ASPR Awards $50 Million from the American Rescue Plan to Strengthen the Medical Reserve Corps
Funding targets community health and health equity needs in 33 jurisdictions
Today, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) announced $50 million in awards to
33 states and jurisdictions to strengthen the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) network – focusing on emergency preparedness, response, and health equity needs. Funding for the first-ever MRC State, Territory and Tribal Nations, Representative Organizations for Next Generation (MRC-STTRONG) grant program is from the American Rescue Plan.
“MRC units are a force multiplier for local emergency responses,” said Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell. “The ARP-funded awards announced today will bolster response efforts in communities across the nation, building on the invaluable role that the MRC played during our fight against COVID-19.”
The MRC is a national network of 300,000 volunteers organized into approximately 750 local community-based groups committed to improving local emergency response capabilities, reducing vulnerabilities, and building community preparedness and resilience.
MRC units organize and utilize local volunteers who donate their time and expertise to prepare for and respond to emergencies and to support steady-state preparedness initiatives. They have supported emergency shelter operations and medical care during extreme weather events, organized vaccine clinics and testing sites during the COVID-19 response, provided medical support during large public gatherings, and much more. MRC volunteers also promote community preparedness to improve everyday health and reduce potential public health risks and vulnerabilities.
ASPR first
announced the MRC-STTRONG funding availability in March 2023. The competitive grant process allowed ASPR to provide funding for the following awards:
Awardee Name
|
Award Amount |
| Arizona Department of Health Services |
$2,000,000.00 |
| Arkansas Department of Health |
$575,000.00 |
| Colorado Department of Health and Environment |
$969,140.00 |
CNMI Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation
|
$1,700,000.00 |
| County of Ventura (CA) |
$600,000.00 |
| District of Columbia Department of Health |
$1,500,000.00 |
| Georgia Department of Public Health |
$2,100,000.00 |
| Hawaii State Department of Health |
$376,287.18 |
| Kansas Department of Health and Environment |
$1,658,460.00 |
| Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services |
$2,250,000.00 |
| Maryland Department of Health |
$2,000,000.00 |
| Massachusetts Department of Public Health |
$838,680.00 |
| Michigan Department of Health and Human Services |
$733,701.00 |
| Minnesota Department of Health |
$2,440,694.00 |
| Missouri State Emergency Management Agency |
$1,415,121.00 |
| MRC of Illinois (501c3) |
$2,000,000.00 |
| New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services |
$1,239,080.22 |
| New Jersey Department of Health |
$1,500,000.00 |
| New Mexico Department of Health |
$750,000.00 |
| New York State Department of Health / Health Research Inc. New York |
$1,500,000.00 |
| North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services |
$1,800,000.00 |
| Ohio Department of Health |
$2,500,000.00 |
| Oklahoma State Department of Health |
$1,200,000.00 |
| Oregon Health Authority |
$2,500,000.00 |
| Pennsylvania Department of Health |
$2,000,000.00 |
| Puerto Rico Department of Health |
$1,392,644.00 |
| Rhode Island Disaster Medical Assistance Team, Inc. |
$2,200,000.00 |
| South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control |
$1,500,000.00 |
| Texas Department of Health Services |
$1,500,000.00 |
| Utah Department of Health and Human Services |
$1,650,000.00 |
| Vermont Agency of Human Services |
$1,202,990.00 |
| Virginia Department of Health |
$1,500,000.00 |
| Wisconsin Department of Health Services |
$908,202.00 |
For more information on the MRC, or how to join a local unit, visit
aspr.hhs.gov/MRC.
###
