Cooling Assistance Program Application Information

Hotter temperatures and higher energy prices will make keeping cool this summer more difficult than
ever. Luckily, the Georgia Division of Family & Child Services will be accepting applications to the
federally-funded Low Income Cooling Assistance Program starting April 1st for elderly and home-bound
individuals. Folks over the age of 65 and/or medically confined to the home will have a month long head
start to apply for this program before applications open up to the general public on May 1st.

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The State of Medicaid in Georgia

As we’ve been discussing on New Ellijay News over the past few months, the State of Georgia has been removing tens of thousands of people from its Medicaid rolls since the Federal government declared an end to the Covid-19 Public Health Emergency earlier this year. With that in mind, we’re going to take a deeper dive into Medicaid to raise awareness of how the program works, its eligibility requirements, and how to keep you and your family covered.

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“Stop Cop City” Protests Continue

Protests continued in Atlanta this week over the proposed cop city project. The plan aims to construct an Atlanta police training facility in one of the last forested areas inside the Atlanta perimeter. This initiative has faced strong opposition from within the community, as well as from activists who argue that it will perpetuate the kind of militarized policing Atlanta PD is known for. The plans include military-grade training facilities, a mock city to practice urban warfare, dozens of shooting ranges, and a Black Hawk helicopter landing pad. Funding for the project is a mix of taxpayer funds and donations to the Atlanta Police Foundation from prominent Atlanta-based corporations such as UPS, Chick-fil-a, Home Depot, and JP Morgan Chase, among others.

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Nearly 3 million Georgians to be reassessed for Medicaid eligibility

The end of the Federal Public Health Emergency for Covid-19 on May 11th 2023 could lead to millions across the country being removed from Medicaid rolls. Under temporary COVID-19 rules established at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, state level Medicaid administrations ceased reassessing and removing recipients of Medicaid, so as to not leave people uninsured during the pandemic. With these rules no longer in place at the Federal level, the state of Georgia’s temporary provisions regarding Medicaid eligibility are coming to an end.

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