Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget (OPB) have approved a $47 million ARPA COVID-19 Mitigation Grant Program.

The grant provides up to $100,000 per Assisted Living Community/Personal Care Home (25+ state-licensed beds) to assist with expenses incurred to contain and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 between March 3, 2021, and December 1, 2022.

Assisted Living communities with 25 beds or more licensed by the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) are encouraged to apply. Providers for each community must complete a Terms and Conditions Agreement for this grant program to begin submitting reimbursement requests for eligible expenses incurred between March 3, 2021, and December 1, 2022.

Expenses eligible for reimbursement are limited to those incurred to comply with Section 4.0 Testing Requirements and Guidance or Section 6.0 Considerations for Assisted Living Communities and Personal Care Homes of the Long-Term Care Facilities Reopening Guidance provided in the Georgia Department of Public Health Administrative Order updated October 6, 2021.

Examples of eligible expenses include those made to:

Communities receiving this grant will need to provide documentation to support the request for reimbursement of expenses as well as certify the expenses were necessary for the prevention or mitigation of COVID-19 in their community. They must also certify they will not use the proceeds of the grant to reimburse expenses that have been reimbursed from other sources or that other sources are obligated to reimburse.

The Georgia Senior Living Association is working with OPB to provide communication and education on qualifying expenses and submitting reimbursement requests. A webinar is scheduled on March 17 at 10:00 AM for eligible Assisted Living and Personal Care Home communities.