CHERRY HILL, NJ – U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) today announced that Rowan University and Rutgers University–Camden will receive a combined $250,365 in federal funding from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for research into COVID-19-related medical care.

“The work being done at both Rowan and Rutgers–Camden will allow the facilities to support coronavirus-related programs and train our local workforce, as well as students, on how to work best during a pandemic,” said Congressman Norcross. “COVID-19 has already taken the lives of far too many people. This funding will advance the research, training initiatives and vital work being done right in our backyard to help us combat the virus and save lives.”

Specifically, the universities will receive:

• $95,455 to the Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine for their “Area Health Education Centers Program COVID” program
• $90,625 to the Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine for their “Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program COVID” program
• $64,285 to Rutgers for their “Nurse Education Practice Quality Retention Veteran Nurses in Primary Care COVID” program

“We are grateful for the support of Congressman Norcross and HRSA for helping us to deliver these programs at a time of society’s unparalleled need,” said Dr. Thomas Cavalieri, Dean of Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine. “These are truly critically important initiatives that support community-based programs for vulnerable populations, while helping prepare our workforce to address the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Rutgers University–Camden in an anchor institution for Camden and all of South Jersey, and our nursing school faculty and students are on the front lines in the battle to keep our families healthy during this pandemic, where our faculty and students generate original thinking and new ideas that advance our state and our nation,” said Phoebe A. Haddon, Chancellor of Rutgers University–Camden. “This grant will allow the Rutgers–Camden nursing school to serve more New Jersey residents while also providing learning opportunities for our veterans. We thank and applaud Congressman Norcross for his commitment to growing South Jersey as a hub for innovation and for his support of Rutgers–Camden.”

“This HRSA grant funding will allow the Rutgers School of Nursing–Camden to purchase the necessary telehealth equipment to train undergraduate and graduate nursing students, building a workforce of nurses trained and equipped to provide telehealth for COVID-19 including monitoring symptoms and testing; as well as, primary care and behavioral wellness to residents of Camden,” said Donna Nickitas, Dean of the Rutgers–Camden Nursing School. “Primary care will include health promotion, disease prevention, health maintenance, counseling, patient education, diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses. Behavioral wellness will include individual and group therapy, as well as mindfulness activities.”

"The goal of the COVID-19 Telehealth Funding is to build the telehealth capacity of the Rutgers School of Nursing–Camden Community Health Clinics, allowing nursing faculty members to provide telehealth care to residents of two Camden housing developments: Branch Village and Ablett Village,” said Principal investigator Kevin Emmons, a clinical associate professor of nursing at Rutgers University–Camden. “This will extend the impact of the Rutgers–Camden nursing school in the fight against Camden County, which has been heavily impacted by COVID-19 in southern New Jersey. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we deliver health care services. For several years, we have focused on the importance of population health and serving our local community and now, with this funding, we will continue to focus training veteran nursing students on delivering high-quality community based primary care.”

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Contact: Carrie Healey, Communications Director
carrie.healey@mail.house.gov