Infectious Disease Management Gets Big Boost With $37.5m Grant
Seventy-five healthcare systems will benefit from NETEC’s gift, applications open.
Infectious disease management is getting a significant lift, on October 15, 2025 the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC) announced their $37.5m grant aimed at High-Consequence Infectious Diseases (HCID), a NETEC press release announced. Labs working with High-Consequence Pathogen and Pathology will find this increased area of focus relevant and may look to encourage their employers apply to become one of the 75 facilities that will receive the grant in the US.
The grant, funded by the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) is slated to provide or upgrade the chosen 75 healthcare facilities within the US with a Level 2 Special Pathogen Systems (NSPS) status, NETEC added.
Selected hospitals will “receive up to $500,000 each to improve critical infrastructure, conduct staff training, and obtain specialized equipment aligned with NSPS Level 2 requirements,” according to the American Hospital Association (AHA).
“Level 2 centered are the backbone of a resilient, skilled response to special pathogen threats,” Shelly Schwedhelm, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Executive Director of NSPS told NETEC. (Photo credit: UNMC)
“This initiative accelerates our mission to develop top tier care closer to communities nationwide while strengthening protective measures for our healthcare workers,” Shelly Schwedhelm, executive director of NSPS, told NETEC. The grant comes by way of the NSPS Level 2 Special Pathogen Treatment and Network Development (STAND) Award.
Positive Focus & Raising the Bar
The union of emergency providers and public health partners is crucial for disease maintenance, and NETEC’s vision paired with the grant aims to “provide safe, high-quality care during HCID outbreaks,” the press release noted.
Facilities moving into Level 2 status set the tone for more specialized care. These facilities are “specialized treatment centers that care for patients throughout the duration of illness,” the NETEC noted. To help facilities achieve this status is significant, John Lowe, PhD, NETEC co-principal investigator at University of Nebraska Medical Center, told NETEC. “This grant provides indispensable support for facilities striving to meet NSPS standards—from infrastructure upgrades to advanced training—making readiness both realistic and sustainable,” he commented.
The Importance of HDICs
HDICs, defined by the NETEC as having “high death rates and intense illnesses with limited remedies available,” are important to tackle for reasons beyond the obvious, NETEC noted.
“HDICs pose a significant threat to domestic and global security…some can be used as bioterrorism agents,” the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) noted on their site. They added that many HDICs spread from animals to humans and are contagious.
Looking Ahead
“We have a vision of a future with fewer infections and less suffering caused by high-consequence pathogens and disabling illnesses of unexplained causes,” CDC stated.
How to Apply
Labs interested in applying for the grant must have their employer submit proposals by 12/2/2025. Eligible hospitals must be in the US and offer inpatient services, emergency departments and critical care ability, as well as have airborne infection isolation capability. Both federal facilities and those already at Level 1 are not eligible.
—Kristin Althea O’Connor
