County approves $4M in CARES funds for Health Department

The Greene County Commission yesterday approved its first round of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funds.

The vast majority of the nearly $4.1 million in approved grants is earmarked for the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, according to a news release.

The Health Department was approved for $4 million to reimburse front-line COVID-19 expenses such as contract tracing.

“This $4 million will reimburse our fund balance for a portion of the costs already incurred for our department’s COVID-19 response,” said Health Department spokesperson Kathryn Wall in a statement. “We look forward to utilizing this funding to identify infections, contain outbreaks and mitigate spread of this illness.”

Funds also were approved for:
• Community Partnership of the Ozarks, $75,000 for the reimbursement of expenses related to housing the homeless in local motels;
• Vision Rehab Center, $7,400 to conduct exams and provide glasses for seniors and infants with medical needs;
• Be A Jewel, $7,273 to assist foster grandparents; and
• Ozarks Area Community Action Corp., $1,306 for personal protective equipment and other COVID-19 supplies.

The commission approved all of the 30-member CARES Act Citizens Advisory Committee's funding recommendations for health care, nonprofit and community organizations, according to the release.
There were 86 applications July 20-23 totaling $9.3 million for nonprofit and community organizations. For the July 24-29 application period affecting health care organizations, the county received four applications totaling $16.7 million.

Applications are continuing to be reviewed and may be funded on a rolling basis, according to the release.

The county has until year’s end to distribute $34.4 million in CARES Act funds.