MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The Minnesota Department of Human Services announced that home health care tools are being sent to Native American elders to help keep them safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Tuesday, the DHS said blood pressure monitors, pulse oximeters and other technology that supports telehealth and behavioral health visits are currently on their way to native elders in communities around Minnesota.
READ MORE: Minnesota Weather: Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued For Parts Of Minnesota, WisconsinFollowing a grant contract with the DHS, the Native American Community Clinic in south Minneapolis and the Northwest Indian Community Development Center in Bemidji are distributing the infection prevention tools.
READ MORE: Who Will Qualify For State's $250 Million In Bonus Pay For Front-Line Workers?“Simple equipment can help people stay healthy at home, save lives and make a real difference,” said Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead. “This a smart, targeted approach to support Indigenous communities in Minnesota.”
Using federal aid from the Coronavirus relief Fund, more than $500,000 will be used to provide equipment and technology for the at-risk native elders.
MORE NEWS: Driver James Blue Arrested In Orono Crash That Killed Mack Motzko, Sam SchunemanData shows that the native population has been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 infections and deaths during the pandemic.
