Programs. State, local, and Tribal governments may use payments from the Fiscal Recovery Funds to engage in planning and analysis in order to improve programs addressing the COVID–19 pandemic, including through use of targeted consumer outreach, improvements to data or technology infrastructure, impact evaluations, and data analysis. Eligible Uses to Address Disparities in Public Health Outcomes. In addition, in recognition of the disproportionate impacts of the COVID–19 pandemic on health outcomes in low-income and Native American communities and the importance of mitigating these effects, the interim final rule identifies a broader range of services and programs that will be presumed to be responding to the public health emergency when provided in these communities. Specifically, Treasury will presume that certain types of services, outlined below, are eligible uses when provided in a Qualified Census Tract (QCT),47 to families living in QCTs, or when these services are provided by Tribal governments.48 Recipients may also provide these services to other populations, households, or geographic areas that are disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. In identifying these disproportionately- impacted communities, recipients should be able to support their determination that the pandemic resulted in disproportionate public health or economic outcomes to the specific populations, households, or geographic areas to be served. Given the exacerbation of health disparities during the pandemic and the role of pre-existing social vulnerabilities in driving these disparate outcomes, services to address health disparities are presumed to be responsive to the public health impacts of the pandemic. Specifically, recipients may use payments from the Fiscal Recovery Funds to facilitate access to resources that improve health outcomes, including services that connect residents with health care resources and public assistance programs and build healthier environments, such as: • Funding community health workers to help community members access health services and services to address the social determinants of health; 49 • Funding public benefits navigators to assist community members with navigating and applying for available Federal, State, and local public benefits or services; • Housing services to support healthy living environments and neighborhoods conducive to mental and physical wellness; • Remediation of lead paint or other lead hazards to reduce risk of elevated blood lead levels among children; and • Evidence-based community violence intervention programs to prevent violence and mitigate the increase in violence during the pandemic.50
Appears in 26 contracts
Samples: Funding Agreement, Funding Agreement, Funding Agreement
