JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Mississippi lawmakers are making headway on a bill that would allocate at least $12 million to expand hospital beds. This is in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senator John Polk is the co-author of Senate Bill 3060. He said he felt like they would be able to give $200,000 to each hospital that increased each ICU bed. The funds will strategically be placed at about 60 hospitals across the state.
“I don’t think the state of Mississippi would have been in a position to help these hospitals without the ARPA funds. It came in at a good time. I think we’re spending it in a good way, and it’s ensuring our hospitals are made as whole as possible,” said Polk.
For any money left over, the funds would go toward negative pressure room beds, also called isolation rooms.
Some of the ARPA money would also go into extra crisis stabilization beds through the Department of Mental Health, which would help people coping with a mental health crisis. SB 3060 passed the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.