue reading “CSG Associates in Action: Esri Maps the COVID-19 Outbreak to Assist States”The following is a letter to Congressional leadership from a coalition of government support organizations. The Council of State Governments has joined 11 other partners in signing this letter.
April 28, 2020
| The Honorable Mitch McConnell Majority Leader United States Senate U.S. Capitol Building, Room S-230 Washington, D.C. 20510 | The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House United States House of Representatives U.S. Capitol Building Washington, D.C. 20515 |
| The Honorable Chuck Schumer Minority Leader United States Senate U.S. Capitol Building, Room S-224 Washington, D.C. 20510 | The Honorable Kevin McCarthy Minority Leader United States House of Representatives U.S. Capitol Building Washington, D.C. 20515 |
What is Cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity refers to the measures taken to secure electronic data and systems against criminal attacks, including malware, phishing, spearphishing, denial-of-service, etc. In most companies and businesses there is some level of internal cybersecurity steps that have been take to stop these attacks. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are seeing unprecedented levels of teleworking, including telemedicine. Suddenly, these systems are significantly more vulnerable to cyber attacks.
Continue reading “State and Federal Response to COVID-19: Cybersecurity”Summary
To protect the health of inspectors by respecting current social distancing measures, several federal financial agencies will temporarily defer real estate-related appraisals and evaluations for up to 120 days after closing of residential or commercial real estate loan transactions. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are allowing exterior inspections and desktop appraisals.
Continue reading “Federal Response to COVID-19: Real Estate Financing”by Sean Slone, CSG Senior Policy Analyst
Massive health care system disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic re-confirm, for many, the importance of electronic health records (EHRs) and patient data. These records are crucial for optimizing care, reducing medical errors, improving coordination between providers and empowering patients to participate in their own care. But the same challenges that EHRs faced before the pandemic have also been brought into sharp relief by the current crisis.
Continue reading “COVID-19 Pandemic Demonstrates Need for Electronic Health Record Interoperability”