Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 11, 2022 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Ohio State Director Jonathan McCracken today announced that USDA is awarding $3.6 million in grants to improve health care facilities in rural towns throughout Ohio. These grants will help 10 rural health care organizations expand critical services.
“Access to sustainable health care is critical for the health and safety of Ohioans” McCracken said. “Today’s announcement ensures that communities and medical providers have the funding and equipment necessary to provide the highest-quality health care that is essential for the well-being of the residents living in rural Ohio.”
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. 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 no matter their zip code.
For example:
• In Adams County, the Adams County Regional Medical Center in Seaman, Ohio will use a $1 million grant to recover lost revenue caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the pandemic, this medical center has been essential in distributing COVID-19 community resources and education. The recovery of lost funds will allow the hospital to continue to provide critical services in rural Ohio.
• In Washington County, Marietta Memorial Hospital will use a $1 million grant to recover a portion of revenues lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The hospital has diligently promoted COVID vaccinations, testing, and treatments. Although covering only a portion of the total loss of revenue to the hospital, this funding will help the hospital continue to provide care to an area heavily affected by the pandemic.
• In Darke County, Brethren Retirement Community will use a $630,592 grant to recover lost revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has put financial strain on this facility like many other senior care facilities. The Brethren Retirement Community in Greenville, Ohio provides skilled nursing care, assisted living, independent living, rehabilitation, enhanced memory care, respite care, winter stays, and home care. This investment will give the facility a better financial footing to continue to operate at a high level of care for its residents.
• In Putnam County, Hilty Memorial Home will use a $292,878 grant to recover lost revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hilty Memorial Home in Pandora, Ohio provides independent living villas, assisted living apartments, transition to home rehabilitation, long-term skilled nursing, dementia care and an on-site preschool and childcare program. This investment will provide improved financial conditions allowing then to continue to provide a high level of care for its residents.
• In Allen and Hancock County, Mennonite Memorial Home will use a $280,363 grant to recover lost revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mennonite Memorial Home in Bluffton, Ohio provides the whole continuum of care, from independent living villas and assisted living apartments to memory care and rehabilitation. This investment will give the facility a better financial footing to continue to operate at a high level of care for its residents.
• In Ashtabula County, Geneva-On-The-Lake will use a $189,916 grant to purchase an ambulance. COVID-19 has put a strain on existing equipment and the ambulances have outlived their useful life. The new ambulance will allow medical response to be more reliable and well- equipped to handle medical emergencies during the pandemic and beyond and enable emergency medical services to continue to support the community by providing medical care to residents.
• In Clermont County, Franklin Township will use a $101,668 grant to assist with purchasing a new ambulance outfitted with technology to protect against COVID-19 and other contagious illnesses. Franklin Township Fire & Emergency Medical Services serves both its residents and those of neighboring Lewis Township with emergency response services. The new ambulance is necessary to provide updated equipment, but also to help protect the area's limited first responder staff in transporting contagious patients. Ultraviolet lights and heating, ventilation and air conditioning will be installed in the vehicle to filter the air and clean surfaces in the ambulance.
• In Monroe County, Ohio Hills Health Services will use $76,501 to purchase necessary medical supplies and equipment to confront the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has escalated the need for comprehensive and accessible healthcare throughout the region. The medical supplies will be used to increase local access to quality healthcare and to prepare for future pandemics and will help the health center provide numerous medical services that would not be readily available in this underserved population.
• In Holmes County, Fisher-Titus Medical Center will use $53,960 to offset the cost of acquiring COVID-19 testing equipment for the medical center and a new ambulance for its subsidiary, North Central Emergency Management System (EMS). This funding will offset the cost of purchasing numerous testing kits and two new Aries M1 towers, which analyze the samples from the testing kits. North Central EMS, one of only three emergency service providers to be a part of the Ohio Department of Health Community Paramedicine Rural Pilot Program, brings medical care to those in rural communities when they call an ambulance rather than taking them to the emergency room if not an emergency. The increase in demand for transportation and vaccination drives required North Central EMS add another ambulance to their fleet.
• In Lorain County, Kendal at Oberlin will use a $30,687 grant to offset the cost of several pieces of equipment and staffing that was necessary for this life plan community to continue operations and protect residents during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The pandemic required the community to make several changes which involved increases in testing and careful management of visitation between residents and their families. This involved setting up outdoor tents and a check-in station for health screening. Additionally, to further enhance no contact services at the community, Kendal will also use grant funds to offset the cost of two mobile telehealth stations that can be moved around campus and brought to residents so that they can visit with medical personnel with minimal travel and contact.
USDA will announce additional awardees for Emergency Rural Health Care Grants in the coming weeks and months.
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/oh. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit Ohio’s GovDelivery subscriber page.
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