In Wichita Falls, Cornyn Announces $35 Million in Relief Funding for the Region So Far

Statement

WICHITA FALLS -- U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) announced today at Community Healthcare Center that various entities in the Wichita Falls region so far have been allocated $34,550,122 in federal coronavirus relief resources from Congress. While there he was joined by Wichita Falls Mayor Stephen Santellana to see firsthand how the CARES Act, a coronavirus relief bill he supported in March, is helping them combat the coronavirus pandemic in Wichita Falls. He was hosted by Allen Patterson, CEO of Community Healthcare Center, who provided a brief tour of the clinic and showed Sen. Cornyn how they have addressed the pandemic using federal resources from the CARES Act.

After the tour, Sen. Cornyn held a socially-distanced joint press conference with Mayor Santellana, Mr. Patterson, President & CEO Phyllis Cowling of the United Regional Health Care System, and President Dr. Suzanne Shipley of Midwestern State University, who each spoke to how they have used CARES Act funds to benefit the Wichita Falls community.

Thus far, Sen. Cornyn has worked to secure $35 million in funding for the Wichita Falls area, including:

North Central Texas Area Community Health Care Center: $5,059,551
Administered nearly 1,800 COVID tests
Procured 3 - 6 months of PPE supplies
Continued to pay the nearly 100 employees who would have otherwise been furloughed or laid off
Moved forward with opening two local school-based clinics
United Regional Health Care System: $12.5 million.
Treated 172 COVID-19 patients and 584 more presumptive but ultimately negative patients
Processed 11,802 COVID-19 tests, and built multiple tented testing sites
Procured additional PPE
Maintained payroll for all 2,200 hospital staff
Midwestern State University (MSU): $4,629,148.
Supported 3,429 students (62% of student body) with CARES Act Emergency Student Aid
Acquired elevated cleaning equipment and PPE
Reimbursed $1.7 million to students for housing and dining costs
Purchased computer equipment, licenses, and technology for flexible learning
City of Wichita Falls -- Neighborhood Services Division: $733,264
Served 77,262 targeted at-risk residents
Assisted with rent, utility, and transportation needs
Food for more than 74,000 food insecure individuals
Sanitation supplies and services for domestic abuse shelters
Wichita Falls Transit System -- FallsRide: $4,552,789
Wichita Falls Regional Airport: $1,225,460
City of Wichita Falls: $5,849,910
PPE, including gloves, masks, coveralls, sneeze guards, face shields
Health supplies, including thermometers and sanitizer stations
Protective equipment for firefighters
Salaries of city employees
Participants included:

U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX)

Stephen Santellana, Mayor, City of Wichita Falls

Allen Patterson, CEO, Community Healthcare Center

Phyllis Cowling, President & CEO, United Regional Health Care System

Dr. Suzanne Shipley, President, Midwestern State University

Source