Governor Larry Hogan announced the release of $70 million in CARES funding to bolster state pandemic response efforts by funding new programs and expanding existing initiatives. 

The $70 million dollars is being allocated in the following amounts to the following programs:

• $20 million to continue to build and maintain the state’s strategic stockpile of PPE
• $15 million for the Maryland Department of Labor to ramp up the call center, staffing, customer service management software, and the fraud detection program
• $10 million for the Rental Housing Assistance Program to cover rent payments for low-income tenants who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 crisis
• $10 million for the acquisition of syringes and other necessary vaccination supplies
• $10 million for Maryland food banks as part of Maryland Unites Initiative
• $2 million in emergency supplemental funds for foster care providers to use for staffing, housing, case management, transportation, and cleaning supplies
• $2 million for the Maryland Department of Human Services to increase call handling capacity by adding weekend hours for SNAP benefit and energy assistance
• $1 million for a wastewater sampling program run by the Maryland Department of Health and Maryland Department of Environment to help detect COVID-19 in vulnerable populations including public housing and correctional facilities across the state

In addition to the announcement of new programs and increased investments, Hogan provided updates on the state’s infection and hospitalization rates and continued efforts to help flatten the curve. He also highlighted a number of prior COVID-19 investments including $10 billion to business for PPE, $8 billion for unemployment assistance, and $500 million for economic recovery.

For more information, a recording of the press conference may be viewed on YouTube.