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HHS Announces COVID-19 Funding for Rural, Vunerable, and Underserved Communities - 5/4/21

  • 1.  HHS Announces COVID-19 Funding for Rural, Vunerable, and Underserved Communities - 5/4/21

    National Council Staff
    Posted 05-04-2021 17:10

    Dear Association Executives - Below, at the links below, and attached please find information and media releases from HHS announcing American Rescue Plan COVID-19 funding directed at rural, vulnerable, and medically under served communities. This includes sums aimed at "community-based organizations to hire and mobilize community outreach workers, community health workers, social support specialists" to increase vaccinations. Please let us know if you have any questions and please feel free to share this with your members. 

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    From: HHS IEA (OS/IEA)
    Date: May 4, 2021 at 4:31:06 PM EDT
    Subject: American Rescue Plan Funding to Combat COVID-19

    Hi all,

    Today, thanks to the American Rescue Plan, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), announced new funding to combat COVID-19 across the country.

    Rural clinics and hospitals will receive nearly $1 billion dollars to strengthen COVID-19 response efforts and increase vaccinations in rural communities. As part of the Biden Administration's commitment to expanding access to vaccines and ensuring equity in the COVID-19 response, HRSA will increase the number of vaccines sent to rural communities, expand testing and other COVID-19 prevention services, and work to increase vaccine confidence by empowering trusted local voices with additional funding for outreach efforts in underserved communities.

    In addition, approximately $250 million will be awarded to develop and support a community-based workforce who will serve as trusted voices sharing information about vaccines, work to increase COVID-19 vaccine confidence, and address any barriers to vaccination for individuals living in vulnerable and medically underserved communities. This funding will help community-based organizations to hire and mobilize community outreach workers, community health workers, social support specialists and others to conduct on-the-ground outreach to educate and assist individuals in getting the information they need about vaccination, help make vaccine appointments, and assist with transportation and other needs to get to individuals to each of their vaccination appointments.

    For more information, read the materials below:

    Marvin Figueroa, Director
    Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs
    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
    Washington, D.C.

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    Chuck Ingoglia
    President & CEO
    National Council for Behavioral Health
    Direct: (202) 684-3749
    ChuckI@TheNationalCouncil.org







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    Neal Comstock
    Director of Membership
    National Council
    NealC@TheNationalCouncil.org
    202 748-8793
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