Gov. Maura Healey lashed out at President Donald Trump Wednesday over his administration’s try and cancel greater than $11 billion in COVID-19-related grants throughout the nation, of which Massachusetts was anticipated to obtain $100 million over the following 12 months.
Federal well being officers introduced Tuesday that they deliberate to get well $11.4 billion in grants for state and native public well being departments and different well being organizations throughout the nation.
Healey mentioned the choice to terminate the grants was “another example of President Trump and Elon Musk undermining the health and wellbeing of the people of Massachusetts and people across this nation.”
“Massachusetts depends on this funding to provide behavioral health care, prevent and treat respiratory illnesses, and ensure that community-based organizations, including community health centers and workers, have the resources they need to care for patients,” Healey mentioned in a press release.
Officers on the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention mentioned they count on to start out taking again cash 30 days after termination notices arrive at well being organizations, a few of which have been despatched out Monday.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is over, and HHS will no longer waste billions of taxpayer dollars responding to a non-existent pandemic that Americans moved on from years ago,” the U.S. Division of Health and Human Companies mentioned in a press release.
The Healey administration mentioned the Massachusetts Division of Public Health obtained a discover concerning the “sudden termination of multiple federal public health infrastructure grants.”
The Substance Abuse and Psychological Health Companies Administration additionally “abruptly terminated” awards to the Division of Psychological Health, in accordance with the Healey administration.
Healey mentioned the grants to Massachusetts have been anticipated to shuttle $100 million to the state over the following 12 months, and “much of the funding” had already been dedicated. The Trump administration, in accordance with Healey, is making an attempt to cancel the unobligated parts of the grants.
A spokesperson for Healey didn’t say the precise quantity that Massachusetts is susceptible to shedding due to the trouble to get well the grant {dollars}.
“We are assessing the impacts,” the spokesperson mentioned in a press release.
The cash is used to help “core functions” on the State Public Health Laboratory, together with therapy and testing for respiratory ailments like hen flu.
{Dollars} additionally assist prop up Massachusetts’ vaccine infrastructure and assist group organizations enhance vaccine uptake and “counter against vaccine mis- and disinformation,” officers within the Healey administration mentioned.
Massachusetts Health and Human Companies Secretary Kate Walsh mentioned the lack of cash is a “deeply concerning blow to public health infrastructure across our country.”
“Strong public health infrastructure helps states prevent, monitor and manage outbreaks and divert resources where they’re needed to keep us safe from a wide range of diseases, including the ongoing bird flu outbreak,” she mentioned in a press release.
The potential lack of public well being funding is simply the newest in a sequence of hits to the move of federal funding to Massachusetts.
Healey blasted Trump Tuesday for allegedly delaying the discharge of greater than $50 million in “critical funds” for lead pipe alternative within the Bay State. That got here after Trump minimize greater than $12 million for college meals and threatened thousands and thousands of {dollars} for Boston Kids’s Hospital.
Supplies from the Related Press have been used on this report.
