USDA Rural Development State Director Greenfield Announced Funding During Roundtable Discussion at Facility on National Rural Health Day
GRINNELL, Iowa, Nov. 17, 2022 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director in Iowa Theresa Greenfield today announced that USDA is awarding $1 million in grants to Grinnell Regional Medical Center (GRMC) to expand access to health care. The Biden-Harris Administration made these funds available in the Emergency Rural Health Care Grants Programs through its historic legislative package, the American Rescue Plan Act.
“National Rural Health Day is the perfect time to showcase the significant contributions that USDA is making for health care infrastructure in rural Iowa,” said Director Greenfield. “Our rural neighbors face unique challenges in obtaining personalized health care in remote and underserved parts of our state. Today, under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, USDA Rural Development is helping create better access to medical services here in Grinnell and across Iowa.”
GRMC in Grinnell is receiving $535,300 from USDA to help divide the shared emergency room and radiology waiting room into two separate waiting rooms, relocate and expand the patient admitting department, and enlarge the women's health clinic to allow space for two additional healthcare providers, improve infection control efforts, reduce patient density, and expand access.
The hospital is also receiving a $464,700 grant to help renovate its laboratory to make more space for vaccines, testing, and administration.
Director Greenfield toured the facility with hospital leadership and held a round table discussion with administrators, advocates, and university and city representatives.
National Rural Health Day is celebrated the third Thursday of November each year to recognize the efforts of rural health care providers, organizations, and stakeholders as they work to promote better care for rural residents.
Background: Emergency Rural Health Care Grants
Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in March 2021 to deliver immediate economic relief to people impacted by the pandemic. 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 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.
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.
Contact USDA Rural Development
USDA Rural Development has 11 offices across the state to serve the 1.7 million Iowans living in rural communities and areas. Office locations include a state office in Des Moines, along with area offices in Albia, Atlantic, Humboldt, Indianola, Iowa Falls, Le Mars, Mount Pleasant, Storm Lake, Tipton and Waverly.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas in Iowa, call (515) 284-4663 or visit www.rd.usda.gov/ia. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, 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.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
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