CHICAGO — The Illinois Department of Public Health announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for public health organizations to assist with contact tracing.
Through the NOFO, IDPH will award a grant to one organization in each of the nine regions in Governor J.B. Pritzker’s COVID-19 mitigation plan, not including Cook County and Chicago, according to a press release.
Each of the nine regions will serve as the coordinator for its region and will award sub-grants to community-based organizations “who can most effectively conduct tracing, education and outreach in their communities.”
"Today I'm proud to announce that applications for community-based organizations to obtain funding through IDPH to collaborate with local health departments will open on Friday. This opportunity, called the COVID-19 Pandemic Health Navigator Program, is geared toward organizations able to serve as coordinators for their region, sub-awarding to other agencies, across three main areas of work: education and outreach, contact tracing, and resource coordination for those who need to isolate," said Pritzker.
"Because Chicago and its immediate suburbs are running their own community programs, these partnerships will be with regional leaders outside of Cook County. Most important to our ability to minimize outbreaks is the efforts of everyday people to do their part: if one of our statewide force of 1,600 contact tracers calls you, please answer."
How funding will assist contact tracing efforts:
- Provide education and outreach to promote preventive actions to help slow the spread of COVID-19, as well as identify populations at greater risk of infection, and provide information to breakdown myths and rumors
- Conduct contact tracing through interviews and provide follow up information for close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases.
- Coordinate resources, such as food, laundry, and even housing if needed, for cases or close contacts of cases who need to isolate or quarantine.
IDPH has executed agreements with 57 local health departments across the state to enhance contact tracing efforts, according to the release. Over the next two weeks, the health departments will receive $50 million in funding for contact tracing.
The department is also finalizing agreements with the remaining 40 local health departments in the state. In total, grants to local health departments for contact tracing amount to more than $215 million.
More than 1,600 contact tracers are available in the state.
More Illinois News
- Business owners worry as Governor J.B. Pritzker warns of stricter regulations if COVID-19 numbers don't drop
- Gov. Pritzker lawsuit seeks face mask order for Illinois schools returning amid coronavirus pandemic
- Gov. Pritzker announces mitigation plan to prevent resurgence of COVID-19 cases
- Pritzker announces $21B plan to improve roads, bridges
- Metro East nearing COVID-19 positivity rate threshold that could result in stricter restrictions
