Feds to award Mich. $90M+ to boost public health staffing, infrastructure

Michigan is getting an influx of more than $90 million in federal funds to bolster and expand the state's public health workforce, capacity, and data systems, officials said Friday.

Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services is slated to receive $81,900,324 while the Detroit Health Department will get $9,248,900 from the Centers for Disease Control's Strengthening U.S. Public Health Infrastructure, Workforce, and Data Systems grant program, according to the office of U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township.

"The past few years have reinforced how important it is to invest in our public health workforce and ensure our local health departments have the necessary resources to hire and train staff to meet Michiganders’ current needs and protect public health in the future," Peters said Friday in a statement. "This federal funding, which I supported through the American Rescue Plan, will help ensure that Michigan has the people, services, and systems needed to keep families across our state healthy and safe."

The first-of-its-kind funding also will provide flexible awards directly to state and local health departments to help ensure they have the staff, public health services, and systems they need to promote and protect health in their communities, officials said.

The grant program is supported by the American Rescue Plan, legislation that Peters and Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, helped enact into law.

"Over the past couple of years, our public health workforce has been challenged like never before," Stabenow said in a statement. "These funds will equip our local health departments with the staff and resources needed to provide critical public health services to our communities."

The grants will enable health departments to recruit, retain, and train staff, including critical frontline public health workers such as epidemiologists, contact tracers, laboratory scientists, community health workers, and data analysts.

States that receive funding will be required to award 40% of their workforce funds to local health departments that are not direct recipients.

State officials Friday praised the announcement and thanked Peters and Stabenow for their role in enacting the legislation behind the program into law.

"I am so grateful to Senators Stabenow and Peters for continuing to fight for Michigan, ensuring we have the resources we need to keep our families and communities safe and healthy," Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement.

Denise Fair Razo, Detroit's Chief Public Health Officer, echoed the governor's sentiments.

"Thank you to Senator Peters, Senator Stabenow, the CDC and the Biden Administration for their efforts to deliver this critical funding, which is an excellent opportunity to enhance the foundation of the Detroit Health Department," she said in a statement. "This funding will allow us to provide greater services to our residents in many ways, including support of our initiatives to ensure equitable access to care.

"The Detroit Health Department is excited about this opportunity to enhance our ongoing work to create impactful, positive change in the lives of our residents."