Update on cloth mask distribution to schools and child care centers
As we reported in an earlier blog post, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced in late August that it would be making up to 125 million cloth face masks available to states for distribution to schools. Wisconsin’s share of this distribution is to be 1.6 million masks.
At the time of our earlier blog post, it was unknown when the masks would arrive. We now have an update to report.
According to sources in touch with staff of the state Department of Health Services (DHS) and Wisconsin Emergency Management that are working on this project, the state received a shipment of cloth face masks from DHHS last week. However, the amount the state received is half of what it had been expecting and the masks that were received are sized for middle and high school students. The other half of the shipment is expected to arrive in late September to early October.
On Tuesday, September 22, 2020, the Joint Legislative Council will host an online discussion on the experiences of individuals and families navigating pathways to diagnosis, treatment, and support of autism as told by an occupational therapist with specialized training in working with children with autism, navigators who work in various parts of the state, and the co-director of a clinic providing innovative approaches to autism services in Milwaukee.