By The Star Staff
Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón on Tuesday detailed a new allocation of federal funds for the island that adds up to $41.7 for local entities with various purposes, including financing health programs, child care, research, and dealing with drug addiction among teenagers.
US Department of Education
Under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, $1,022,619 was allocated among Universidad Ana G. Méndez ($374,113), Humacao Community College ($216,785) and the School of Law, along with the School of Optometry ($62,053) at Inter American University of Puerto Rico and San Juan Bautista School of Medicine ($163,212).
US Department of Health & Human Services
With a total of $39,383,194, the agency continues to provide funding under its various programs to institutions on the island, either to provide health services to the general public and care for children, or for more specific purposes, such as supporting research in educational institutions.
The island Department of Health is receiving $3,962,814 for the Immunization and Vaccines for Children program, $1,210,443 as a result of a cooperative agreement under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC) program, which aims to strengthen response capacities to infectious diseases, and $2,011,005 to support efforts to end the HIV epidemic.
Under child care programs, the Fundación Para El Desarrollo Del Hogar Propio Inc. is receiving $15,560,462, the municipality of Quebradillas $4,665,633, the municipality of San Sebastián $1,282,444 and the commonwealth Family Department $1,269,442.
For the offer of health services under the Health Center Cluster program, the Community Health Foundation of Puerto Rico receives $433,333.
For university institutions, $140,145 has been granted to the Medical Sciences Campus of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) (pharmacology, physiology, and biological chemistry research), while the Foundation of the Ponce School of Medicine under the Reinforced Surveillance and Control of Arbovirus program in Puerto Rico is receiving $2,495,042 and Carlos Albizu University $1,455,000 under the early pregnancy prevention program.
González Colón, who is co-chair of the Congressional HIV Caucus, said that under the Ryan White Program, to provide care to the HIV community, the Medical Center will receive $350,000; Puerto Rico Community Network for Clinical Services, Research and Health Advancement (PRCONCRA) will receive $382,170; the UPR Medical Sciences Campus $423,977; and under the integrated HIV programs for health departments to support ending the HIV epidemic in the United States, the Department of Health will receive $2,011,005.
The Science, Technology and Research Trust will receive $2,999,721 in funding focused on healthcare workers for its response to the pandemic.