Investment to Purchase Equipment for Vocational Center and Hospital
COLUMBIA, MO, Oct. 9, 2020 – The Trump Administration, along with Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director for Missouri Jeff Case, today announced that the USDA is investing $410,099 to modernize equipment for education and healthcare in rural Texas County.
“USDA Rural Development is a steadfast partner of supporting healthcare and education in Missouri’s rural communities,” said Trump Administration Official State Director Case. “Through two programs, USDA is able to ensure Texas County residents have access to the modern equipment needed to meet their needs. Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA has been working tirelessly to be a strong partner to rural communities in building stronger and healthier communities, because we know when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
Industrial Development Authority of the City of Houston Missouri was awarded a $195,000 Community Facilities Grant to purchase nursing and welding equipment for a new vocational education center in Houston. A variety of equipment will be purchased including welders, safety gear, welding stations, tools, classroom furnishings and equipment, mannequins to simulate patients, and nursing and phlebotomy training equipment. The center will provide students with skills that employers need, ultimately resulting in better jobs, less poverty, and economic growth in the area.
More than 100 types of projects are eligible for Community Facilities funding. Funding for today’s announcements was made available through the $150 million in grants included in the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act that President Trump signed into law on June 6, 2019
Texas County Memorial Hospital was awarded a $46,700 Community Facilities Grant to purchase cardiac monitors for the hospital's emergency department. The monitors will be placed in two trauma rooms and eight primary exam rooms and will assist medical professionals to efficiently evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients.
The hospital is also the recipient of a $168,399 Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) grant that will be used to acquire monitors/defibrillators for five ambulances. The high-tech monitors will provide telemedicine services by allowing emergency medical personnel to transmit patients’ vital health data while in route to the Texas County Memorial Hospital Emergency Department. This will allow emergency department medical staff to be better prepared to diagnose and treat patients upon arrival at the hospital.
The DLT program helps health care and education institutions buy the equipment and software necessary to deploy distance-learning and telemedicine services to rural residents.
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.
Contact USDA Rural Development
Information on programs available through USDA Rural Development is available by visiting www.rd.usda.gov/mo, by calling (573) 876-0976, or by emailing RDMissouri@usda.gov.
USDA Rural Development has 25 offices across the state to serve the 2.2 million residents living in rural Missouri. Office locations include a state office in Columbia, along with local offices in Butler, Charleston, Chillicothe, Clinton, Dexter, Eldon, Farmington, Higginsville, Houston, Kennett, Kirksville, Maryville, Mexico, Moberly, Neosho, New London, Poplar Bluff, Richmond, Rolla, Sedalia, Springfield, St. Joseph, Troy, and West Plains.
If you’d like to subscribe to Missouri USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.