Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces Nearly $28 Million in COVID-19 Relief Funding to Address Health Disparities in Minority and Rural Communities
Today,
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer,
Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony
Brown, Jamie Raskin and David Trone (all Md.) announced nearly $28 million in
federal COVID-19 relief funding designed to reduce health disparities by
strengthening health equity initiatives in high-risk and underserved
communities across the state.
“This
new round of federal COVID-19 assistance will help address the systemic
barriers and health disparities that have long harmed minority and rural
communities,” the lawmakers said.
“Communities of color and rural communities have disproportionately borne the
burden of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our delegation will continue to secure
additional resources to target these longstanding inequities and ensure that
all Marylanders have access to high-quality and affordable health care – no
matter their race, zip code or income.”
The
award of $27,943,554 comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental
Appropriations Act, which Congress passed in December 2020. It will strengthen
testing, contact tracing and mitigation efforts in vulnerable communities that
have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Funding is directed to the following
agencies:
• $21,211,178 for the Maryland
Department of Health
• $6,732,376 for the Baltimore City
Health Department
The
lawmakers previously announced more than $68 million in American Rescue Plan
funding to bolster Maryland’s COVID-19 response and vaccine rollout.