MDHHS Releases Infection Control Grant Application (SNF)

MDHHS released the application to obtain infection control and prevention devices as established in Public Act (PA) 9 of 2022.   The PA created a funding mechanism to assist nursing facilities to enhance their prevention and control of infections to better safe guard the residents the facility cares for. The funds application must be completed by September 12, 2022 for project costs between March 3, 2021 and September 30, 2023. As you can see the funds are for both past projects not paid by any other grant and future devices to prevent infections. The application is available by clicking HERE (following the review criteria) and the some of the details are provided below.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is making Infection Control Grants available to skilled nursing facilities. The purpose of these grants is to support structural and operational improvements to skilled nursing facilities to reduce the spread of infectious disease. These grants can be used to pay for all or a portion of the costs of infection control improvements. As a recipient, funds can be used to cover eligible costs that your organization incurred during the period beginning on March 3, 2021 and ending on September 30, 2023. A facility may request an exception, which will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, if unforeseen circumstance result in expenditures extending beyond September 30, 2023. Costs incurred by the recipient prior to March 3, 2021 are not eligible.

Timeline

Applications may be submitted until 5:00 pm, September 12, 2022. MDHHS will review all applications for completeness. Incomplete applications will be returned to the facility and may be resubmitted. The facility will be notified of the grant determination within thirty (30) business days of submission of the application. Payment will be made through a gross adjustment within two weeks of notification.

Grant Award Parameters

DHHS will accept funding applications from skilled nursing facilities based on the eligibility criteria. Infection rates for the six months prior to installation and six month’s post installation must be submitted. These data will only be used to assess the impact of the project and relative impact of strategies.

Grant Amount Limit and Projects

MDHHS established a maximum grant award amount of $65,000 to any individual skilled nursing facility.

Eligible projects may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Efforts to improve indoor air quality, including maintenance and improvements to indoor heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems.
• The creation of negative air pressure rooms.
• The creation of isolation areas in nursing homes for sick residents.
• The purchase and installation of technologies to reduce the spread of infectious disease.

Grant funds may not be used to replenish infection control supplies used in normal operations including but not limited to personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies.

Review Criteria

The review criteria are as follows:

• The application must be complete. Incomplete applications will be returned to the facility and may be resubmitted. The corrected application must be submitted within 5 business days of notification by MDHHS.
• The structural and operational improvements must be designed to improve infection control in within the facility.
• The structural and operational improvements must be appropriate to meet the stated need in the facility.

Applications must be e-mailed to [email protected].