Join us now from 3-4 ET for a phonebanking session to legislators. We will explain how the CDC’s Increased Access to Testing Program (ICATT) can be used to expand Free PCR for all. We’ll be using this guide here, if you can’t join us now please do use it to make phone calls later! https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hw737G89v1GAaQja3ZOXj0oSSlPVQFNPnoV-ulstB5o/edit#heading=h.rqsdzsbjopqn
Why are we here?
To request that HHS expand funding for PCR tests via the CDC’s ICATT program.
To urge state and local legislators to allocate COVID-19 funding towards community distribution programs for free respirators and rapid tests.
For background information, see this talking point sheet from the National Association of County and City Health Officials: Implications for CDC from End of COVID-19 PHE by NACCHO
For information about ICATT, read description of the ICATT program and how local departments of public health may request testing sites through the ICATT on their website. Read a very brief summary of its function from the Yale School of Public Health: Expanded Testing Programs | Yale SPH
What’s ICATT?
The Increasing Community Access to Testing (ICATT) program is a CDC initiative that “provides access to COVID-19 testing in U.S. communities that are at greater risk of being affected by the pandemic.” The program is meant to provide free testing to underserved communities, to people without health insurance, and to communities experiencing a “surge” in COVID-19 cases. Once open – ICATT testing sites are open to any and all. See HHS'
ICATT distributes funding to state, local, tribal, and territorial health departments and partners with one of four testing providers in the area.
The four partner providers are CVS, eTrueNorth, Quest Diagnostics, and Walgreens. These sites are open to the public for COVID-19 testing.
Why ask state and local governments for tests and masks?
Many Local health departments are not aware of the ICATT program, partly because the CDC has not widely advertised it at the end of the Public Health Emergency. Local and state public health departments can call on the ICATT to set up free-standing, or pharmacy COVID testing programs. This is a key way for us to win back free testing, and inform more reliable data reporting.
Originally, Congress allocated funding for COVID-19 response through the American Rescue Plan. Part of these funds were distributed to federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial public health departments via the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF). As of April 2022, the Treasury’s Final Rule on the SLFRF provides jurisdictions receiving funds with “substantial flexibility” with which to use remaining funds. See the Overview of the Final Rule on the SLFRF for detailed information on program administration, appropriate use of funds, and restrictions on fund use.
We are asking state and local legislators to use SLFRF funds for their original intended purpose – to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.