The State Secretaries of Budget and Health issued a letter to county leaders – noting the approaching federal deadline for the use of coronavirus relief funds under the CARES Act, and suggesting steps toward ensuring compliance and promoting service to Marylanders.
State Budget Secretary David Brinkley and Health Secretary Robert Neall, whose agencies have been cooperativelyoverseeing the CARES funding program through 2020, have issued direction to counties in the waning weeks of the year – with the federal deadline for fund deployment of December 30 approaching. Their letter notes avenues for counties to enhance current State programs, and also suggests purchasing stores of protective equipment:
Please contact the state Departments of Commerce or Housing and Community Development if your county is interested in piggybacking on, or supplementing, state programs. You may also contact the staff at DBM or staff at MDH with questions about what types of costs are allowable.
We also want to stress the importance of purchasing PPE to meet the anticipated surge of coronavirus cases. Specifically, MDH is urging all your counties to have at least a 60-day supply of critical PPE, such as gloves, gowns and masks.
DBM/MDH letter, NOVEMBER 9
The full letter from DBM/MDH has been sent to each county’s chief elected official, but is also available here:
For more information on all policy matters related to the coronavirus, see previous and ongoing Conduit Street coverage.