Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker (both-D-N.J.) today announced a combined total of $16,345,813.27 from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to Centrastate Healthcare System and Holy Name Hospital, as well as Middlesex, Essex and Morris Counties, for medical and protective personal equipment supplies, force account equipment, testing and staffing costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“COVID-19 is still a fast-spreading, deadly virus, and, during its early stages, hospitals around the country were faced with taking care of a large number of patients while also facing significant decreases in staff and limited resources,” said Sen. Menendez. “Across the state of New Jersey, medical centers, hospitals and counties did everything they could to safely treat and test their patients and residents while protecting their staff during this public health crisis. Their commitment to providing the best care and testing possible for their community remained throughout the pandemic and this funding is critical in eliminating the potential financial burden they may face with the costs used to acquire life-saving equipment, hire staff to care for patients, and create separate units and outdoor settings.”
“As we continue to emerge from the public health crisis, we must ensure our health care providers are protected as they continue providing quality care to all New Jerseyans,” said Sen. Booker. “Federal funding like this is another important step toward safeguarding the health and safety of all communities.”
The following hospitals, agencies and counties received funding:
- Centrastate Healthcare System $1,499,220.36
- Middlesex County $2,160,891.05
- Essex County $3,194,399.75
- Holy Name Hospital $7,124,040.83
- Essex County $1,062,791.27
- Morris County $1,304,470.01
Centrastate Healthcare System will receive funding to cover the costs incurred to provide force account materials, supplies, rental equipment, and contracts required to respond to urgent patient needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Middlesex County will receive funding to reimburse costs used to utilize force account equipment for the outdoor setting and use of generators, light towers, message boards and trailers used as part of the operation of the temporary COVID-19 vaccine and test sites.
Essex County will receive funding to cover the cost of contracting 369 nurses that staffed mobile and stationary vaccination sites that administered 600 vaccines per day, and provided management, control, safety, and reduction of immediate threats to the public. Essex will also receive funding to cover the cost of 20,000 PCR COVID-19 tests to perform on the residents of Essex County and the commuter population.
Holy Name Hospital will receive funding to cover the costs of utilized contract services that provided additional staff for the increase in COVID-19 patient care at the facility. Separate COVID-19 units were added to the hospital to include 36 additional intensive care beds and 35 COVID-19 inpatient beds. Morris County will receive funding to cover the cost of vaccinations and vaccine support.
Earlier this month, Sens. Menendez and Booker announced $48.2M in FEMA funding to Hackensack Meridian Health Inc. for testing, staffing, personal protective equipment and medical supply costs. Also, this month, Sens. Menendez and Booker announced $2.9M in FEMA funding for staffing costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic by Valley Hospital and Cape Regional Medical Center.
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