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PROVIDENCE — Customer-facing services at the Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS), Department of Labor and Training (DLT), and HealthSource RI will be moving to online and telephone-only services until further notice, the RI Department of Health announced Monday.
This includes all new applications, renewals, or changes in benefits. Individuals who need to drop off paper applications will be able to do so without speaking with a customer service representative.
The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) announced earlier today that licensing road tests will be cancelled through the end of the week. In addition, beginning tomorrow, all DMV satellite offices will be closed. (Closures of the satellite locations in Westerly and Warren has previously been announced).
The Cranston DMV will also be suspending personal driver license and registration services through the end of the week. To ensure customers are not penalized for the actions we are taking to further protect health and safety, the DMV will be extending any driver licenses and registrations scheduled to expire by 30 days. Through the end of this week, the Cranston DMV will be providing only the following limited services: dealer appointments, adjudications, and commercial drivers licenses. Rhode Islanders are encouraged not to go to the DMV this week unless absolutely necessary.
Beginning next Monday, March 23, the DMV will begin taking clients for all services by appointment only. Please check the DMV website to confirm an appointment before visiting the DMV next week.
Finally, the Governor was expected to sign an Executive Order Monday allowing all Rhode Island public entities to conduct meetings online or over the phone and extending the timeline for public records requests. The Attorney General’s Office worked with the Governor’s team and other stakeholders on identifying these appropriate temporary measures for both the Open Meetings Act and the Access to Public Records Act to ensure that government can continue to operate as openly and transparently as possible. The Attorney General’s Office will continue to serve as a resource for guidance and advice regarding these statutes going forward.
RI COVID-19 By the Numbers
- Number of Rhode Island COVID-19 positive (including presumptive positive) cases: 21
- Number of people who had negative test results at RIDOH’s State Health Laboratories: 308
- Number of people for whom tests are pending: 149
- Number of people who are currently instructed to self-quarantine in Rhode Island: approximately 2,300. (This number includes approximately 1,700 people from Cranston High School West.)
Testing, including confirmatory testing, in Rhode Island is being done at RIDOH’s State Health Laboratories.
Author: Rob Borkowski
Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at [email protected] with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.
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