*New* VIDEO: Owl Release in PBC Natural Area
With PBC Natural Areas scheduled to open Wednesday, 04/29/20 we wanted to share an exciting wild animal release that took place while you've been staying safe at home. We look forward to welcoming you back to enjoy the beauty of our natural areas while continuing to follow the CDC recommended social distancing guidelines.

LATEST OPERATIONAL UPDATES FOR PALM BEACH COUNTY

PBC ORDERS, ACTIONS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Emergency Order 2020-005 Reopens limited recreational areas with continuing adherence to CDC guidelines effective as of 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, April 29. The order reopens County parks, public and private golf courses, pools, marinas, and boat ramps with limitations.  For a list of recreational areas and activities that are reopening and the guidelines, go to www.pbcgov.com/coronavirus. 

*New* All public county and municipal parks, and natural areas, with the exception of beach parks, in Palm Beach County shall reopen as set forth in Attachment 4 entitled "Public Parks and Natural Areas Reopening Guidelines." Phil Foster Park and Dubois Park are considered beach parks, and will, therefore, remain closed as long as public beaches are closed. The boat ramp at Phil Foster will be open, but not the beach. 

Community pools shall reopen provided that CDC Guidelines, including all social distancing guidelines, are adhered to. In addition, the following restrictions shall apply:

• Pool capacity shall be limited to ensure that social distancing in accordance with CDC Guidelines is maintained at all times.
• Locker room and shower facilities shall remain closed. Restrooms shall be cleaned and disinfected regularly throughout the day. Soap and water or hand sanitizer and/or disinfectant wipes shall be provided in each restroom.
• Pool deck seating or lounging shall be restricted to ensure social distancing in accordance with CDC Guidelines.
• One or more facility staff or management must be present at each facility location to monitor and ensure compliance with the restrictions within this order. It will be acceptable for staff or management to delegate monitoring and compliance responsibilities to board members and community volunteers if they believe the pool can be operated safely and in compliance with the Executive Order. If these accommodations are unsuccessful, the pool should be closed until alternate monitoring arrangements are put in place.

Palm Beach County has extended the Declaration of Continuing State of Emergency until May 1^st

State of Emergency

Click here to view Executive Orders.

TESTING SITES SUMMARY

Health Care District of Palm Beach County's Drive-thru Testing for Tuesday, 4-28-20:
West Palm Beach Testing Site-
The Health Care District of Palm Beach County's C. L. Brumback Primary Care Clinics tested 561 patients at the FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach.  There were 79 patients who did not show for their scheduled appointments. The average age of the patients tested was 51.  A total of 30 children were tested and the youngest patient was two years old.  Patients are notified when their results are in. A total of 12,142 tests have been administered at the site since it opened on March 31^st.  Drive-thru testing at the West Palm Beach test site is by appointment only through the Health Care District's Testing Hotline, 561-642-1000.

Belle Glade Testing Site-
The Health Care District's C. L. Brumback Primary Care Clinics tested 104 patients at the COVID-19 testing site in Belle Glade. The average age of the patients tested was 39. A total of 13 children were tested and the youngest patient was one year old. Patients are notified when their results are in. The testing site is located on the grounds of the Health Care District's acute care, teaching hospital, Lakeside Medical Center, at 39200 Hooker Highway in Belle Glade. Individuals can be any age, and need not be symptomatic to be registered and tested, but they must call the Health Care District's Testing Hotline, 561-642-1000, to be scheduled in advance for testing. Patients who do not have a personal vehicle or use public bus transportation must also have an appointment. Since March, the Health Care District has tested 832 patients at the Belle Glade clinic site.

New Test Sites in West Palm Beach and Jupiter-
The Health Care District scheduled 36 walk-up appointments for tomorrow (Wednesday, April 29^th) at its C. L. Brumback Primary Care Clinics' site in West Palm Beach, which is located at 1150 45th Street. A total of 34 walk-up appointments are scheduled for Thursday at the Brumback Clinics' site located at 411 W. Indiantown Rd. in Jupiter. Residents are encouraged to call the Health Care District's Testing Hotline, 561-642-1000, to schedule walk-up appointments at the new West Palm Beach and Jupiter testing sites.

The Health Care District thanks Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the State Department of Emergency Management, the Florida Army National Guard, and Palm Beach County personnel for supporting drive-thru test site operations. 

South County Civic Center-Cleveland Clinic Florida Testing

Appointments can be made at 561-804-0250. Cleveland Clinic Florida has expanded criteria for individuals eligible for testing. Anyone over the age of 16 who has a fever or non-febrile respiratory illness (such as cough, shortness of breath, runny nose) or fever and gastrointestinal illness (such as diarrhea, vomiting), will be eligible for testing at our South Palm Beach County drive-through location. You must call to be screened and confirm an appointment time.

UP-TO-DATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH COVID-19 DASHBOARD
Find the latest information about your specific zip code and cases of COVID-19. The Florida Department of Health COVID-19 Dashboard can be found here at the bottom of the page: COVID-19 Dashboard. An example of a zip code map can be found here: Zip Code Map 4/21/2020. Information is updated at least twice a day.

STATE OF FLORIDA – GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDERS

More information on the Governor's orders: FL Executive Orders, Governor's Orders FAQs 

SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM

Palm Beach County Youth Services Department's Summer Food Service Program, in partnership with the Palm Beach County Library System, is distributing meals at six sites throughout Palm Beach County. Sites will distribute seven days' worth of meals to each eligible child. Today was the first day of food distribution through Youth Service Department's pre-summer feeding program and 1,008 meals were served. The next distribution day will be Wednesday at the Belle Glade, Pahokee, and South Bay libraries. 

Meal distribution will be available on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, or until all meal kits are distributed. Currently, pre-summer feeding sites will distribute food once a week through Wednesday, May 27. 

Parents picking up kits without their child present must bring identification for the child. Acceptable forms of identification include student ID, child's passport or other government-issued ID, birth certificate, adoption decree, immunization records, and school demographics. Meal kits will not be provided to parents who do not bring their child or do not provide proper identification. 

Families without transportation may walk up to collect meal kits. Proper COVID-19 safety measures must be practiced by all families, including but not limited to social distancing and wearing facial coverings. 

Monday Distribution:

Highridge Family Center, 4200 N. Australian Ave., West Palm Beach

Main Library, 3650 Summit Blvd, West Palm Beach

Greenacres Branch Library, 3750 Jog Road, Greenacres 

Wednesday Distribution:

Belle Glade Branch Library, 725 NW 4^th Street, Belle Glade

Loula V. York Branch Library, 525 Bacom Point Rd., Pahokee

Clarence E. Anthony Branch Library, 375 SW 2^nd Ave., South Bay 

DELRAY BEACH TAX COLLECTOR OFFICE OPEN FOR DRIVER LICENSE APPOINTMENTS ONLY
The Tax Collector's Office at 501 South Congress Avenue in Delray Beach is now open for residents only who have a driver's license appointment. All other office locations will remain closed to the public until further notice. Click here to read the latest update from Tax Collector Anne Gannon.

• Only Palm Beach County residents who cannot renew their driver's license online will be served in-person.
• Clients must schedule an appointment.
• Clients MUST wear a face mask or cloth face covering to be admitted into the office. 

S.T.O.P. COVID-19 Fraud campaign is a public outreach of critical information to the public related to COVID-19 fraud and criminal activity. The campaign provides facts, tips, and red flags and will guide the public on how to recognize potential fraud, protect themselves from it, and report it to authorities.
The public is encouraged to report potential fraud to COVID19FRAUD@DHS.GOV.
For more information, please visit: https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-hsi-launches-online-resource-page-combat-covid-19-fraud

UNEMPLOYMENT
Floridians making unemployment claims will receive them retroactively to the day of their job loss, if that date was later than March 9. A total of 505,000 Floridians filed for unemployment last week, with 1.16 million having successfully registered since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis. Florida has a workforce of an estimated 10.335 million people

PBC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Distance Learning

PBCSD campuses will remain closed for the 2019-2020 school year. Distance learning (info here) will continue through the last day of the school year in Palm Beach County, Friday, May 29. 

School Feeding Sites

Beginning next week, District feeding sites will serve meals on Tuesday and Thursdays, rather than Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The number of meals distributed each week, however, will not decrease.  

Beginning Thursday, April 30, the number of food distribution locations will increase to 51 schools across Palm Beach County. Meals will be distributed on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Parents or guardians who pick up meals on Thursday will be picking up a kit with two meals for six days totaling 12 meals for each child. 

Starting on Thursday, May 7, meals will be distributed on Thursdays only from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 51 locations. Again, parents or guardians who pick up meals on Thursdays will be picking up a kit with two meals for six days for a total of 12 meals for each child. The Thursday-only distribution schedule will continue until further notice. 

Meals are FREE to anyone 18 years of age and under (22 years of age and younger for ESE students), regardless of financial need. 

For the list of School District and Community Feeding Sites visit: PalmBeachSchools.org/FeedingSites

DEPARTMENT OF ELDER AFFAIRS
Music and Robotic Pet Therapy for People Living with Dementia
DOEA has developed an online form to allow individuals or their caregivers to request MP3 Players or a therapeutic robotic cat or dog to combat social isolation and ensure seniors remain engaged during the practice of social distancing to stop the spread of COVID-19. Go to http://www.elderaffairs.org/doea/livable_communities.php to access the form.

AGING & DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER (ADRC HELPLINE)

Seniors 60+ are encouraged to call the ADRC Helpline 1(866) 684-5885 for information on services for seniors in need of meals, Electric Bill Assistance, Respite for the Caregiver, Adult Day Care, In-home Services, Personal Care, Food Stamps (SNAP), Extra Help for prescription drugs, COVID 19 information and questions on Medicare or Medicaid. Specially trained counselors are available to help in English, Spanish, or Creole Monday through Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. 

Seniors registered through the Agency Helpline and served by the Volen Center and Palm Beach County Division of Senior Services are able to receive food on a scheduled basis in a "drop and go" fashion without leaving their cars.

COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT

ONLINE SERVICES ONLY! WALK-IN VISITS TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19

Rental & Utility Assistance

Individuals and families experiencing economic hardship because of loss of employment, or sickness can apply for assistance through the Community Services Department.  Residents who are eligible can access emergency rental and utility assistance online by visiting the website or by calling the following phone numbers:

• Online application for all services including rent and utilities: www.pbcgov.com/OSCARSS
• Phone number for rent: 561-904-7900
  
• Phone number for utilities: 561-355-4792
• Phone number for seniors EHEAP: 561-355-4746