BOSTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending nearly $4.5 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse it for the cost of providing testing for daycare facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The $4,480,000 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the Massachusetts Department of Early Childhood Education and Care for contracting to provide testing services for early education and care (EEC) affiliated providers, staff, children, and families between March 2021 and June 2022.

 

The contractor operated mobile specimen collection sites, provided all equipment necessary for site operations, confirmed eligibility for testing, and handled collection and transport of all specimens.

 

"FEMA is pleased to be able to assist the Massachusetts Department of Early Childhood Education and Care with these costs," said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. "Providing resources for our partners on the front lines of the pandemic fight is critical to their success, and to our success as a nation."

 

FEMA's Public Assistance program is a source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.

 

So far, FEMA has provided more than $1.5 billion in Public Assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses.