Gov. Newsom Announces $81.8 Million in Commitments to Support Isolation and Quarantine Efforts in Communities Disproportionately Impacted by COVID-19

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom Aug. 11, announced $81.8 million in additional commitments from private and philanthropic partners to provide resources and services for individuals needing to isolate or quarantine. The partnership is led by Kaiser Permanente, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Ballmer Group, The James Irvine Foundation, The California Wellness Foundation, Weingart Foundation, Sierra Health Foundation, Blue Shield of California Foundation, California Health Care Foundation, Heising-Simons Foundation, The California Endowment and the Skoll Foundation. 

This new initiative expands on the previously announced grant funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has allocated $499 million to support the state’s response to COVID-19, of which $286 million was made available to local governments in their efforts to fight COVID-19. Nearly $52 million is going to eight counties in the Central Valley – Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare.

Kaiser Permanente is committing $63 million in grant funding for community-based organizations in areas disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, to support local public health departments with contact tracing, while also connecting individuals who are not able to appropriately isolate and quarantine to services and supports. Additionally, a coalition of 10 philanthropies have committed $18.8 million to support local public health departments in building a culturally and linguistically competent contact tracing workforce.

Together with the state, these partners will identify the communities and populations most impacted by the virus and fund a coordinated set of efforts working with local public health leaders.