How has Cook County spent its COVID-relief money? New website explains

Cook County has launched a new website - arpa.cookcountyil.gov - to show how the county is spending the $1 billion in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds it has received.

The site explains how the coronavirus relief program works, displays dashboards, spotlights programs made possible through ARPA and serves as a one-stop shop for ARPA reports and information.

"This new website serves as an important tool to ensure transparency and encourage public input," County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in a statement Tuesday. "We have developed a plethora of new programs with measurable outcomes that can now be tracked through these public dashboards."

County programs already established with ARPA money include: the Cook County Promise initiative, which is the largest guaranteed income pilot program in the nation; abolishing medical debt; and placing money directly into communities for violence prevention purposes.