By CHRISTIE MASTRIC

Journal Staff Writer

MARQUETTE — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday signed House Bill 4087, which will establish an emergency stockpile of medical supplies to prepare for future emergencies.

House Bill 4087 will amend the Emergency Management Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services to stockpile the medical supplies necessary to respond to a state of disaster or state of emergency in Michigan and require DHHS to display a list of the medical supplies inventory on its website, the governor’s office said.

The bill would give preference to goods or services manufactured or provided by Michigan businesses.

“COVID-19 has had an immense impact on our state’s health care system and its ability to provide quality care in critical conditions,” Whitmer said in a statement.

This bill, she noted, will ensure that Michigan’s health care system is better equipped to handle future emergencies.

“The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services protects the health and well-being of Michiganders before, during and after an emergency,” MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel said in a statement. “Maintaining a stockpile of medical supplies ensures we are ready and able to take action quickly to assist our health care system to address future emergencies affecting our state.”

Senior programs to be supported

The MDHHS has issued a request for proposals for the Senior Center Wellness Program.

Eligible applicants are multipurpose senior citizen centers located within the state of Michigan. Private housing facilities with senior activity programs are not eligible.

The focus of the Senior Citizen Wellness Program is to support health-related senior programs at multipurpose senior citizen centers. The programs funded through this grant should include mental and physical health maintenance and improvement for senior participants.

Proposed work must fall within one of the following areas: physical activity, nutrition, chronic illness and self-management, depression, social isolation, fall prevention, caregiver education and burnout prevention, medication management, and pandemic/COVID-19 education and information. Applicants may submit more than one application, but MDHHS will award no more than $5,000 per applicant for a program area.

MDHHS will prioritize applications that demonstrate incorporation of evidence-based health promotion and disease prevention programs that include matching funding and are from applicants who submit multiple applications requesting funding across multiple program areas.

The award period runs from Feb. 1 through Sept. 30. MDHHS expects to award approximately $150,000 to fund about 30 projects.

Grant applications must be submitted electronically through the EGrAMS program by 3 p.m. Nov. 30.

For more information or to apply, visit the EGrAMS website at bit.ly/3Etq1PX and click the “About EGrAMS” link on the left panel to access the “Competitive Application Instructions” training manual. The complete RPF document can be accessed on the EGrAMS website.

Christie Mastric can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net.