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PROVIDENCE, RI – The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is notifying the public that smoke from Canadian wildfires will be impacting the area, with an Air Quality Alert being issued for Thursday June 29, 2023. An alert is being issued for UNHEALTHY fine particles on the Air Quality Index. Smoke impacts are expected to increase throughout the day, heaviest late, as smoke plumes to our west and northwest are transported into Rhode Island. Expect periods of wood burning odors, haze, and unhealthy fine particles readings on local air quality monitors throughout the state. At this time, this smoke is anticipated to linger into Friday.
The fine particles in smoke are so small that they can get past the body’s natural defenses and get deep into the lungs. Breathing particle pollution can cause irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and shortness of breath. Some people are more likely to experience health effects from poor air quality, including people with asthma or other lung disease, people with heart disease, older adults, and children and babies.
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) recommends people who are sensitive to particle pollution should take the following actions to protect their health:
• Stay indoors with windows closed during the times significant smoke is affecting your area.
• Additionally, for people outdoors, N95 masks can reduce exposure to pollutants in smoke plumes. Choose less strenuous outdoor activities and shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors.
• Air quality can change throughout the day. Use AirNow.gov or download the AirNOW application for smart phones to check the current air quality and decide if it is a good time to be active outdoors.
• Particle pollution can make asthma and lung disease symptoms worse. People with asthma should carefully follow their asthma management plan on days when pollution levels are high.
• For people with heart disease, breathing in particle pollution can increase their risk of heart attack. Be on the lookout for symptoms like chest pain or tightness, fast heartbeat, feeling out of breath, or being more tired than usual, and contact a doctor.
As mentioned, if the smoke is reaching the ground, you will smell wood burning with reduced visibility. Elevated fine particles from smoke are expected to remain into possibly Friday.
For detailed information, please refer to DEM’s air quality forecast page.
https://dem.ri.gov/environmental-protection-bureau/air-resources/air-quality-forecast
Additionally, EPA’s Fire and Smoke Map has detailed information on current air quality readings in your area, including DEM and RIDOH air quality monitors, along with the network of regional low-cost sensors.
https://fire.airnow.gov/

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH)’s new, user-friendly online registration system is now available for medical marijuana patients and authorized purchasers in Rhode Island. The prior system was entirely paper-based.
The web-based portal will shorten processing time and eliminate the need to fill out and mail paper documents.
The new system, known as the Rhode Island Cannabis Licensing Portal (see link below), lets existing card holders renew registrations, update personal information, and make necessary changes to their existing registration cards. New patients applying for a medical marijuana registration card will now apply through the Cannabis Licensing Portal as well. The RIDOH Cannabis Licensing Portal User Guide has step-by-step directions on how to use the online portal (see link below).
RIDOH’s Medical Marijuana Program accepts, reviews, and approves patients and authorized purchaser applications and renewals. The portal may also be used by caregivers who have been selected by a card holding patient and approved by the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation (DBR) to obtain their own marijuana registration card. Caregivers should visit the DBR Office of Cannabis Regulation for further information regarding their registration.
RIDOH will stop mailing registration reminders and renewal forms in the coming months. It is very important that patients create an account in the portal to be sure they get important messages and updates from RIDOH, including renewal reminders 60 days before the expiration date.
Participants whose registrations will expire in the next 14 days should call RIDOH’s Medical Marijuana Program at 401-222-3752. Other questions should be emailed to doh.mmp@health.ri.gov.
RIDOH approves or denies new applications and renewals within 35 days of receiving applications and all required documents. As a courtesy, RIDOH will email a renewal reminder 60 days prior to the expiration date on a patient’s card if the patient has an email on file with RIDOH.

PROVIDENCE, RI – The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is again cautioning the public not to assume that finding a baby animal means it needs to be rescued. A fawn (baby deer) lying on the ground hidden in grass or brush should not be considered abandoned – it should be left alone by people and pets because moving or handling it may permanently separate it from its mother and jeopardize its life.
White-tailed deer give birth to fawns in May and June. Each year, DEM receives many calls about fawns mistaken to have been abandoned by their mother. This is almost never the case.
“In nature, the mother deer gives birth and for the next five to seven days, the fawn is incapable of following the mother, so it is natural for the fawn to lie in a curled ‘freeze’ position on the ground hidden in grass or sparse brush,” said DEM’s Division of Fish and Wildlife Biologist Dylan Ferreira. “Sometimes, however, well-intentioned people will assume the fawn is abandoned and take it home to ‘save’ it from predators or domestic animals. In fact, the doe will often be nearby out of sight and will only come to the fawn a few times during the day or after dark to feed it. If you see a fawn in this condition, please leave it alone. The mother will return to feed and care for it.”
After seven to 10 days, the fawn may run when approached and after a month will be able to follow and feed alongside the mother. Interference by people handling and taking fawns from the wild during this process can often doom young deer. If there is no dead doe found nearby or on the road, the fawn is not considered abandoned. To learn more about white-tailed deer in Rhode Island, see the wildlife factsheet here.
If you should find a fawn, the best thing to do is immediately leave the area and avoid creating any disturbance near it. “Fawns should not be handled – and counterintuitive as it may seem – do not need your help. Fawns are well camouflaged and have very little scent, which helps protect them from predators,” explained Ferreira.
Fawns also lie motionless when approached by a predator, a behavioral adaptation to help them survive. The doe-fawn bond is very strong. If you perceive a fawn to be in immediate danger – for example, lying in the middle of a road – first check your surroundings and monitor the scenario from a safe distance. The fawn may move on its own, once you, who the fawn may perceive as a predator, back away from them. If the fawn remains in an unsafe area, please call DEM’s Division of Law Enforcement 24-hour dispatch at 401-222-3070 for further guidance.
Rarely, a fawn may approach people or pets. If this occurs, DEM advises the public to immediately leave the area. Do not wait to see if the doe returns as she will avoid the area until the disturbance passes. She will return to search and care for the missing fawn once the area is clear of people and pets.
Fawns cannot be kept as pets and removing a deer from the wild and keeping it in captivity – however well-intentioned – is illegal in Rhode Island. Wild deer often do poorly in captivity, suffering malnutrition and behavioral changes as they become accustomed to humans. Captive deer also can pose health risks or may become dangerous to people or domestic animals as they mature. Tame deer raised in captivity have trouble returning to the wild as a free-roaming creature as nature intended. Any fawn obviously injured by a pet, vehicle, or farm equipment should be reported directly to the Wildlife Clinic of Rhode Island at 401-294-6363.
For more information on when it’s appropriate to assist young wildlife and a recording of the Division of Fish and Wildlife outreach program, visit DEM’s YouTube channel. For more information on DEM programs and services, visit www.dem.ri.gov. Follow DEM on Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM), Facebook, or Instagram (@rhodeisland.dem and @ri.fishandwildlife) for timely updates.

PROVIDENCE, RI — Governor Dan McKee, Lt. Governor Sabina Matos, Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green, and Providence Superintendent Dr. Javier Montañez today joined PPSD administrators, educators, students, and families at Sgt. Cornel Young, Jr. & Charlotte Woods Elementary School in Providence to release the results of RIDE’s 2023 administration of SurveyWorks [click.icptrack.com], the annual statewide school culture survey. The yearly survey provides valuable insight into what is working for Rhode Island students, and challenges that can be addressed in the education system.
This year’s survey showed the highest response rates ever from three key audiences: administrators, educators, and families, while the student response rate returned to pre-pandemic levels after declining in 2021 and 2022. The total response count was 122,672 across the state.
“Rhode Island’s outstanding participation in SurveyWorks demonstrates our shared commitment to shaping a brighter future for our children. As we dive into this important data, my administration remains committed to ensuring that Rhode Island’s education system meets the needs of all learners,” said Governor Dan McKee. “Thank you to all educators, students, and families who participated in SurveyWorks. We look forward to your continued collaboration and engagement as we work to improve student outcomes and expand opportunities for students across Rhode Island.”
“SurveyWorks provides a platform for students to share their thoughts and experiences, allowing educators to better understand their needs, challenges, and aspirations. We are pleased to see such strong survey engagement within Providence,” said Lt. Governor Sabina Matos. “I encourage Rhode Islanders to examine the results, and together, we will build a stronger, more equitable educational system that prepares every learner for success.”
Statewide, RIDE saw Hispanic or Latino and Black or African American above average response rates among educators and families across almost all survey topics. For example, family engagement was up 10 percentage points from 2022 at 25 percent, and the highest it has been even before the pandemic. The highest rates of favorability for family engagement questions came from Hispanic or Latino and Black or African American families.
“On behalf of the Council, I am grateful for the dedication and passion exhibited by our educators, students, and families,” said Chair of the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education Patti DiCenso. “Your voices matter, and your valuable feedback is instrumental in helping us understand the current landscape of our schools and identifying areas of improvement.”
“Engaging with our school communities is paramount to what we do here at RIDE. With our annual SurveyWorks, we are able to take a look inside classroom environments statewide and see what is working for students and what’s not,” said Commissioner Infante-Green. “I am thrilled to see that we had large gains in engagement across the board, and that we are on track to recovering from the learning loss experienced during the pandemic. This data is critical for improving educational outcomes for our students, staff and families. There’s still much to build on, but these statistics show that we are moving in the right direction. I thank all Rhode Islanders for participating in this survey and making sure their voice was heard.”
Other highlights include:
When asked what is working for their children in the classroom, the most common response from families was social-emotional learning.
Grades 6 through 12 had a 12-percentage point increase in discussing college and careers and using Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) in the classroom, with 65 percent of students responding favorably.
ILP usefulness for students increased by 9 points, up to 33 percent.
When asked what is working for students, their largest response was hands-on learning and activities. This comes as RIDE recently revised the state Secondary Regulations, which will incorporate more real-world relevant learning experiences for students through career and technical education (CTE) and increased flexibility with coursework choices.
In addition to statewide gains, Providence demonstrated strong improvement in several key areas of the survey. For example, students in grades 3 through 5 responded 64% favorably to supplemental questions regarding learning goals, strategies and explanations – up 16 points from 2022. Additionally, students grade 6 through 12 had gains in ILP usefulness, up 11 points from 2022.
Providence also had a higher rate of family engagement than the rest of the state, with favorability coming in at 30 percent in comparison to the state average of 25 percent. Within these results, the district saw a 13-point increase in families attending school events at their child’s school.
Teachers also had positive feedback regarding high quality instructional materials (HQIM) in the district, and for leadership of their schools as well. Implementation of HQIM saw up 7 points from 2022, and leadership responsiveness was up 9 points from last year.
“I am so proud of all the hard work our Providence community has put in to improve student outcomes in our schools,” said Superintendent Dr. Javier Montañez. “Their hard work is paying off. Our educators and families play a major role in how our students succeed in the classroom and beyond. I commend them for working tirelessly to ensure all Providence kids, regardless of their background, are prepared for school and life today and in the future.”
Two Providence schools performed exceptionally well in their SurveyWorks results: The Sgt. Cornel Young, Jr. & Charlotte Woods Elementary School, and 360 High School. For Young Woods, engagement and School Rigorous Expectations favorability was the highest it has been among students School leadership favorability reached 91 percent, which is the school’s highest among educators, and families had a 17-point increase in engagement.
360 High School saw a nine-point increase in family engagement overall, with an 11-point increase in families attending events at the school. Family engagement at 360 is the highest it has been even before the pandemic.
Pawtucket also had two schools who had significant increases in favorability rates. Francis J. Varieur Elementary School saw a 16-point increase in school belonging from spring 2022, with 71 percent of students saying their peers understand them as a person and 67 percent saying they matter to others at the school.
Jacqueline M. Walsh School for the Performing & Visual Arts had impressive teaching efficacy gains since spring 2022. One of the highest increases was seen in social-emotional learning (SEL), where there was a 26-point increase, putting SEL favorability at 86 percent – the highest it has ever been, including pre-pandemic.
In addition to viewing results, educators in each local education agency (LEA) can access the free tool Playbook [click.icptrack.com], which allows them to craft lesson plans based on their school results designed and reviewed by educators across the country based on Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) tiers.?In the coming days, all educators will receive an email inviting them to create an account for Playbook.
To view the complete 2023 SurveyWorks results for the state, your district, or your school, please visit our SurveyWorks Resource Center on our website. To raise awareness about our annual survey and to join the conversation, use the hashtag #SurveyWorks on social media.
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PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Dan McKee today announced his appointment of current Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities & Hospitals (BHDDH) Director Richard Charest to serve as the next Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS). The Governor has sent Charest’s name to the Rhode Island Senate for advice and consent.
“Since his arrival at BHDDH, Richard Charest has made significant strides and improvements, including the opening of a new state psychiatric hospital and ensuring that Eleanor Slater Hospital is on a positive and stable path,” said Governor McKee. “His steadfast leadership, coupled with his decades of experience in the health care industry, will be a tremendous asset as he serves as EOHHS Secretary. I’m honored to appoint him to this important role, and I know he will lead with distinction.”
“I appreciate the confidence Governor McKee has placed in me, in nominating me as EOHHS Secretary,” said Director Charest. “This very important role allows me to implement over 30 years of experience to support the growing and evolving healthcare needs of Rhode Islanders. After serving nearly two years as Director of BHDDH, I have become familiar with the opportunities and challenges we face across state government. The work of our employees, legislators, and caregivers is significant, and immeasurably important to the success of Rhode Island. I look forward to expanding my collaboration with stakeholders and building relationships that promote innovation to strengthen the continuum of care.”
Charest has more than 30 years of experience in the health care sector, leading not-for-profit and for-profit community hospitals with specialty programs and a for-profit specialty hospital. Previously serving as President and CEO of Landmark Medical Center, Charest successfully led hospital operations and finances through receivership, reassured the community and engaged employees and medical staff to ensure uninterrupted high-quality care. He also served as President and CEO of the Rehabilitation Hospital of Rhode Island and held several executive leadership positions with Landmark Medical Center. Charest has served as BHDDH Director since 2021.
Ana Novais, who has been serving as Interim EOHHS Secretary since the departure of Womazetta Jones, will return to her role as Assistant EOHHS Secretary.
“I’m grateful for Ana’s willingness to step up and serve as Secretary during this interim period,” said Governor McKee. “During her tenure, we successfully worked across government to return to normal operations from the COVID-19 pandemic, effectively implement a distribution strategy for the funding received from the opioid settlement and her decades of experience and commitment to equity ensured that we had a budget proposal and programs that were reaching Rhode Islanders where they are and who needed it the most. I look forward to her partnership as she continues to play a key role on the EOHHS team.”
“I am proud of my tenure at EOHHS and of the team that we’ve built for this past year,” said Assistant Secretary Novais. “I thank Governor McKee for the opportunity to serve as Interim Secretary and I look forward to continuing to work with him and the team at EOHHS servicing our Rhode Island families and communities with the guiding principles of voice, choice and equity, at the core of the work we do.”
Dr. Louis Cerbo, Deputy BHDDH Director, will serve as Interim BHDDH Director until a permanent selection is made.
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