WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony Brown, Jamie Raskin and David Trone (all Md.) today announced nearly $28 million in federal COVID-19 relief funding designed to reduce health disparities by strengthening health equity initiatives in high-risk and underserved communities across the state.

“This new round of federal COVID-19 assistance will help address the systemic barriers and health disparities that have long harmed minority and rural communities,” the lawmakers said. “Communities of color and rural communities have disproportionately borne the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our delegation will continue to secure additional resources to target these longstanding inequities and ensure that all Marylanders have access to high-quality and affordable health care – no matter their race, zip code or income.”

The award of $27,943,554 comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, which Congress passed in December 2020. It will strengthen testing, contact tracing and mitigation efforts in vulnerable communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.  Funding is directed to the following agencies:

• $21,211,178 for the Maryland Department of Health
• $6,732,376 for the Baltimore City Health Department

The lawmakers previously announced more than $68 million in American Rescue Plan funding to bolster Maryland’s COVID-19 response and vaccine rollout.

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