WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.) today announced $55,352,598 in funding for the Maryland and Baltimore City Health Departments to ensure that public health systems and facilities have the staff, equipment and services needed to protect community health.

“Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, our health care heroes have been navigating some of the most difficult public health challenges in this country’s history, exhausting their equipment, facilities and themselves,” said the lawmakers. “These federal dollars will allow our public health departments to fill staff vacancies and replenish equipment to better protect the health of all Marylanders.”

Supported in large part by the American Rescue Plan Act, this funding, through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Strengthening U.S. Public Health Infrastructure, Workforce, and Data Systems grant program, is a groundbreaking $3.2 billion investment in the critical public health infrastructure needs of jurisdictions across the country. The following awards were made to public health agencies in Maryland to ensure that systems and facilities have the staff, equipment and services needed to protect community health:

• Maryland Department of Health, $46,924,126: Forty percent of recruitment funds will be given to local health departments.

• Baltimore City Health Department, $8,428,472

The American Rescue Plan Act passed last year with overwhelming Maryland Delegation Democratic support. This first-of-its-kind funding will go directly to facilities, giving public health officials the freedom to spend the money based on their region’s most critical needs.  

###