Governor announces $2 million contingency fund for Ebola

Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced Monday the creation of a contingency fund of up to $2 million to help address public health and safety risks associated with the threat of exposure to Ebola.

“There have been no confirmed cases of Ebola in Virginia, but my administration continues to prepare so that we can respond quickly to this public health threat if it reaches our state,” the governor said in a statement. “This $2 million contingency fund will help state and local agencies cover costs in the event of a confirmed case, and allow responders to focus more on protecting Virginia families than on covering costs in the event of an emergency.”

McAuliffe said he is using the authority given to him in the state’s appropriation act to grant supplemental funding for state agencies where a delay in action will produce a threat to life, safety, health or property.

The funds could be used to reimburse state agencies for extraordinary expenditures related to specific incidents and actions taken by agencies related to exposure to Ebola, and/or the threat of the spread of Ebola into the general population.

This includes, but is not limited to, expenses associated with monitoring citizens exposed to Ebola, direct patient care, and transportation.  The funding is not intended to reimburse agencies for routine or ongoing program expenses associated with the agency mission.  The funds also would not be used to supplant other eligible sources of fund including federal or private insurance funds.

McAuliffe said approval of requests for reimbursement of expenditures would undergo several levels of review by the responsible cabinet secretary and the Department of Planning and Budget to verify costs and justification.

Final approval by the governor will be done on a case-by-case basis.