COVID-19 Response Funding - MDH Office of Rural Health and Primary Care

 

COVID-19 Response Funding

 

The Minnesota Legislature has approved $200 million for health care grants to support costs related to planning for, preparing for, or responding to an outbreak of COVID–19.

$50 million is available for emergency funding to provide cash flow relief to health care organizations to cover their highest priority needs over the next two to eight weeks.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will be requesting proposals from health care organizations requiring emergency support. Applicants will be asked to focus on their highest priority needs where access to financial resources is the primary barrier.

Next Steps

The application for emergency funding is expected to be on the COVID-19 Response Funding website (https://www.health.state.mn.us/facilities/ruralhealth/funding/grants/covidgrant.html very soon.

The application period will be short, so organizations are encouraged to prepare their most urgent cost estimates for expenses that are being undertaken now or in the near future.

Eligible purposes for emergency funding include:

• Establishing and operating temporary sites to provide testing services, treatment beds, or to isolate or quarantine affected individuals.
• Temporary conversion of space for another purpose that will revert to its original use.
• Staff overtime and hiring additional staff.
• Staff training and/or staff orientation.
• Purchasing consumable protective or treatment equipment or supplies to protect or treat staff, visitors or patients.
• Developing and implementing screening and testing procedures.
• Patient outreach activities.
• Additional emergency transportation of patients.
• Temporary information technology and systems costs to support patient triage, screening and telemedicine activities.
• Purchasing replacement parts or filters for medical equipment that are necessary for the equipment’s operation.
• Specialty cleaning supplies for facilities and equipment.
• Expenses related to the isolation or quarantine of staff, not including payment of wages for staff being isolated or quarantined.
• Other expenses that, in the judgement of the commissioner, cannot reasonably be expected to generate income for the recipient of funds after the outbreak ends.