DEMA gets $85.6 million from FEMA for COVID testing, reporting

The Delaware Emergency Management Agency announced Thursday that $85.6 million in federal funds have been made available for reimbursement of COVID-19 testing and reporting costs.

The funds, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will reimburse the state agency for emergency protective measure costs incurred between Oct. 12, 2020 and Sept. 12, 2021.

According to DEMA, approximately $3.08 million of the grant covers COVID-19 materials for emergency protective measures and $82.56 million covers contract costs that were directly related to and used for COVID-19 patients.

“This grant funding supports Delaware’s response as it rapidly enhanced capabilities to ensure equitable expansion of COVID testing among some the most vulnerable populations,” said MaryAnn Tierney, regional administrator with FEMA. 

According to the state agency, DEMA’s COVID-19 plan includes key considerations such as access, equity, and cost, and is structured to define specific strategies for key populations, including long-term care residents and staff and other congregate settings, vulnerable populations, such as elderly Delawareans and members of low-income and minority communities, and certain front-line essential workers.

“From May of 2020, Delaware has worked to have a layered testing approach to keep people safe,” said DEMA Director AJ Schall. “Through the FEMA Public Assistance program, we have been able to address testing demand and have regularly exceeded the testing goal set by the CDC.”

In Nov. 2021, President Joe Biden announced that funding to support all eligible COVID-19 work will continue at a 100% federal cost-share through April 1, 2022.

The funding is authorized under the Jan. 21, 2021 Presidential Memorandum for the Secretary of Defense & the Secretary of Homeland Security and Section 403 of the Robert T. Stafford Act.

Additional information about FEMA’s Public Assistance program can be found here.