CARES Act | Signature Healthcare

Tuition & Financial Aid

CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act

Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital School of Nursing has signed and returned the Certification and Agreement related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES Act - HEER II and HEER III) Act, to the U.S. Department of Education.

Higher Education Emergency Relief (HEER II and HEER III) Fund Information Student Allocation

May 2021

You may have heard that the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) provided financial resources to colleges and universities. The resources available through the Higher Education Emergency Relief II (HEER III) Fund allow institutions of higher education to distribute grants to students in need to cover any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus.

HEER III (CARES Grant) Funding

The omnibus, under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act III, incorporates several provisions directly impacting higher education, including an Education Stabilization Fund, to be directed toward institutions of higher education using the same model previously established in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Securities (CARES) Act.

In May 2021, additional funds were received. With this new allocation, new guidance was given, allowing eligibility for these funds to students who did not complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

$328,000 was allocated for students for the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters of the 2021-22 Academic Year.

A BHSON student who has experienced or is experiencing unexpected financial hardship due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation is eligible for an emergency grant (funds that do not require repayment) if you meet the requirements set forth by the federal government as follows:

You are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the U.S. and, if necessary, could submit proof of such.

You are currently enrolled as of Fall 2021.

SH/BHSON awarded the neediest students based on their Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) which we know from their completed FAFSA. Grants range from $500.00 to $1,500.00. For those students who did not apply for financial aid, grants are $250.00

As of September 9, 2021, 175 students were awarded $170,850 for the Fall Semester 2021.
As of December 30, 2021, 157 students were awarded $157,709 for the Spring Semester 2022. The HEERF II & III Student Portion has been completely awarded.

Higher Education Emergency Relief (HEER I and HEER II) Fund Information

March 31, 2021

A second round of funding for the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) provided financial resources to colleges and universities. The resources available through the Higher Education Emergency Relief II (HEER II) Fund allow institutions of higher education to distribute grants to students in need to cover any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus.

HEERF2 (CARES Grant) Funding

The omnibus, under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act2, incorporates several provisions directly impacting higher education, including an Education Stabilization Fund, to be directed toward institutions of higher education using the same model previously established in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Securities (CARES) Act.

On December 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. Funds approved in this regulation are being sent to higher education institutions across the country for use as emergency grants to students for expenses related to the on-going, unanticipated changes to their lives and education.

SH/BHSON is fortunate to have received a limited allocation for our students.

SH/BHSON students, who experienced unexpected financial hardship due to the on-going COVID-19 situation, were eligible for an emergency grant (funds that do not require repayment).

To be Eligible:

A student must have filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2020-2021 academic years at studentaid.gov, and citizenship is confirmed via the federal matching databases.

Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. and, if necessary, could submit proof of such.

Student must have been enrolled as of March 30, 2021

Student incurred expenses AFTER December 27, 2020, due to the on-going pandemic.

Eligible students had been notified via e-mail.

The amount of each (CRRSAA) Fund Grant was based on eligibility for need-based federal financial aid and the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) generated from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Grants ranged from $400 to $1,000. The total amount disbursed was $108,038 to 137 students.

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEER II and III) – Institutional Portion

SH/BHSON is grateful to continue to receive funding from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. A portion of the institutional funds have been used to offer relief from the costs incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic as SH/BHSON continues to provide quality education to our students as dictated by the guidelines. The impact of the coronavirus pandemic was a significant change in the delivery of instruction. It was important for SH/BHSON to continue to invest and support remote learning programs for our students.

In addition, we continued to support our students by refunding some of the fees related to services we could no longer provide.

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEER I)- CARES ACT

March 20, 2020

The CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund-IHE/Student Aid provided funding to institutions for emergency financial aid grants to students whose lives have been disrupted, many of whom are facing financial challenges and struggling to make ends meet. Institutions have the responsibility to determine how grants have been distributed to students, how the amount of each student grant was calculated, and the development of any instructions or directions given to students about the grant.

Section 18004(c) of the CARES Act required schools to use no less than fifty percent of the $216,076 received for emergency financial aid grants to students and for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus (including eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care).

SH/BHSON promptly awarded and refunded emergency financial aid grants from the HEER I funds directly to students for their expenses related to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. SH/BHSON did not use the advanced funds to reimburse itself for any costs or expenses.

Student Allocation Process to Award and Disburse HEER I Funds

The CARES Act formula divides these funds among students who have completed the FAFSA.

The formula has two distinct parts:

75% of the total HEER I funds received will be divided amongst and awarded to SH/BHSON Pell Grant Recipients

25% of the total HEER I funds received will be divided amongst and awarded to SH/BHSON Stafford Loan Recipients

For those SH/BHSON students who received both Pell and Stafford Loans, our neediest students will receive both amounts.

A otal of $108,038 HEER I funds was given to 166 SH/BHSON students.

$81,028 was awarded and disbursed to Pell Recipients, $853.03 per student.

$27,010 was awarded and disbursed to Stafford Loan Recipients, $170.94 per student.

The Project Director drew down the HEER I funds from G5 using the Federal Award Identifying Number (FAIN) P45E203558. The funds were deposited to the SH/BHSON Pell Bank Account.

SH/BHSON SonisWeb Administrator created 2 new grant award codes, designating these funds as the CARES ACT Cash Grant for Pell Recipients (CAGP) and for Federal Loan Recipients (CAGP). These are not added to the Students’ 1098Ts per federal guidance.

Signature Healthcare Finance Department has used the new CARES Act codes for the HEER I Funds designated for Students.

HEER I Funds were awarded, disbursed, and refunded to students. Refund checks were mailed to the students’ home address with a letter explaining the HEER I Funds per federal guidance.

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEER I) – Institutional Portion

SH/BHSON is grateful for the generous grant from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund under the CARES Act. The institutional portion of these funds have been used to offer relief from the costs incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic as SH/BHSON strove to provide quality education to our students in this time of challenge, and as dictated by the guidelines. The impact of the coronavirus pandemic was a significant change in the delivery of instruction. As we prepare the nation’s future nurses, it was important for us to invest in remote learning programs, supporting IT capacity for such programs, and the training of faculty and staff to operate effectively in a remote learning environment. In addition, we had an ethical responsibility to support our students by refunding some of the fees related to services we could no longer provide. Below please find the direct costs incurred by BHSON and the planned allocation of funds to cover these expenses.

The process to Reimburse SH/BHSON for expenditures due to coronavirus:

HEERF granted SH/BHSON $108,038 for expenditures due to the Covid-19 pandemic. SH/BHSON spent the total amount granted as well as an additional $4,926 to ensure our students were supported during this unprecedented time.

View the Institutional Portion of the CARES ACT Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting:

Cares Act Final Report 01-01-20 to 12-31-2020

Quarterly Report Ending 03-31-21

Quarterly Report Ending 06-30-21

Quarterly Report Ending 09-30-21

Quarterly Report Ending 12-31-21

HEERF-Final-reporting-Jan-1-2021-thru-Dec-31-21

View the combined Institutional and Student Portion of the HEERF I, II, and III Reporting:

Quarterly Report Ending 3-31-22

Quarterly Report Ending 6-30-22

Quarterly Report Ending 09-30-22

Quarterly Report Ending 12-31-22