NH Delegation Announces More Than $1.4 Million to Boost NH Hospitals’ Readiness & Response Capabilities to COVID-19
(Manchester, NH) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) announced that $1,451,902 will be awarded to the Foundation for Healthy Communities in support of its efforts to bolster and expand New Hampshire health care providers’ readiness and response capabilities to the COVID-19 pandemic and other health care challenges. The funding was awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Hospital Preparedness Program, as a part of more than $350 million in hospital preparedness appropriations provided under the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that were passed by Congress and signed into law.
“As this public health emergency continues to impact New Hampshire, we need to do everything we can to ensure that our health care system has the resources needed to continue mitigating the spread of COVID-19 and care for those affected,” said Senator Shaheen. “These federal dollars will deliver much needed assistance to hospitals throughout our state and will help bolster their ability to prepare for and respond to COVID-19 and other public health challenges that may arise. I’ll continue to fight for the resources New Hampshire needs to protect the health of Granite Staters.”
“Health care professionals have responded heroically to the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic and they must receive the support that they need to continue saving lives,” Senator Hassan said. “This federal funding will help prepare our hospitals to respond to the challenges of public health emergencies, including the one that we are currently in. I will continue working to secure additional resources to support health care providers as they continue their life-saving work.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic has put immense pressure on New Hampshire’s health care providers, and it is essential that they have the resources they need to continue caring for patients and combat the spread of the virus,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “This CARES Act funding will provide much-needed support to our health care providers and strengthen the Granite State’s overall response to this crisis and future health challenges. I will continue working to ensure New Hampshire has what it needs to weather this storm.”
“For months our hospitals and health care providers have been working around the clock to treat and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our communities,” said Congressman Pappas. ”These additional federal dollars will support their ongoing efforts on the frontlines, and we must continue to collaborate with state and federal partners to ensure they have the resources they need to keep New Hampshire safe and healthy.”
The congressional delegation helped secure additional funding for health care providers by holding firm during negotiations of the CARES Act. Last Friday, Shaheen, Hassan, Kuster and Pappas announced $19.78 million in support through the CARES Act to help New Hampshire nursing facilities. 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. This week, the delegation called on the Trump administration to expeditiously award more grant dollars from the Provider Relief Fund established under the CARES Act. In a letter to Senate leadership, Shaheen earlier this week laid out critical health care-related priorities that need to be included in future coronavirus response legislation.
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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