Alabama Governor Kay Ivey on Thursday designated $35 million to support emergency responders and certain sectors of the health care industry that are suffering financially amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Grants of up to $15,000 will be how the program is distributed, and applications will be open from October 5 through October 16 at noon. The State Finance Department is overseeing the administration of the grants, which will be given on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Groups like rescue squads and volunteer fire departments will be eligible, along with places like primary care clinics, pharmacies and assisted living facilities.
The money for the program, officially titled the Alabama Health Care and Emergency Response Providers Grant Program, comes from the $1.9 billion the state received from the federal government’s CARES Act.
“I am proud to continue getting the CARES Act money into the hands of Alabamians who need it,” Ivey said in a statement on Thursday.
The governor’s office provided a full list of the institutions that can qualify for one of the grants:
Emergency Response Providers
• Rescue Squad Organizations
• Volunteer Fire Departments
• 911 Boards
• Other (Will need to specify)Health Care Providers
• Primary Care Clinics
• Other Clinics (Will need to specify)
• Ambulance/EMS Service Providers
• Pharmacies
• Physician Offices
• Dentist Offices
• Other Health Practitioner Offices (Will need to specify)
• Outpatient Care Centers
• Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories
• Home Health Care Businesses
• Assisted Living Facilities
• Physical Therapy Offices
• Other (Will need to specify)
Mark Jackson, executive director of the Alabama Medical Association, advised on Tuesday that “a recent COVID-19 impact survey revealed that more than 70% of Alabama physicians have experienced a severe financial impact on their practice, causing a disruption in their business operations, and limiting access to care.”
“We applaud Governor Ivey for making these funds available and believe that they will be critical to ensuring that physicians can continue to provide services to those who are in need of medical care,” added Jackson on behalf of his organization.
Those interested in applying for one of the grants can find comprehensive information about the program here.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95
