MLPB Digital Digest - Rhode Island - MLPB

Welcome to MLPB’s Digital Digest. Our team has created this open-access tool to help workforce colleagues navigate ongoing law and policy changes. It is intended to provide guidance and problem-solving strategies to address a range of key HRSN needs.

Some guidelines to help you get the most out of this tool:

The Bulletin: Pressing, need to know information, often with upcoming deadlines.
The Basics: MLPB’s curation of key developments in law and policy.
The Breakdown: MLPB’s translation of these developments into plain language interpretations of what these changes mean for areas of HRSN need.
The Bottom Line: Based on MLPB’s expertise, the essential takeaways needed to navigate the HRSN domain of interest
Last-Reviewed Timestamps: MLPB routinely reviews content and updates information as appropriate.

This information is for educational purposes only; nothing in it should be construed as legal advice.

© 2021-2023 MLPB, a fiscally sponsored organization of TSNE

Click below to navigate to a topic of interest!

General Orders

Headline: Federal Health Emergency to end on May 11, 2023. Biden administration announces plan to wind down the state of emergency with enough time to provide notice to state and federal programs that will be affected.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Mar. 20, 2023

Court Systems

Headline: Courts are generally open and operating with few restrictions. Always check court websites for details.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Mar. 20, 2023

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Criminal System Invovlement

Headline: Courts are in the process of automatically expunging people with drug possession charges that have now been decriminalized. A new driver’s license restoration program is available to eligible Providence residents.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Mar. 20, 2023

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Education & Childcare

Headline: The Village for Foster & Adoptive Families, through a grant from the Office of Healthy Aging, can assist people over 55 who are caring for children under the age of 18. Some services include support groups and help navigating childcare.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Mar. 23, 2023

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Employment

Headline: Starting January 1, 2023, RI’s minimum wage increased to $13/hour. Rhode Island’s unemployment rate continues to decrease and is at 3.1%; the number of jobs in RI increased in January.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Mar. 23, 2023

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Food & Income Security

Headline: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites are open for help filing taxes. SNAP emergency allotments will end in February, with regular/lower amounts starting March 1.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Mar. 23, 2023

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Government Identification

Headline: New driver privilege permits will be available in July 2023 to Rhode Islanders who do not have a social security number.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Mar. 23, 2023

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Health Insurance

Headline: While HealthSource RI open enrollment ended on January 31, there remain a number of special enrollment opportunities for people who have qualifying events. The State launched a website with information about Medicaid renewals: StayCovered.RI.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Mar. 23, 2023

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Housing Stability

Headline: The shortage of affordable housing for very low income households continues to worsen. The National Low Income Housing Coalition released a new report in March.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Mar. 23, 2023

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Immigration Status & Public Charge

Headline: USCIS has issued automatic extensions of green cards for naturalization applicants.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Mar. 23, 2023

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Interpersonal Safety

Headline: A new national suicide prevention and mental-health crisis phone number (988) launched.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Mar. 23, 2023

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Transportation

Headline: The MBTA commuter rail started serving the new Pawtucket/Central Falls train station; many RIPTA bus lines serving Pawtucket now stop at the station, and not the old transportation center.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Mar. 23, 2023

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Utilities & Internet

Headline: The winter moratorium prevention utility shut-offs for protected status customers began on November 1, 2022 and will end on April 15.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Mar. 23, 2023

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