Governor Ivey Awards $18.27 Million For Coronavirus Testing for Alabama Nursing Homes

MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey on Tuesday awarded $18.27 million of the Coronavirus Relief Fund to provide baseline testing for coronavirus and proactive surveillance of the virus for health care personnel and residents of nursing home facilities across Alabama.

“During the pandemic, it is critical we take care of our seniors and most vulnerable residents,” Governor Kay Ivey said. “Some of our largest outbreaks of COVID-19 were within nursing homes and we must do everything possible to contain the spread within their walls. Protecting these vital members of the community, as well as the dedicated staff who take care of them, is precisely the intent of the Coronavirus Relief Fund.”

Alabama received approximately $1.9 billion of federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) to respond to and mitigate COVID-19. Alabama Act 2020-199 designated up to $250 million of the Coronavirus Relief Fund to be used to support the delivery of health care and related services to citizens of Alabama related to the coronavirus pandemic.

“I am extremely grateful to Governor Kay Ivey and her administration for supporting the ongoing testing of residents and staff in our facilities,” Brandon Farmer, president and ceo of the Alabama Nursing Home Association said. “This virus is not like anything we’ve ever seen and has hit our nursing homes and staff exceptionally hard. I am relieved to know we will have assistance to contain the spread of this virus and hopefully be able to eliminate it from our nursing homes.”

In partnership with the state of Alabama, the Alabama Nursing Home Association Education Foundation, a non-profit 501 (c)(3),  will administer the funds fairly and impartially on behalf of the people of Alabama, for all of Alabama’s nursing facilities. The Foundation will provide a Skilled Nursing Facility COVID-19 testing strategy and screening protocols to rapidly detect cases of Coronavirus transmission and prevent transmission of the virus.

Memorandum of Understanding

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