Hartford, CT – Governor Ned Lamont on Dec 20th, announced that he has renewed a declaration that will enable Connecticut to continue receiving federal support throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This federal support provides funds for supplemental food benefits for households in need and non-congregate housing for individuals experiencing homelessness and survivors of domestic violence. The declaration will continue through June 28, 2023, or until the federal public health emergency ends, whichever is earlier.

This declaration is an extension of the one he issued in June, which is set to expire on December 28, 2022. The governor reiterated, as he did in June, that he will not issue any emergency executive orders under this declaration. The purpose of the declaration is to ensure that state agencies continue to have access to available federal funds.

“We need this declaration in place, otherwise we wouldn’t be able to access the federal support necessary for emergency food benefits and housing services that other states across the country are continuing to receive as a result of the pandemic,” Governor Lamont said. “By issuing this declaration, we are ensuring that this added support can continue for at least several more months.”

Having this declaration in place since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic has enabled the approximately 224,285 Connecticut households that are enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – formerly known as food stamps – to receive an additional $929.1 million in emergency benefits that they otherwise would have been ineligible to collect. On average, these households are receiving an additional $156.44 per month in emergency benefits.

Additionally, this declaration has enabled the state to access the funds needed to place 6,970 individuals experiencing homelessness and several hundred survivors of domestic violence into non-congregate housing throughout the duration of the pandemic. Non-congregate housing is a location where each individual or household has living space that offers some level of privacy, such as hotels, motels, or dormitories. To date, the state has received $15.89 million in federal reimbursements for this purpose and is expecting to receive an additional $20.7 million for its continuation.

**Download: Declaration of a continued public health emergency