Juvenile Corrections Facility to receive COVID-19 funds

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK)-Idaho Governor Brad Little and the Coronavirus Financial Advisory Committee (CFAC) has approved additional funds to support the St. Anthony Juvenile Corrections facility, community food banks and long term care facilities. 

The action includes $2.57 million to protect juveniles in state custody at the Juvenile Corrections Center in St. Anthony.  That money will be used to replace a 24-bed dormitory style living unit.   The new facility will allow better physical distancing and quarantine protocols to reduce risk of transmission of the COVID-19.

You can see more about the JCC project here.

Idaho’s long-term care facilities will receive an additional $10 million to cover the cost of keeping residents and workers safe.

To date, the governor’s office said more than half of Idaho’s COVID-19 deaths have occurred among residents of long-term care facilities. 

The CFAC funds will direct $7 million to cover increased costs for positive cases, $2 million for COVID-exclusive facilities, and $1 million to cover costs associated with transporting residents to and from COVID-exclusive facilities.

In addition to other state and federal assistance, the funding comes on top of $13 million that has already been provided to long-term care facilities for testing of residents and staff. Another $2.56 million will go to the Idaho Foodbank to help serve struggling families.

Food assistance programs have seen a significant increase in demand since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. The Foodbank has 400-plus partner organizations in all 44 counties and will receive additional food and equipment with the new funding.