WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $7,307,365 in American Rescue Plan funding for health and public safety workforce resiliency training and health care worker mental wellness programs at Johns Hopkins University, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.

“From the start, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a heavy toll on our health care workers, leading to burnout and mental fatigue as they work on the front lines protecting Marylanders. Yet, our health care professionals persevere to save lives and administer vaccinations in the face of a continually evolving virus,” said the lawmakers. “This American Rescue Plan funding will provide our health care heroes with critical resources to support their mental health and resiliency as they continue serving on the front lines of Maryland’s response and recovery efforts. We were proud to fight for the American Rescue Plan’s investments in needed relief for our communities, and will continue working to provide our health care workforce with the tools they need to combat this pandemic.”

Maryland federal delegation members fought to pass the American Rescue Plan last year to provide historic relief, totaling at least $7.2 billion for Maryland families, workers, and communities to combat the twin challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic’s health and economic harms. The American Rescue plan’s bold package aided Maryland’s strained health care system by securing $6.2 billion to help state and local governments fund emergency services, distribute the vaccine, employ frontline workers, and more.

Funding will be awarded to:

• $2,750,218 to the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland 
• $2,280,030 to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. in Bethesda, Maryland 
• $2,277,117 to the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland 

These federal American Rescue Plan funds – to be distributed from the Health Resources and Services Administration over three years – will support initiatives aimed at establishing a culture of wellness among the health care workforce, reducing burnout, and building resiliency for those at the beginning of their health careers, with particular consideration for the needs of rural and medically underserved communities. 

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