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CDC Provided Oversight and Assistance to ELC Recipients in COVID-19 Screening Testing Programs

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC) program provided strategic investments to health departments to reduce domestic infectious disease-related illnesses and death. As part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP), CDC provided $10 billion in funding to 64 ELC recipients to support COVID-19 screening testing for teachers, staff, and students in K-12 school settings. An audit by the Health and Human Services Inspector General found that CDC provided oversight and assistance to ELC recipients, but they still faced challenges in implementing the screening testing programs.

Key Takeaways:

  • CDC provided $10 billion in ARP funding to 64 ELC recipients to support COVID-19 screening testing for teachers, staff, and students in K-12 school settings.
  • The audit found that CDC provided oversight and assistance to ELC recipients, including utilizing recipient data and conducting periodic outreach through webinars and technical assistance calls.
  • ELC recipients faced challenges implementing the ELC screening testing programs, including lack of interest from schools and communities, limitations on allowable costs, insufficient school staffing and resources, and issues with vendors or contractors.
  • Not all ELC recipients encountered challenges expending the ELC Reopening Schools funding, with some using alternative sources of government funding.
  • The challenges identified in implementing the screening testing programs provide CDC with areas to focus on when implementing future ELC programs.
  • CDC's COVID-19 screening testing program was part of the $47.8 billion in ARP funds allocated to HHS to detect, diagnose, trace, and monitor SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 infections.
  • The ELC program has been providing support to health departments since 1995, with CDC providing financial resources and technical assistance each year to 64 ELC recipients.
  • The crash of the pandemic caused such challenges that the delivery of health care and the delivery of human services to the American people was severely disrupted.

Statistics:

  • $10 billion in ARP funding was provided to 64 ELC recipients to support COVID-19 screening testing.
  • The ELC program has been providing support to health departments since 1995.
  • The ELC program provided financial resources and technical assistance to 64 ELC recipients each year.
  • The $47.8 billion in ARP funds allocated to HHS was the largest allocation for COVID-19 response and recovery efforts.
  • 17 states had the most financial challenges: California, New York, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, New Jersey, Washington, Virginia, Arizona, and Colorado.
  • The OIG audit found that ELC recipients faced challenges in implementing the ELC screening testing programs in 60% of the cases.

Sources:

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • Health and Human Services Inspector General (HHS IG)
  • American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021
  • https://oig.hhs.gov/oas/reports/region5/52200010.pdf

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