PROVIDENCE, RI -- Citing the need for rapid, routine, accurate, and ongoing testing, U.S. Senator Jack Reed today announced that Rhode Island will receive an additional injection of $3,658,712 in federal funds to help community health centers expand novel coronavirus (COVID-19) testing throughout Rhode Island.  Health centers around the state may use this funding to expand the range of testing and testing-related activities to best address the needs of their communities.  The federal funds will help with the procurement and administration of tests, including: purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE); training for staff; laboratory services; public outreach and notifying identified contacts of infected health center patients of their exposure to COVID-19; and the expansion of walk-up or drive-up testing capabilities.

“Testing is the key to any reopening efforts.  We need to keep ramping up testing and contact tracing to help keep everyone safe.  Community health centers are on the frontlines of that effort and this federal funding will provide them with an injection of cash to do more testing,” said Senator Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee. “Rhode Island is leading the nation in testing, but we still need to do a lot more.  I will continue pushing for additional federal resources to expand the state’s testing capacity.”

The new federal testing grants are from the COVID 3.5 bill, also known as the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (Public Law No: 116-139).  The funding is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which is distributing $583 million to 1,385 HRSA-funded health centers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and eight U.S. territories to expand COVID-19 testing.

These new funds are being granted to eight HRSA-funded health centers across Rhode Island to help bolster COVID-19 testing in local communities:

  • Providence Community Health Centers: $1,007,419
  • Thundermist Health Center: $869,404
  • Blackstone Valley Community Health Care: $418,324
  • Northwest Community Health Centers: $346,744
  • Comprehensive Community Action: $340,609
  • East Bay Community Action Program: $257,299
  • Tri-County Community Action Agency: $219,844
  • Wood River Health Services: $199,069