The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently announced more than $3 million in grant funding for Vermont to reimburse the state for medical costs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a March 23 FEMA news release, a $3,101,046 Public Assistance grant has been awarded to the state of Vermont to cover the costs of hiring and providing extra staff at health facilities to handle the surge of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist the state of Vermont with these costs,” FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich said in the release. “Providing resources for our partners on the front lines of the pandemic fight is critical to their success, and our success as a nation.”
To date, the state of Vermont has received more than $448 million in grants from FEMA for pandemic-related expenses, according to the release. FEMA’s Public Assistance program provides essential funding to states and populations impacted by disasters and emergencies.
Between November 2021 and April 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vermont Agency of Human Services expended significant costs to contract temporary nursing staff to provide increased support at subacute skilled nursing facility and/or intensive care unit beds at nine hospitals, the release reported.
Extra staffing costs at the Northwestern Medical Center ICU in St. Albans is the largest recipient of funding at $1,792,099 for 12,839 hours of work from registered nurses and respiratory therapists, according to the release. Seven other Vermont health facilities will receive a total of $1,128,947 to compensate for provided contracted labor to support 132 skilled nursing facility beds.
The University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington will receive $180,000 in funding to cover 989 hours of work performed by 21 registered nurses, the release said.
A separate news release, also issued March 23, reported the University of Vermont Medical Center will receive $4,029,300 in Public Assistance grant funds to reimburse the facility for personal protective equipment purchased between March 2020 and February 2022.
The release reported the medical center purchased surgical masks, head caps, foot coverings, lab coats, surgical gowns, face shields, gloves, safety glasses, goggles, testing kits, respirator kits, shields, collection swabs, sharp containers, needles, disinfection wipes and thermometers.
