News Mississippi
20 health centers receive federal funding for COVID-19 response
By Steven Gagliano
As lawmakers in D.C. continue to work on the third coronavirus response package, funding from the first package continues to make its way to states, including Mississippi.
On March 6, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020, which provides $8.3 billion in emergency funding to help federal agencies respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, including $100 million for HRSA-funded health centers.
Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded $1.4 million to 20 community health centers in Mississippi. These facilities will use the funding to address screening and testing needs, acquire medical supplies and boost telehealth capacity.
The bill was passed with support from Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, who worked to expand telehealth services to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Telehealth offers the public and medical professionals with a useful and important care option. Protecting our seniors while still providing them with the care they need is critical during this public health emergency. It was important to ensure the availability of telehealth for Medicare beneficiaries as part of a comprehensive approach to this potential pandemic,” Hyde-Smith said when the bill was passed.
In total, $100 million was awarded to 1,381 health centers across the country.