U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack Wednesday announced the establishment of a program under President Biden's American Rescue Plan to expand rural hospitals and providers' access to COVID-19 vaccines, testing, and supplies, while helping rural health care providers stay financially solvent in the long-term. The initial awards of the Emergency Rural Health Care Grants total $43 million and will benefit 2.2 million people who live and work in rural America. Awardees include 93 rural health care organizations and community groups across 22 states.
The announcement is part of the Biden-Harris Administration's Rural Infrastructure Tour, a multi-faceted outreach effort involving cabinet and sub-cabinet officials across federal agencies as they travel to and learn from rural communities across the country.
"Under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, USDA mobilized our staff and resources to respond in record time to improve the long-term viability of rural health care providers and services across this nation," Vilsack said. "USDA used an all-hands-on-deck approach to create the Emergency Rural Health Care Grants program to address a variety of immediate health care needs and services in rural communities. The American Rescue Plan Act and this program are examples of the government's ability to respond quickly to ensure every person and family has access to high-quality health care no matter their zip code."
The Biden-Harris Administration made these funds available through its historic legislative package, the American Rescue Plan Act. Within months after the Act's passage, USDA responded quickly by making this funding available to ensure the long-term availability of rural health care services. In total, the program will use up to $475 million in grants provided by President Biden's American Rescue Plan to expand rural hospitals and providers. Additional awards will be announced in the coming months.
The grants USDA is awarding will help rural hospitals and health care providers implement telehealth and nutrition assistance programs, increase staffing to administer COVID-19 vaccines and testing, build or renovate facilities and purchase medical supplies.
For example, in Missouri, Texas County Memorial Hospital will use $1 million to complete the interior of a surgery area, thus improving critical access to quality health care services for area residents. This investment will also help the hospital prepare for future pandemics by increasing its capacity for vital medical surgery. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the need for the immediate completion of the surgical center. Completion of this project will be of great benefit for not only the hospital but the thousands of rural residents that it serves.
In addition, Second Harvest Community Food Bank received $211,249 to assist with increased expenses due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This food bank conducts mobile food distributions throughout Northwest Missouri.
The investments announced Wednesday will expand health care services in Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.
To review all the grants awarded Wednesday, go to https://bit.ly/3rrPq8x.
USDA will announce additional awardees for Emergency Rural Health Care Grants in the coming weeks and months.
Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in March 2021 to deliver immediate economic relief to people impacted by the pandemic.
In August 2021, USDA made the Emergency Rural Health Care Grants available through the American Rescue Plan to help rural health care facilities, tribes and communities expand access to health care services and nutrition assistance. The assistance is helping provide immediate relief to support rural hospitals, health care clinics and local communities. USDA is administering the funds through Rural Development's Community Facilities Program.
USDA and its federal partners in the Infrastructure Implementation Task Force are working with rural communities to deliver on the promise of support for rural America. The Rural Infrastructure Tour is a multi-faceted outreach effort involving cabinet and sub-cabinet officials across federal agencies as they travel to and learn from rural communities across the country. These visits will highlight new federal funding and investments already underway through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a once-in-a-generation investment that will support rural communities and their infrastructure needs.
Categories: Missouri, Government & Policy, Rural Lifestyle