Alabama Governor Kay Ivey on Friday allocated $100 million in funding for grant programs that will benefit the hospitals and nursing homes in the state who have suffered financially from the coronavirus pandemic.
Two grant programs will be established, each worth $50 million, with one for hospitals and one for nursing homes.
The money for the programs comes from the $1.9 billion Alabama received from the federal government’s CARES Act that was passed in March with the goal of helping America weather the economic effects of the pandemic.
“While there are many aspects of COVID-19 that we still don’t know, one thing that isn’t in dispute is our seniors and those with preexisting health conditions fair the worst when contracting the virus,” Ivey said in a statement on Friday
The Alabama Nursing Home Education Foundation, a nonprofit offshoot of the Alabama Nursing Home Association (ANHA), will administer the $50 million among the relevant facilities in Alabama.
The organization previously handled the $18.27 the governor granted to ensure every resident and employee at a nursing home facility in the state was tested for the virus.
“On behalf of Alabama’s nursing homes, I thank Governor Ivey for her continued commitment to assisting the residents and staff in our facilities,” ANHA President and CEO Brandon Farmer said in a release.
He added that the funds “will help cover the unexpected and ongoing costs we incur during this pandemic and allow us to focus on caring for those most vulnerable to this virus.”
The Alabama Hospital Association, under the leadership of President Dr. Don Williamson, will be in charge of disbursing the other $50 million allocated by the governor on Friday.
“Despite unprecedented challenges and financial strains as a result of the pandemic, Alabama’s hospitals have continued to rise to the occasion in meeting the health care needs of our citizens,” Williamson said on Friday.
The governor’s newly allotted funding “will go a long way to ensure hospitals are able to care for all patients who need hospital services and protect their employees while doing so,” he added.
Information provided by the governor’s office says the State of Alabama provided some criteria that will be involved in the Hospital Association’s decision-making process for their grant program.
“Protecting our most vulnerable citizens remains a priority for my administration, and it is incumbent to ensure that our nursing homes and hospitals have every tool possible to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 as well as keep their staff and health care professionals safe as they offer exceptional care to those who are ill,” concluded Ivey.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: henry@new-yhn.local or on Twitter @HenryThornton95
