WASHINGTON – The full Maryland congressional delegation, including U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone, today announced $18,711,424 in federal funds to help the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) cover the costs of responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is a university-based regional health care system focused on serving the health care needs of Maryland.

“The University of Maryland Medical System continues to play a critical leadership role in mobilizing and coordinating our state’s existing public health infrastructure and in developing new capabilities to respond to the greatest public health crisis in a generation,” the lawmakers said. “As Maryland continues to incur significant costs fighting COVID-19, these federal funds will help support our ongoing effort to tackle this public health emergency with expanded services for Marylanders.”

The Emergency Protective Measures (EP) funding source is one of the forms of federal emergency assistance authorized through the Stafford Act that were unlocked by the major disaster declaration. In March, the delegation pushed to obtain swift approval of that declaration. Based on the federal cost-share requirement, local funds will cover the remaining 25% of the total project cost of $24,948,566.

These funds are awarded to cover the costs of UMMS’ work to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency and protect public safety through:  

• Providing an Emergency Operations Center (EOC), statewide disinfection procedures, and technical assistance for Emergency Management in controlling immediate threats to public safety;
• Providing, prepositioning, and moving supplies, equipment, and commodities including PPE, medical equipment, and decontamination systems; and
• Providing medical services including disease testing, diagnosis, treatment and working to expand capacity through temporary medical facilities. 

Additional information on the FEMA Emergency Protective Measures funding source may be found here. The delegation previously announced the approval of emergency mental health services through FEMA Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP), also as a result of the emergency declaration.

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