U.S. Department of Agriculture Ohio Rural Development State Director David L. Hall today announced two Ohio organizations are receiving more than $1.17 million in USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine grant funds to bolster telehealth and remote learning capabilities in a multi-county region.
“Now more than ever, access to remote learning and telehealth services is vital to the well-being of rural Ohioans,” said Hall. “And these two projects also illustrate the good that results from creative alliances. In Gallia County, we have a health system partnering with a school district, and in Huron and surrounding counties, a school district partnering with a community college.
“Under the leadership of President Trump, USDA is committed to being a strong partner to rural communities because when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
In Ohio:
- Holzer Health System will use its $172,358 grant to provide students and staff in six communities in the Gallia County School District with primary and preventative care through the Appalachian Primary Care Telemedicine Program. Using technical equipment purchased through the grant, healthcare services will transmit from hub sites to several primary and secondary schools. Increased access will lead to better overall health, creating a more conducive environment for learning and growth.
- The New London Local School District will use its $999,524 grant to expand STEM resource access to pre-Kindergarten – grade six students in four counties. By partnering with other STEM-designated schools and Lorain County Community College, an enhanced Science, Technology, Engineering and Math curriculum will reach an estimated 3,600.
USDA is funding 116 projects reaching an estimated 12 million rural citizens through the Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) grant program. The program helps health care and education institutions buy the equipment and software necessary to deploy distance-learning and telemedicine services to rural residents.
In addition to Ohio, investments were recently announced in Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas, interested parties should contact their USDA Rural Development state office. USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs 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 areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.