$58.4M To Fund Local, Tribal Health Care: Gov. Tony Evers

WISCONSIN — Some $58.4 million in federal money will go to local and tribal health departments to support their work responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced Monday.

The funds come from the American Rescue Plan Act and add to the $106.5 million the governor has marshaled for health departments to respond to COVID-19 outbreaks, the governor's office said.

“Our local and tribal health departments have been on the frontlines of this pandemic since the very beginning, and their good work has been essential in stopping the spread and keeping Wisconsinites as safe and as informed as possible,” Evers said. The support to local health departments will aid the state's economic recovery as well, he said.

The funding may be used for COVID-19 testing, contact tracing and vaccination programs, the governor's office said. It could help pay for staff in public health and safety offices, for services that connect residents with housing and health care or for enhancing existing public health programs with new technology.

The $58.4 million in federal funding can be applied to expenses that local and tribal health departments incurred from March 3 to Dec. 31, 2024, the governor's office said.

The amount of funding for departments will be based in part on the size of population they serve.