HHS awards $5.3M to Wisconsin to combat COVID-19 pandemic in rural communities

WASHINGTON --  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) awarded $5,396,288 to Wisconsin on Wednesday, April 22 to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in rural communities. Specifically, this funding was awarded to the University of Wisconsin System as an investment to support small rural hospitals in Wisconsin.

HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) received $150 million through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to assist hospitals across the nation, funded through the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP), respond to this public health emergency.

The CARES Act funding allows hospitals maximum flexibility in how they respond to COVID-19 within their communities, including the provision of testing and laboratory services as well as the purchase of personal protective equipment to minimize COVID-19 exposure.