Articles

District 24 awarded over $92 million for COVID-19 relief

Miami Times / Penny Dickerson / April 15, 2020

Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson scored two pandemic power moves in one week that complement a continual stream of bill sponsorship. Most have been in support of the COVID-19 pandemic and the upcoming 2020 presidential election.

On Monday, April 13, Wilson announced colleges and universities in District 24 will receive $84,708,059 in emergency funding as a result of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which passed Congress on March 27.

Funding will be distributed between five South Florida institutions and allow students to receive emergency cash assistance grants to help pay for housing, food, and other basic essentials during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Dept. of Education, the first $6 billion of that funding will be immediately sent to institutions so they can begin providing grants to struggling students.

"I am extremely pleased that these funds are being allocated to help universities and colleges make up for lost revenue following school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic," Wilson said.

"Having their educations and college experience disrupted is difficult enough; students should not also have to worry about food, shelter and other necessities. I hope this much-needed relief will enable all of these young people to continue their studies."

The following colleges and universities will receiving funds under the CARES (Act):Barry University; Broward College ; Florida Memorial University; Miami Dade College and St. Thomas University.

An additional $1 billion will be distributed at a later date for historically Black colleges and universities, tribal colleges and universities, other minority-serving institutions, and other under-resourced institutions.

Students should contact their institutions for more information about how they can apply for an emergency grant.

On April 8, Wilson secured $7,756,820 in grants for community health centers in her South Florida district. That funding will be utilized to prevent, diagnose and treat COVID-19 and increase staff capacity.

Wilson has long served as an advocate of free, preventive health provided by community health centers as a tried and true measure to help residents maintain good health year-around, much less during a global crisis. These health centers are vital to communities as many residents endure socioeconomic challenges including being uninsured.

"I am thrilled that community health centers in my district will receive more than $7 million to address the coronavirus pandemic. Health centers are at the frontlines of combating the virus and are the first place that many low-income people turn to for care," said Wilson who has served the 24th congressional district for a near decade .

Wilson shared with The Miami Times on Friday, April 10 that "accessibility is key" to the community addressing health issues like asthma, diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. All of the aforementioned leave Blacks more susceptible to testing positive for coronavirus.

"Given recent news reports, the HHS grants will be enormously helpful to minority communities where people of color have been disproportionately affected by this public health crisis and more testing and other related services are desperately needed," said Wilson who added specific concern for Black men who need to aggressively pursue regular health check-ups.

The "recent news reports" Wilson referenced include April 10 insights by The Washington Post that stated, "Early data from jurisdictions across the country found that the novel coronavirus appears to be affecting — and killing — black Americans at a disproportionately high rate compared to white Americans. Majority black counties have three times the rate of infections and nearly six times the rate of deaths as majority white counties, according to the analysis."

Uché Blackstock, a physician who works at urgent care sites in Brooklyn, concurred with the report and offered clinical rationale:

"We carry a higher burden of chronic disease that predisposes us to the more serious complications of coronavirus," said Blackstock who added that Blacks further don't have access to care.

"If we do, it's likely care of the worst quality because they are often termed minority-serving and they may not have a specialist or the resources needed to care for covid-19 patients. And there's implicit bias on the part of the health-care providers, and studies have shown that there's bias toward white patients over patients of color."

Further, Black people hold more "essential jobs" that put workers in close contact with others who might be in poor health and that make engaging in social distancing a challenge. Housing and geographic disparities, too, play a significant role in the equation.

COVID-19 is reportedly deadlier in people who have preexisting health conditions that weaken their lungs and immune systems, and living in neighborhoods with more air pollution is a contributing factor. Black and Latino families in urban centers tend to congregate in unhealthy dwellings when rent is unaffordable. The latter impedes a family's ability to social distance at home.

The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services reported in 2014 that Black Americans were three times more likely to die from asthma-related causes and exposed to air that's 38 percent more polluted in comparison to white Americans.

The NAACP and Clean air Task Force added in 2017 findings that Blacks are 75 percent more likely to live in places bordering a polluting facility like a factory or refinery compared to other Americans.

"I am encouraged by what we were able to accomplish in the CARES Act but will continue to fight for robust investment in community health centers in future coronavirus response packages," said Wilson.

The following community health centers will receive grants under the CARES (Act)

Jessie Trice Community Health System 1,974,725; The Center for Family and Child Enrichment $569,315: Care Resource Community Health Centers $1,143,005; Camillus Health Concern $682,970; Borinquen Health Care Center: $1,994,795; Broward Community and Family Health Centers: $803,075; Empower U: $588,935