Biden-Harris Administration American Rescue Plan Invests in Rural Healthcare
Reynolds, Ga., Dec. 11, 2023 – This month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and executives from Mercer Medicine Taylor County cut the ceremonial ribbon, opening a new primary care facility that will serve Taylor County in rural Middle Georgia. The facility was funded in part by USDA’s Rural Emergency Health Care Grant Program.
“Thanks to President Biden's historic investment in rural America, USDA is expanding access to healthcare,” said Rural Development State Director Reggie Taylor. “At USDA Rural Development, we are committed to making sure that people, no matter where they live, have access to high-quality and reliable health care services like urgent care, primary care, and dental care,” Taylor said.
In January 2023, a grant of $224,500 helped to purchase startup equipment for the Mercer Medicine Taylor County Primary Care facility in Taylor County. The new facility will allow physicians to provide preventative care and improve health outcomes; it is the county’s only Primary Care facility.
The Rural Emergency Health Care Grant program (EHCG) helped broaden access to COVID-19 testing and vaccines and rural health care services. The Rural EHCG was created by the American Rescue Plan Act, the Department invested $9,668,800 in Georgia during Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023 in 20 projects with the Program. Investments include the construction of five new clinics or healthcare facilities, purchasing essential laboratory equipment, ambulances, a mobile vaccination unit, food distribution assistance and helping hospitals recover from lost revenue related to the pandemic. For more information on these investments contact deborah.brumfield@usda.gov.
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.
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