U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed and Congressmen Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo recently announced $1,901,154 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to support Rhode Island’s public health infrastructure. The senators and congressmen expressed their satisfaction in delivering this funding to improve the health and well-being of Rhode Islanders and ensure better access to care, including preventative care.
The funding will be used by the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) to strengthen the state’s public health workforce, foundational capabilities, technology and data modernization, and physical health infrastructure. The senators and congressmen referred to it as a smart investment in protecting and promoting public health in the state.
This federal funding is part of HHS’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Strengthening U.S. Public Health Infrastructure, Workforce, and Data Systems grant program. It is a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar investment that supports the essential public health infrastructure and workforce needs of jurisdictions across the United States. The funding will play a crucial role in ensuring that Rhode Island has the necessary systems, services, and staffing to safeguard and enhance public health in the state.
The senators highlighted the hard work of RIDOH and its health partners in keeping communities healthy while emphasizing that this funding will help address critical health infrastructure and workforce needs in Rhode Island.
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) has been working tirelessly to provide quality healthcare services to its citizens for years now. However, with the current global pandemic posing new challenges every day, it has become increasingly important for RIDOH to have adequate resources at their disposal to continue providing high-quality care to all residents.
With this new federal funding, RIDOH will be able to strengthen its public health workforce by hiring more staff members such as nurses, doctors, epidemiologists
