PHOENIX – For the past two years the Maricopa County Supervisors have prepared, evaluated, and taken action to protect county residents from COVID-19 following the advice of medical experts doing their best to understand a novel coronavirus. Today that local emergency has officially ended.
“I am proud of the staff at the Maricopa County Departments of Public Health and Emergency Management for coming together and leading the way on the response,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Gates, Supervisor District 3. “Their expertise allowed the Board to stay informed and direct resources to areas of the community when and where it was needed.”
In March 2020, Public Health and Emergency Management formed a unified command that operated an emergency operations center until June 2021. They conducted thousands of case investigations, obtained and distributed personal protective equipment, supported agencies serving the most vulnerable members of our community, and organized the first five mass COVID-19 vaccination sites in the state.
“As the Board of Supervisors, we were responsible for administering the emergency funding that came from the federal government,” said Chairman Gates. “That supported County operations as we tried to keep our employees safe. It also quickly went into the community as emergency rental assistance, cellular hot spots for school kids, business grants, and support for non-profit agencies who are helping community members every day.”
The Board continues to distribute funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to help the community recover from the economic shock of the pandemic. That includes more than $100 million to address homelessness, housing, and utility resources; and more than $14 million to help people who are still trying to find jobs and build better lives. You can learn about all the programs the County funds on our website.