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On March 1, 2020, we had the first announcement that two Floridians
had tested positive for COVID-19. The virus has impacted our lives in so many ways from our health to our economy, from how we connect with one another and how we do business, from how we learn to how we shop. So much has changed in our lives this past year and now with several vaccines available, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. As we wait for more vaccine supplies to become available, please visit https://floridahealthcovid19.gov for updates and continue to take precautions to minimize the spread of COVID-19.

March 2, 2021 is the opening day for the Florida legislative session. The Florida Legislature meets every year for 60 consecutive days of session and while some things will be different this year, there is much work for us to get done. We will be tackling unemployment, insurance rates, early literacy, climate change and flooding, among many other issues important to the residents of the State of Florida.

During the session I will continue to provide you with updates.

If you wish to join our email list, please email Lisa.Librizzi @myfloridahouse.gov to be added to the list. Additionally, you can visit www.myfloridahouse.gov to watch meetings, review agendas and presentations, and track bills that have been submitted. Please reach out to us at HDIST096@ myfloridahouse.gov regarding any particular concerns you have with bills coming in front of us for debate and vote. I value your input and your perspective.

March is also Women’s History Month and a time we recognize and celebrate the contributions women have made to our country and history. Our office is holding a Women’s History Essay contest for students grades K-12 in District 96.

To participate, please send us your essay of 500 words or less about a woman who you look up to or who you feel has made a positive contribution to our society.

We want to know why this woman is special to you. It could be someone from history or someone you know today. Email us the essay to Lisa.Librizzi @myfloridahouse.gov with “Essay Contest” in the subject line.

Please include your name, email, and phone number. We will have three winners from grades K-5, 6-8, and 9-12.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve you in the Florida House. Please reach out to our office if we can be of assistance with unemployment issues, vaccine distribution information, or if you have a concern you would like addressed. It is our pleasure to help wherever we can. In the meantime, follow me on Facebook at @RepHunschofsky and on Twitter at @chunschofsky for more updates. As always, I look forward to hearing from you!

Awareness of mental health challenges has been increasing at the local, state, and national levels. Efforts focus on ensuring folks who need to talk to someone during a mental health emergency can access the help they need.

Nationally, on Oct 17th, President Trump signed a bipartisan bill (S.2661) to create a new national hotline. The FCC already allocated 988 as the number, to replace a 10-digit phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL). The new law also created a fee that a state may levy to support the hotline, similar to how the current 911 system works.

The bill mandates a July 16th, 2022 deadline for phone companies to enable the new service. Meanwhile, there are existing resources people have access to, including Broward County’s 2-1-1 Broward https://2-1-1-broward.org.

2-1-1 Broward has been a local non- profit resource for people who need to talk to someone since it was founded in 1995. Their mission statement is to provide a “24-hour comprehensive helpline, providing all people with crisis, health, and human services support and connecting them to resources in our community.”

For the past 6 years, 2-1-1 Broward has averaged 116,000 incoming calls a year. Since April 2020, 2-1-1 Broward has seen a steady increase of calls, up 82 percent in September.

The most common calls are related to COVID-19 services, basic needs (food, clothing), hospitalization, financial, and mental health services.

According to 2-1-1 Broward, some of the callers simply need listening support to de-escalate their situation.

The non- profit organization provides referrals to other professionals such as counseling, telehealth, crisis centers, support groups, family counseling, trauma-informed care, etc.

Due to COVID-19, 2-1-1 Broward has evolved to continue to service the community. The call center is fully remote for the safety of their workers. The resource database has been expanded to cover COVID-19 related responses. Additional staff is trained and hired to provide for Broward residents.

2-1-1 Broward is also nationally affiliated with Lifeline, which operates the national 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Calls from Broward to the national hotline are routed to 2-1-1 Broward. They also participate in many national programs, such as the Ride United Last-Mile Delivery program where, since April 2020, over 75,000 meals have been delivered across Broward County. The program aims to deliver food and supplies to vulnerable populations as a response to COVID-19.

You can find out more at their website: https://2-1-1-broward.org.

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State Representative D-96 Christine Hunschofsky

Mental health hotline mandated