NH Delegation Announces $19.78M in Funding Through CARES Act to Support Nursing Facilities Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) announced that New Hampshire nursing facilities will receive $19.78 million in federal assistance through the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was passed by Congress and signed into law.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has had an overwhelming and heartbreaking impact on New Hampshire nursing homes. With more than seventy percent of COVID-related deaths tied to nursing home residents, the need for immediate financial support is dire,” said Senator Shaheen. “Granite State nursing facilities face immense challenges on the frontlines of this crisis, so these federal funds will be put to good use. This aid will help them account for additional expenses due to the pandemic and address lost revenue, however, our work to provide relief doesn’t end here. I’ll keep fighting for more assistance for nursing homes in future COVID response legislation and will push for the inclusion of my bill with Senator Casey that would help bolster support for these facilities.”
“Nursing home facilities have been hit the hardest by this devastating pandemic, and my heart goes out to all the families who have lost loved ones,” said Senator Hassan. “This nearly $20 million in federal funding will provide much-needed support for New Hampshire’s nursing facilities to fight this pandemic. While the funding announced today will help nursing homes take a significant step forward in protecting their residents and staff, the administration must take further aggressive action to protect those in nursing facilities from COVID-19—and I will not let up in pushing the administration to do everything in its power to assist these vulnerable populations.”
“The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have been far-reaching and especially grim for nursing facilities in New Hampshire and across the country,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “Sadly, the majority of coronavirus-related deaths in our state have been in nursing homes – these care facilities are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis, and this federal funding through the CARES Act will be critical to help Granite State nursing facilities meet their financial obligations and continue to operate during this difficult time. I will continue working to ensure that our state has the resources necessary to respond to this health and economic crisis.”
“Nursing homes and long-term facilities across New Hampshire continue to be devastated by COVID-19, and my heart goes out to the residents and care providers who are on the front lines of this pandemic,” said Congressman Chris Pappas. “I’m pleased to see this CARES Act funding will support the operations of these facilities in New Hampshire and will help meet the needs of some of our most vulnerable Granite Staters. I remain committed to ensuring New Hampshire gets the necessary federal resources to contain and mitigate this virus so we can save lives and safely recover from this crisis.”
Senator Shaheen has worked to prioritize measures that would protect and support seniors and the most at-risk populations amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Shaheen recently introduced new legislation with Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) to protect residents and contain the spread of COVID-19 in nursing homes. In early March, Shaheen, Hassan and a group of Senators pressed Vice President Pence and the Coronavirus Task Force for answers on their preparedness and response plans to protect nursing home residents, workers and their families. Shaheen and Hassan have also pushed the administration for information on the distribution of critical medical supplies and personal protective equipment to those on the frontlines, including nursing homes, amid the pandemic. The delegation continues to call for additional support for nursing homes in future coronavirus relief legislation.
This is the latest funding announcement for New Hampshire through the CARES Act. The congressional delegation helped secure funding to support Granite Staters impacted by the COVID-19 crisis and voted in favor of the legislation. In early April, the delegation announced that New Hampshire providers received $164.5 million from an initial installment of health care provider grants. They also announced $115.4 million in COVID-19 relief funds for rural hospitals and health care providers, as well as an additional $16 million for Granite State providers.
Earlier this month, the delegation announced more than $6 million to help address the economic impact in the Granite State to help provide food, health care, housing assistance and other vital services. The delegation previously announced more than $6.7 million in heating assistance for low-income families and seniors, $15.2 million for New Hampshire's airports , $3.6 million to support affordable housing and $2 million to help Granite Staters living with mental health and substance use disorders. $11.7 million was also awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD )in additional funding to assist New Hampshire’s vulnerable homeless population and other local needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. New Hampshire also received $4.9 million in initial funding to help the state prepare for COVID-19, which was provided by the first bipartisan coronavirus response bill.
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