MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers joined the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) in announcing an additional $86 million in funding for local and tribal health departments Jan. 13. The funds, designed to help alleviate the immense strain the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on public health departments across the state, will be dedicated to off-setting COVID-19 related expenses, such as vaccine administration. It will support testing and contact tracing, and also support vaccine administration.

“Our local and tribal health departments have been — and continue to be — on the frontlines of responding to the pandemic here in Wisconsin,” said Governor Evers. “Their dedicated health officers and staff have helped keep us safe, and we must provide them with the funding they need to continue doing just that.”

The $86 million comes from the Epidemiology and Lab Capacity grant given by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and each local and tribal health department will receive funding tied to the population of its jurisdiction.

“As we expand ways in which people can get vaccinated from COVID-19, our local and tribal health departments continue to be significant critical partners in that work, like they have been for testing and tracing,” said DHS Secretary-designee Andrea Palm. “This funding recognizes the key role our public health partners play in keeping our state healthy and safe.”

For up-to-date information about Wisconsin’s COVID-19 response, visit the DHS COVID-19 webpage.