FEMA Awards Funds to Massachusetts for COVID School Testing Costs

08:00AM / Saturday, February 10, 2024Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending more than $64 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse it for the cost of contracting to provide testing services in public schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The $64,144,440 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services for the cost of contracting to provide testing at schools and in public buildings in surrounding communities between February 2021 and June 2022.

The contractor provided services which included operations and logistics of pooled testing, training, software, and technical assistance to school personnel.

The contractor also provided transportation for a total of 907,829 COVID-19 test specimens from approximately 2,400 public schools across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to the laboratory for analysis.

"FEMA is pleased to be able to assist Massachusetts with these costs," said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. "Reimbursing state, county, and municipal governments – as well as eligible non-profits and tribal entities – for the costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important part of our nation's ongoing recovery."

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

So far, FEMA has provided more than $2.7 billion in Public Assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses.

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Pittsfield Accepts Grant for Domestic Violence Services

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:43PM / Thursday, January 15, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Police Department received more than $66,000 from the state to assist survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in collaboration with the Elizabeth Freeman Center.

On Tuesday, the City Council accepted a $66,826.52 Violence Against Women's Act STOP Grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. The longtime Civilian Advocate Program is described as "the critical bridge between victims and law enforcement."

"The Civilian Advocate Program brings law enforcement and victim services together to reach survivors sooner and respond more effectively to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. Through a collaboration between the Pittsfield Police Department and Elizabeth Freeman Center, this program bridges critical service gaps in our rural community, increasing safety and recovery for victims," the program summary reads.

Founded in 2009, the program focuses on creating an integrated and trauma-informed response, ensuring access that meets the needs of vulnerable and marginalized populations, cross-training, and making a community impact.

The Freeman Center has received more than 3,500 hotline calls in fiscal year 2025 and served nearly 950 Pittsfield survivors. In the past year, 135 clients came through the program, but there was limited capacity and reach, with only part-time hours for the civilian advocate.

According to court reports, Berkshire County's rate of protection order filings is 42 percent higher than the state average.

"Violence against women is an incredibly important topic, and when you read through the packet, it highlights that here in Berkshire County, our protection rates are 40 percent higher than the national rate," Ward 6 Councilor Dina Lampiasi said.

Divya Chaturvedi, executive director of the Freeman Center, said there is a "crying need" for these services in Berkshire County.

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