Full Citation
Title: One Time Spending for Long-Term Impact: Evaluating Washtenaw County’s American Rescue Plan Act Allocations
Citation Type: Miscellaneous
Publication Year: 2022
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Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic and its disproportionate impact on Black and other non-White communities illustrated existing economic and health disparities, not only nationally, but also in Washtenaw County. Mirroring national trends, Black people in Washtenaw County had higher rates of COVID-19 infection and were more likely to die from COVID-19 than White people due to economic and health disparities that increased their risk for severe disease.1 Prior to the pandemic, Washtenaw County and health care organizations within the county had begun to take steps to mitigate unequal outcomes by race and income on education, employment, and health by intentionally creating policies and targeting resources to address those inequities. In the wake of the public health crisis and the negative economic impacts it created, the federal government allocated money in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to provide local governments money to address the public health and economic impacts of the pandemic on families and businesses, maintain services amidst declines in revenue due to the crisis, and create a strong, equitable recovery by making investments that support long-term growth and opportunity. These funds provide Washtenaw County with a unique chance to bolster current efforts to eliminate gaps in opportunity. This memo outlines the programs funded through the initial allocations of ARPA funding and discusses core themes county officials should bear in mind in determining how to spend the second installment of federal funds. In particular, county officials should: 1) ensure programs funded in their initial allocation are adequate to achieve program success; 2) be cautious in funding programs requiring a permanent funding source; and 3) prioritize spending on one-time investments that are likely to yield long-term impacts.
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Authors: Nothaft, Amanda
Publisher: University of Michigan
Data Collections: IPUMS USA
Topics: Health, Poverty and Welfare
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