U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Kentucky State Director Dr. Tom Carew today celebrated National Rural Health Day by announcing the department is investing $475,000 to help improve health care in rural Kentucky.
This investment comes through the Emergency Rural Health Care Grant Program, which is intended to help rural hospitals, health care clinics, and local communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We want everyone in rural Kentucky, down to the most remote hollers, to have access to high-quality and reliable health care services,” said Carew. “Thanks to the leadership of President Biden, Vice President Harris and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack, this investment will help expand health care services. Quality, sustainable health care infrastructure is essential to the health and well-being of those who call rural Kentucky home.”
Kentucky River District Health Department will use a $475,000 Emergency Rural Health Care Grant to construct a 2,300-square-foot addition to an existing building. The addition will accommodate 56 people and is designed as an open-space concept for various uses such as a conference area to host training and educational classes for health department staff and to serve as a local health emergency command center.
In August 2021, USDA made the Emergency Rural Health Care Grants available through the American Rescue Plan Act to help rural health care facilities, tribes and communities expand access to health care services and nutrition assistance.
Emergency Rural Health Care Grants help support healthy communities by making sure those communities have access to the health care they need. The grants support the ability of rural communities to provide health care to the people and places in our country that often lack access.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.