Samaritan Receives Jefferson County Nonprofit COVID Recovery Grant

Published on: November 28, 2023

Watertown, NY – In October, Samaritan Medical Center received an award notification for $150,000 from the Jefferson County Nonprofit COVID Recovery Program stewarded by the Northern New York Community Foundation.  The program was made possible through $1 million in funding that county officials have allocated from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to help nonprofits recover and respond to the negative impacts resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.

This grant aims to support organizations heavily impacted by the pandemic’s repercussions on local nonprofits. Samaritan’s expenditure on contractors soared to historic spending levels from 2019 to 2022, and the award significantly boosts Samaritan’s efforts to recoup losses from the rise in traveling nurse contracts executed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the recovery funds, Samaritan will invest in nursing scholarship programs, and will address and alleviate the staffing crisis by hiring a clinical educator, and nurse recruiter. Collaborations with local partners are also in the works, intending to establish growth pathways in local healthcare to increase recruitment and retention efforts. These strategies not only aim to reduce the hospital’s reliance on high-cost contracted travelers but also ensure that the North Country community continues to receive quality healthcare without disruptions.

Samaritan extends its sincere thanks to both our Jefferson County governing officials and to the Northern New York Community Foundation for its role in stewarding this vital federal grant funding. Samaritan looks forward to sharing with the community the positive effects this grant funding will have on the Samaritan Health System and overall care for the community.

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