Missouri will distribute $30 million in CARES Act funds in support of the state's health care professionals and system.
Gov. Mike Parson directed the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services on Wednesday to create and execute a contract and framework that will help mitigate current COVID-19 hospital strain. The effort will be funded through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
"We've consistently heard from our health care partners that staffing is one of the biggest challenges we continue to face," Parson said. "Our health care workers have been on the front lines since day one, and our goal is to provide continued support with this additional effort."
More information on the contract and vendor will be made available once the contract is fully executed. At this time, the efforts will include, but are not limited to three areas - hospital staffing, staffing for state-managed health care facilities, and establishment of five more Monoclonal Antibody Infusion Stations.
Missouri will commit $15 million to provide health care staffing for all Missouri-licensed or Centers for Medicare or Medicaid Services (CMS)-certified critical access, acute care and long-term care hospitals. Funding will be provided on a firm, fixed staffing rate and will not exceed the cap designated to each tier:
- Tier 1: 0-25 licensed or CMS-certified beds - $50,000 cap
- Tier 2: 26-75 licensed or CMS-certified beds - $75,000 cap
- Tier 3: 76-200 licensed or CMS-certified beds - $100,000 cap
- Tier 4: 201-400 licensed or CMS-certified beds - $150,000 cap
- Tier 5: 401+ licensed or CMS-certified beds - $200,000 cap
For state-managed facilities, Parson has authorized the Department of Mental Health, Missouri Veteran's Commission, Missouri Department of Corrections and the Missouri Department of Social Services' Division of Youth Services to join in on the contract, securing the agencies and commission the same fixed staffing rate to fill healthcare staffing needs.
Missouri will commit another $15 million to establish five to eight strategically-located, state-funded Monoclonal Antibody Infusion sites that will operate for 30 days each. Monoclonal antibodies are proteins that can help your body fight off COVID-19 and reduce the risk of severe disease and hospitalization - if administered to high-risk patients soon after diagnosis. Site selection will be made in conjunction with regional and local partners. The state estimates the sites will be able to treat up to 2,000 patients across the state.
DHSS is working through an emergency contract process with a vendor that will support the efforts.
The Missouri Disaster Medical Assistance Team (MO DMAT-1) continues to staff the state-run Monoclonal Antibody Centralized Infusion Center in Springfield, with support from Jordan Valley Community Health Center and CoxHealth. It has helped reduce the strain on hospitals by treating COVID-19 patients who otherwise would require treatment in a hospital setting. Through Tuesday, MO DMAT-1 staff had treated 319 patients at the infusion center since it opened July 23.