HUNTERDON COUNTY, NJ – Commissioner Shaun C. Van Doren this month announced that the Health Department has been awarded an unprecedented $1.2 million health infrastructure grant by The New Jersey Association of County and City Health Officials.
Commissioner Van Doren, who serves as liaison to the Health Department said, “This historic grant award is targeted toward improving public health infrastructure and readiness, increasing equitable access to care, and supporting the continued efforts to control the spread of COVID19. I congratulate the Health Department on their fine work to help secure this grant and for their continued dedication to the residents of Hunterdon County.”
“The County Health Department has been a steadfast leader in providing needed public health services including delivering testing and vaccination clinics throughout the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. This grant will continue to support and further enhance the ongoing efforts to not only address the ongoing COVID-19 response, but will also help to protect and mitigate against other communicable diseases throughout the community for which the Health Department is tasked with monitoring daily,” Commissioner Director Zach Rich said.
Staff at the Health Department have carefully analyzed services and functions that are most vital to carrying out their mission and developed a list of targeted investments which the grant will support. Included within the list is upgraded storage, including additional vaccine refrigeration, the acquisition of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), the enhancement of clinical services for all residents, data management software upgrades, and investments in the public health nursing facility, including the acquisition of a backup generator system.
The grant period runs through June 2024, and during that time the Health Department will be working to implement the priorities as outlined in the grant application.
Hunterdon County Health Department Director, Karen DeMarco said, “This grant funding allows us to further enhance our ability to respond to public emergencies and implement projects without impacting the County budget. We thank the New Jersey Association of City and County Health Officials and the Hunterdon County Commissioner Board for their support of our grant application.”
