COVID Relief
Women workers could bear economic brunt as federal child care funding ends
A huge chunk of pandemic relief funding that kept child care programs afloat for the past few years is set to run out Saturday, and policy advocates say the economic impact will be profound, with the ripple effect hurting labor force participation and consumer spending at a time when the country is still trying to […]
New round of COVID-19 booster shots on the way after CDC recommendation
WASHINGTON — Americans older than six months should get an updated COVID-19 booster this fall, according to a recommendation the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued Tuesday. The vaccine should be available by later this week, the CDC said in a statement. “We have more tools than ever to prevent the worst outcomes from […]
Arkansas landlords filed nearly 700 eviction notices per month in 2022, study shows
Arkansas landlords filed an average of 696 civil eviction complaints per month in 2022, according to a study of “all publicly available [COVID-19] pandemic-related eviction cases” in state court records by the advocacy group Arkansas Community Institute. The group released a report on the study Wednesday and called for large-scale changes to state renting laws. […]
DHS: Most Arkansas assisted living facilities that participate in Medicaid have received federal pandemic relief funds
The Arkansas Department of Human Services has distributed most of the $2 million it received in federal COVID-19 relief funds among assisted living facilities that participate in the state’s Medicaid program through the Living Choices Assisted Living Waiver, department Secretary Kristi Putnam told state lawmakers Friday. These facilities have been receiving higher reimbursement rates since […]
Updated COVID-19 vaccines expected to be available in September, federal officials say
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is gearing up for a fall vaccination campaign that not only includes updated COVID-19 boosters, but the annual flu shot and the newly approved RSV vaccine. “We’re going to be encouraging Americans to get their COVID-19 vaccine in addition to their annual flu shot, as well as the immunizations for […]
Next generation of COVID-19 vaccines and therapies gets a $1.4 billion boost
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Tuesday announced a $1.4 billion investment in developing the so-called next generation of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell made the announcement, saying the funding is part of the $5 billion program they hope will […]
Arkansas assisted living facilities that participate in Medicaid will receive federal pandemic relief funds
The Arkansas Department of Human Services will distribute $2 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds among assisted living facilities that participate in the state’s Medicaid program through the Living Choices Assisted Living Waiver, department secretary Kristi Putnam told state lawmakers Friday. These facilities have been receiving higher reimbursement rates since the onset of the COVID-19 […]
Arkansas pharmacies will receive $3.7M to cover unpaid insurance claims for COVID-19 treatments
More than 170 Arkansas pharmacies will receive nearly $3.7 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds as reimbursement for unpaid insurance claims covering COVID-19 treatments between March 2020 and May of this year. The Arkansas Legislative Council approved the funding request from the Arkansas Pharmacists Association on Friday after a subcommittee approved it earlier […]
Child poverty dropped to a record low last year. A new report shows how to keep it that way
The expanded child tax credit that families received in 2021 helped reduce child poverty across the country, but particularly in the South where families lack a sufficient safety net, according to a paper released on Wednesday. The report by the Hamilton Project, the Brookings Institution’s economic policy initiative, comes as some Democrats appear ready to […]
U.S. House panel probes extent of fraud in federal COVID-19 relief programs
WASHINGTON — From 2020 to 2022, a group of Minnesotans pretended to be serving meals to low-income children, all the while filing for reimbursement under a federal COVID-19 relief program aimed to buoy child nutrition as schools and childcare centers closed. In all, the schemers defrauded the government of $250 million, the Minnesota Reformer reported. […]
States criticized for spending federal relief funds on tax cuts, prisons
As states plan how they’ll spend the $25 billion remaining in federal COVID relief funds, some also are facing criticism and renewed scrutiny over how they allocated money already received from the American Rescue Plan Act. Of the $198 billion authorized by Congress in 2021, $173 billion already has been appropriated by states, the District […]