Weekly Newsletter

Good afternoon,

This was a busy and important week for the State of Nevada. On Monday, as statutorily required, I transmitted the budget to the Legislative Council Bureau and released a summary of my Executive Budget for the 2021-2023 biennium. This budget highlights the pain wrought by the pandemic while also setting forth a clear plan to revitalize, innovate, and grow Nevada’s economy. You can read the summary here. I was also thrilled to deliver my second State of the State address on Tuesday. The address was prerecorded to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and while I missed the opportunity to present the address in front of a crowded Assembly chamber, I was grateful to share my message and set out a plan for recovery.

As I’ve said many times before, Nevadans are battle born. We face our challenges head on. And we will get through this difficult time together, because the State of our State is determined, resilient, and strong. You can watch the full State of the State address here, and don’t miss the pre-program, which aired before the State of the State here.

Thank you to all those who helped make this address. I look forward to bringing this vision for our State to reality.

- Governor Steve Sisolak

Make a Plan: Knowing How and Where to Get Your Vaccine

Nevada is receiving small, weekly allocations of COVID-19 vaccines from the federal government which are being provided to counties statewide to vaccinate our seniors and prioritized occupational groups. We know it is difficult, but we urge Nevadans to be patient and make a plan to get vaccinated when the time comes. Each county is moving at their own pace and more information on when, where and how to be vaccinated can be found at NVCOVIDFighter.org.

State Treasurer’s Office and Governor’s Office of Economic Development provide update on additional $50 million in assistance for small businesses

The Nevada State Treasurer’s Office and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) provide an update after Governor Sisolak called on the Legislature to approve an additional $50 million dollars for the Pandemic Emergency Technical Support (PETS) Grant program to continue supporting small businesses during the pandemic. This funding is in addition to the $51 million that has previously been allocated for the program, bringing total funding to $101 million. To learn more about PETS, click here and to see the full release, click here. Nevada small businesses that are interested in being notified of future grant funding opportunities are encouraged to fill out this form.

The Nevada Division of Forestry is offering grants to protect and restore urban and rural ecosystems

Nevada’s urban, rural and wildland ecosystems are continuously threatened by invasions of non-native species, insects, and disease, as well as development disturbance, unsustainable management, and destructive natural events, such as floods and wildfires. To address these risks, the Nevada Division of Forestry (NDF) is pleased to announce that it is currently seeking pre-proposals for three competitive grant programs: Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR), Western State Fire Manager’s-Wildland Urban Interface (WSFM-WUI) and Hazardous Fuel-Community Protection (HF-CP) Please note: LSR, WSFM-WUI, and HF-CP funding is only available for projects on nonfederal lands in Nevada. To view the site and obtain further details, please click here.

The Governor’s Office of Workforce Innovation (OWINN) has been awarded a 2.5 million dollar H-1B Rural Healthcare Grant.

The Governor’s Office of Workforce Innovation (OWINN) is happy to announce that they have been awarded a $2.5 million dollar H-1B Rural Healthcare Grant. OWINN will be partnering with key healthcare organizations and training providers to implement training & job placing programs geared towards developing healthcare occupations in the northern and rural communities of Nevada. To stay up to date with this and other initiatives set forth by the Governor’s Office of Workforce Innovation, please visit their website here. To stay in tune for their press release click here.

Reno Loves Local Offering Thousands of Dollars in Gift Cards for Consumers who Participate in Contest Writing Love Letters to Local Businesses

Reno Loves Local, a local campaign asks participants to write “Love Letters” praising locally-owned Reno businesses they appreciate as a simple, zero-cost means to elevate those entities digitally to additional customers. Participants will be entered to win one of 100 gift cards that range in value from $25 - $100 from establishments. The business that receives the most Love Letters will also win a grand prize of its choice of either a business development package (valued at $1,000) or $1,000 in gift cards purchased from said winning business that will then be donated to local heroes via a nonprofit, charitable organization or a direct gift. Learn more about this initiative here.

The Pennington Rural Health Services Loan Repayment Program

The Nevada Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology (OSIT), was created to increase access to high-quality healthcare by growing Nevada’s healthcare workforce, particularly in underserved communities. A practitioner may enter the Pennington Rural Health Service Loan Repayment Program (PRHSLRP) by engaging in full-time clinical practice and residing in an assigned rural community in exchange for funding used to repay qualified educational loans. Funding under this program will be provided by the William N. Pennington Foundation. To see the full details of the press release and see if you qualify, click here.

Emsi SkillsMatch program to help Nevadans get back to work

In an effort to help Nevadans who are unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) and the Governor’s Office of Workforce Innovation (OWINN) have used federal funding to make the Emsi SkillsMatch tool available for those seeking to get back into the job market.
The Nevada SkillsMatch tool is free and available at nv.emsiskills.com. It is not a job board, but it can be used to connect individuals to jobs that meet their qualifications. The SkillsMatch tool helps individuals understand career and education opportunities that may be a good fit with past experience. Read more about this new initiative here.

The Nevada Arts Council has an Artist Relief Grant program, and Nevada artists can apply through Jan. 29

Nevada artists who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic may apply through Jan. 29, 2021, for a $1,000 grant to be used to alleviate financials pressures due to the pandemic. Properly completed applications for the Fiscal Year 2021 Artist Relief Grant program will be entered into a process for randomized selection. For a list of eligibility requirements and a link to the online application, visit their website or click here.

Nevada officials want to know: How do you feel about the COVID-19 vaccine?

Researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med), in partnership with the University of Nevada, Reno School of Community Health Sciences, Immunize Nevada and the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, are conducting a study to learn what Nevadans think about COVID-19 vaccines and their acceptance toward taking the vaccine once one is available to the public.

Public and health care providers are invited to participate in the research study by taking one of the two surveys. The surveys are completely anonymous, but ask questions about who you are and what you know and think about COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccines, and information sources. The survey will take less than 10 minutes to complete. Participants may pick and choose what questions they answer. The survey can only be completed online and is anonymous.

Community members can take the public survey in English or Spanish here.
Health care providers and learners can take the provider survey here.

Division of Health Care Financing and Policy – Open Enrollment for Medicaid

Medicaid caseload is up nearly 20 percent since the start of the public health emergency in February 2020. Total Medicaid caseload is now 771,820 and Check Up is 26,583. Growth is continuing to slow. The Parents and Children category declined 2,737 in December, the first decline since February 2020. However, the Newly Eligible Adults category continues to grow quickly, increasing by 7,119 recipients in December 2020.

Nevada Medicaid would like to remind you that while the Nevada Health Link has an open enrollment period, Nevada Medicaid is always open for applications. Apply here.

Suicide Prevention for the Youth – Lethal Means PSA

During these challenging times, checking in with our children and teens is crucial. They are experiencing so many different stressors and losses, and at the same time, they are isolated from some of their support systems. There are things you can do as a parent, guardian or caregiver to help youth who are struggling. Learning what signs to look for and checking in on your child is an important starting place. Being aware of your home environment and any available lethal means is another important way to keep them safe. What you do to prevent access to lethal means can save a life. Suicide is preventable and resources for help are available.

If you are concerned about yourself or a loved one, please call Crisis Support Services of Nevada at 1-800-273-8255 or Text CARE to 839863

If you would like more information on lethal means safety, please visit here.

Stewart Indian School Museum in Carson City now open

Stewart Indian School Cultural Center and Museum in Carson City re-opened Jan. 19 with health protocols in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The museum is on the site of the former Stewart Indian School, a federal boarding school for Native American children. In operation from 1890 to 1980, the Stewart School saw its mission change over time. This complex history is told through the stories of students in beautifully presented exhibits. For further details, click here.

Lost City Museum in Overton re-opens

Artifacts recovered from prehistoric archaeological sites in the Moapa Valley area can be seen at the Lost City Museum in Overton, which re-opened in mid-January. The museum showcases items that would have been submerged after the 1935 construction of Hoover Dam and subsequent creation of Lake Mead, which flooded some of those sites. For further details, click here.

Help NDOT Plan for the Future of Mt. Rose Highway

As average traffic on the valley section of Mt. Rose Highway in Washoe County has grown from 15,000 vehicles daily in 2014 to nearly 23,000 in 2019, the Nevada Department of Transportation wants your feedback to paint a vision for the future of the corridor. The Mt. Rose Highway Corridor Study will provide a high-level vision for future options to improve traffic safety and mobility for all transportation types. Tune into a virtual public meeting at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 26 by visiting nevadadot.com/mtrose. Public meeting materials, survey and recording of the live presentation will also be available on the website through Feb. 9. To provide your input and learn more, click here.

NSHE Chancellor Establishes Mental Health Taskforce

Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Chancellor Melody Rose has established the COVID-19 Mental Health Task Force, charged with responding to mental health needs that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Emotional and mental health is often an overlooked condition and under-resourced area that impacts every aspect of our lives, and the ability of students and employees to learn, work, and live within the NSHE community,” Chancellor Melody Rose said. “With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, these pre-existing concerns have been exacerbated.” The Mental Health Taskforce, which is expected to convene in early February and regularly throughout 2021, will be charged with producing recommendations to address these challenges across NSHE’s eight institutions and system. To read the full press release, click here.

Nevada Department of Education is Happy to Highlight Apple Distinguished Educator Mike Lang

Mike Lang, a technology instructor at Clark County School District’s Laura Dearing Elementary School on the East Side of Las Vegas, is an Apple Distinguished Educator and recognized for his efforts to put the spotlight on his students as civic servants and activists in their local community. Mr. Lang serves as a member of Superintendent Ebert’s Teacher Advisory Cabinet as well as a member of Nevada’s inaugural cohort of digital engineers. The Nevada Digital Engineers are a network of experienced classroom, school, school administrators, and district leaders in Nevada who build capacity for distance learning statewide by providing virtual training and coaching, as well as maintaining the resources on the Nevada Digital Learning Collaborative website. To visit the collaborative website click here and to see more of Apple’s highlights on Mike Lang, click here.

United State’s Rejoins the Paris Agreement and the State of Nevada stands in full support

This week President Joe Biden signed into action the United States of America rejoining the Paris Agreement. This was signed on his first day highlighting the administrations priority to reduce greenhouse gases & fight climate change head-on. As a proud member of the United States Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of governors from across the nation, Nevada stands ready to advance climate action and will continue to advance climate-forward solutions for a healthy, resilient, and sustainable future. To learn more about the US Climate Alliance, click here. To learn more about climate action in Nevada, click here.

Nevada 211 Youth app launched - Zip code-based information and resources

The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services has announced the release of a Nevada 211 Youth resource app to complement the Nevada 211 app launched earlier this year. The app, which focuses on youth resources including counseling, education, emergency food and shelter as well as youth employment is free to download and can be searched based on zip code.

Nevada 211, a free service that includes information about health and human service programs and resources that are available throughout the state, can also be accessed online at Nevada211.org, by dialing 2-1-1 or by texting your zip code to 898211.

The Nevada 211 app was announced in May 2020 to help more Nevadans connect with the resources they need. Money Management International (MMI) administers the program.

Available in the Apple App Store and Google Play, the Nevada 211 Youth app is free to download.

Unemployment Update

Finalized data from the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) show initial claims for unemployment insurance (UI) totaled 10,474, up 963 claims, or 10.1%, compared to the previous week’s total of 9,511 claims. Regular continued claims totaled 81,195 claims, an increase of 2,402 claims, or 3%, from the previous week’s total of 78,793.

The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which provides benefits for self-employed, 1099 contract workers, and gig workers saw 56,578 initial claims filed in the week ending January 16, an increase of 48,199 claims, or 575.2%, from last week’s total of 8,379. Initial applications for the PUA program continue to be highly unpredictable. Through the week ending January 16, there have been a total of 850,622 PUA initial claims filed.

COVID Trace App: Protecting your community. And your privacy.

More than 469,942 of your neighbors have downloaded the COVID Trace App. It's a free and easy-to-use mobile phone app that gives you the information you need to fight COVID-19, without compromising your privacy. Nevadans have answered the call since Nevada day, and have doubled the number of downloads. Join your friends, family and neighbors on the app today! Together, we can help slow the spread of COVID-19 in Nevada!

Join the fight! To download the fight on your Apple device or Android, click here.

Nevada Division of State Lands, Washoe County, DHHS collaborate to expand housing & social services for homeless and at-risk populations

The Nevada Division of State Lands and the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services announced a new partnership between the State of Nevada and Washoe County to expand housing and social services for homeless and at-risk vulnerable populations through the “Our Place Homeless Project” in Sparks, Nevada. This unique partnership project will also enhance the CrossRoads program and provide additional care management services for homeless women, children and families. Additionally, the partnership includes the development of a community garden at the campus as well as extensive facility improvements. To learn more about the Our Place Homeless Project, click here.

COVID-19 Task Force Updates

The COVID-19 Mitigation and Management Task Force met on January 21, 2021. For more information on these meetings and more, please visit the links below.

Boards & Commissions

This month, I was proud to announce 52 appointments were made to State of Nevada boards, commissions, and agencies during the month of December. I have appointed hundreds of individuals since assuming office, and I encourage anyone who might be interested in serving Nevada and their community to review opportunities posted on the Governor’s WEBSITE, which is updated on an ongoing basis.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS?

The Governor makes appointments to three types of boards and commissions:

Advisory - An advisory board, commission or council serves as a formal liaison between a state agency and the public, in addition to making recommendations on how to address specific issues.
Regulatory Board - Regulatory boards are those that oversee the licensing, handle complaints, and enforce disciplinary actions of individuals or industries that fall within the jurisdiction of the board’s authority.
Task Force - A task force is created for the purpose of accomplishing a definite objective and goal.

If you are interested in serving, apply now!

Board Vacancies *Vacancies are updated once a month
Frequently Asked Questions
Boards and Commissions Application

Stay up to date on the latest news from Governor Sisolak by following his social media accounts or by visiting his website.

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