HHS awards $6M+ to expand COVID-19 testing in Wisconsin: 'Critical step in reopening America'
MILWAUKEE -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), awarded $6,050,329 on Thursday, May 7 to 16 health centers in Wisconsin, to expand COVID-19 testing.
This funding for health centers is part of the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, signed into law by President Trump on April 24. The legislation provides funding for small businesses and individuals financially affected by COVID-19, additional funding for hospitals and healthcare providers, and increased testing capabilities to help track the spread and impact of the coronavirus.
HHS Secretary Alex Azar issued the following statement in a news release:
"Widespread testing is a critical step in reopening America, and health centers are vital to making testing easily accessible, especially for underserved and minority populations. Further, because health centers can help notify contacts of patients who test positive, they will continue playing an important role in cooperating with state and local public health departments."
HRSA-funded health centers will use this funding to expand the range of testing and testing-related activities to best address the needs of their local communities, including the purchase of personal protective equipment; training for staff, outreach, procurement and administration of tests; laboratory services; notifying identified contacts of infected health center patients of their exposure to COVID-19; and the expansion of walk-up or drive-up testing capabilities.
For a list of award recipients in Wisconsin, CLICK HERE.