Maryland’s Congressional Delegation announced this week that nearly $28 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds will make its way to Maryland to help strengthen health equity initiatives in high-risk and underserved communities across the state.

Maryland will benefit from $27,943,554 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. $21,211,178 will go to the Maryland Department of Health while $6,732,376 will be directed to the Baltimore City Health Department. The money will aid COVID-19 response including testing, contact tracing and mitigation efforts in vulnerable communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

“This new round of federal COVID-19 assistance will help address the systemic barriers and health disparities that have long harmed minority and rural communities,” the lawmakers said. “Communities of color and rural communities have disproportionately borne the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our delegation will continue to secure additional resources to target these longstanding inequities and ensure that all Marylanders have access to high-quality and affordable health care – no matter their race, zip code or income.”

For more information, view the full press release.