FEMA AWARDS STATE OF RHODE ISLAND NEARLY $31 MILLION FOR COVID
TESTING COSTS
[https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20250121/fema-awards-state-rhode-island-nearly-31-million-covid-testing-costs]


Release Date: 
July 11, 2022 

BOSTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending
nearly $31 million to the State of Rhode Island to reimburse the state
health department for the costs of providing testing during the
COVID-19 pandemic.

The $30,998,531 Public Assistance grant will go to the Rhode Island
Department of Health (RIDOH) for contracting with laboratory partners
ACCU Reference Medical Lab, Dominion Diagnostics and East Side
Clinical Laboratory to complete a total of 426,413 COVID-19 tests
between April 2020 and May 2021.

RIDOH also provided medical supplies and other materials which were
used at the Rhode Island State Health Laboratory, mobile test sites,
and the community-based testing sites like the Convention Center in
Providence and in grocery stores throughout the state. RIDOH deducted
$2.5 million from its costs for estimated medical payments it received
from insurance companies for the processing of the COVID-19 tests.

“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist the State of Rhode Island with
these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori
Ehrlich. “Providing resources for our partners on the front lines of
the pandemic fight is critical to their success, and our success as a
nation.”

FEM’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding
for states and communities recovering from a federally declared
disaster or emergency.

These grants brings the total awarded by FEMA to the State of Rhode
Island to more than $499 million to reimburse the state for
pandemic-related expenses.