Senators Collins, King Announce Over $2 Million to Support Maine Medical Center’s COVID-19 Response Efforts

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that Maine Medical Center is receiving $2,171,014 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support their tireless efforts to combat COVID-19. The funding will be utilized to provide additional contract tracing, testing, and proactive screening services for the employees of Maine Medical Center.

“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the employees of MaineHealth and Maine Medical Center have provided lifesaving care to Maine people to support the health and safety of our communities,” said Senators Collins and King. “These health care providers have undertaken immense personal risks, and many have put their own health on the line to save others. This funding will allow Maine Medical Center to provide additional testing, contract tracing, and proactive health screenings for its employees so these heroes can protect themselves as they continue to lead the fight against COVID-19.”

“Maine Medical Center is grateful for this federal support of programs designed to prevent the additional spread of COVID to our care team and patients,” said Maine Medical Center (MMC) President Jeff Sanders. “MMC continues to use a layered strategy to reduce transmission of COVID within our facilities, and federal funds make a difference in our ability to cover these mitigation strategies.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Maine Medical Center and MaineHealth provided guidance and protocols to tens of thousands of employees. Emergency protective measures, including health screening questionnaires, call centers for COVID-19 health and safety measures, and testing services for 22,267 employees allowed Maine Medical Center to protect its workers while providing life-saving care to Maine residents.

This funding was awarded to the state of Maine by the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Agency. The grant is part of FEMA’s Public Assistance Program, which provides funding to state, tribal, territorial, local governments, and some private non-profits so that communities can quickly and efficiently respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies. MaineHealth and Maine Medical Center received this funding as a private non-profit medical care facility responding to the COVID-19 emergency. 

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