U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Montana State Director Kathleen Williams announced today that USDA awarded grants to two organizations to expand health care resources in rural Montana.
“USDA Rural Development is committed to advancing ideas and solutions that address challenges and support long-term sustainability in rural health care,” said Williams. “These projects are a wonderful example of how collaboration with local partners can address critical needs and bring much needed health care resources to rural and tribal areas in Montana.”
The Biden-Harris Administration is making this Emergency Rural Health Care Grant Program funding available through its historic legislative package, the American Rescue Plan Act. The Act and this program are examples of the government’s ability to respond quickly to ensure every person and family has access to high-quality health care regardless of their zip code.
Bear Paw Development Corporation received $10 million to construct the Anaakyaaniiin Wellness Center on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Hays, Montana. This integrated health care platform and program will increase access to health care services, recruit and retain providers and professionals, integrate traditional, cultural beliefs and resources, and offer overall healing and wellness to members of the community.
Bighorn Valley Health Center received $6,345,583 to renovate an historic building in Miles City, Montana, to offer health care resources. The facility will include a pharmacy, dental clinic, public meeting space, clinical training program, Custer County Public Health Department integration, and space for support and administrative personnel. Satellite sites to be serviced via telehealth from the Miles City hub include Chinook, Crow Agency, Hardin, Harlem, Lame Deer, Lewiston, Lodge Grass, Wibaux, and Wyola. In total this project will help deliver critical health care resources to more than 45,000 residents in rural Montana.
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 six offices in Montana – Billings, Bozeman, Great Falls, Helena, Kalispell and Missoula. To learn more about investment resources for rural areas in Montana, call (406) 585-2530 or visit www.rd.usda.gov/mt. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates visit the GovDelivery subscriber page and follow on Twitter @RD_Montana.
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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