Department also makes up to $1.15 billion available to help people living in rural communities access high-speed internet
CHAMPAIGN, Ill., Oct. 22, 2021 – United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Acting State Director Molly Hammond today announced a $4.4 million investment to expand telemedicine and distance learning opportunities for nearly 700,000 people in rural Illinois.
“The last two years alone have shown us how important having access to broadband infrastructure is to the success of any community, but especially remote rural areas with greater physical and geographic barriers,” Hammond said. “The investments being announced today will help to continue to bridge the ‘digital divide’ in rural communities by expanding access to important health care and educational services like telemedicine and distance learning.”
Background: Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants
Today’s awards are being funded through USDA’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) program. This program helps fund distance learning and telemedicine services in rural areas to increase access to education, training and health care resources that are otherwise limited or unavailable.
Examples of today’s investments:
- OSF Healthcare System is receiving a $387,000 grant to help establish a telehealth network for 107,000 rural residents in central Illinois.
- The Carle Foundation is receiving a $544,000 grant to purchase telemedicine equipment that will virtually connect care services offered between Carle Richland Memorial Hospital in Olney with services at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana. This connection will provide patients with the opportunity to receive local health care services for acute cases rather than having to transfer to another facility. This virtual connection will be available to more than 200,000 rural residents in southeastern Illinois.
- Community Unit School District #100 is receiving a $387,000 grant to expand the District’s Rural Illinois Shared Education Network to eight additional schools. This highly collaborative virtual teaching and communication tool will expand opportunities for education on opioid and substance abuse prevention, suicide prevention, workforce development and more. The expanded education program will benefit nearly 3,600 rural residents.
- Dieterich Community Unit School District #30 is receiving an $841,000 grant to expand the District’s Rural Illinois Shared Education Network to 12 additional schools. This highly collaborative virtual teaching and communication tool will expand opportunities for education on opioid and substance abuse prevention, suicide prevention, workforce development and more. The expanded education program will benefit approximately 3,200 rural residents
- Regional Office of Education #17 is receiving a $652,000 grant to purchase telecommunication equipment that will provide real-time, interactive distance learning education between rural school districts and career centers located in central Illinois. This network will also promote the availability of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses and provide dual enrollment credit to high school students within the service area. This network will serve a student population of more than 7,900 students.
- Streator Township High School District #40 is receiving a $670,000 grant to expand the District’s Rural Illinois Shared Education Network to 12 additional schools. This highly collaborative virtual teaching and communication tool will expand opportunities for education on opioid and substance abuse prevention, suicide prevention, workforce development and more. The expanded education program will benefit approximately 74,000 rural residents.
- Blessing Hospital is receiving a $933,000 grant to build four hubs for the proposed Blessing Hospital Telemedicine Program, including both inpatient and outpatient facilities. Hub facilities will provide telemedicine services to several end-user sites and reach an estimated population of 291,000 rural residents in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri.
These investments are in coordination with USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack’s announcement that USDA is investing $50 million in 105 rural distance learning and telemedicine projects in 37 states and Puerto Rico.
Secretary Vilsack also announced a significant expansion of access to high-speed internet, health care and educational services for millions of rural Americans nationwide. This announcement continues to move forward President Biden’s Build Back Better Agenda by prioritizing economic growth in rural America and investing in the backbone of our country – the middle class.
Background: ReConnect Program
Secretary Vilsack spoke about USDA’s commitment to helping rural Americans get improved access to broadband and health care during a visit to the newly renovated emergency department at Hammond Henry Hospital. The project was financed in part by a USDA loan.
He announced that on November 24 USDA will begin accepting applications for up to $1.15 billion in loans and grants to expand the availability of broadband in rural areas. USDA is making the funding available through the ReConnect Program.
To be eligible for ReConnect Program funding, an applicant must serve an area without broadband service at speeds of 100 megabits per second (Mbps) (download) and 20 Mbps (upload), and commit to building facilities capable of providing broadband service at speeds of 100 Mbps (download and upload) to every location in its proposed service area. In making funding decisions, USDA will prioritize projects that will serve low-density rural areas with locations lacking internet access services at speeds of at least 25 Mbps (download) and 3 Mbps (upload). In making funding decisions, the USDA will also consider, among other things, the economic needs of the community to be served; the extent which a provider will offer affordable service options; a project’s commitment to strong labor standards; and whether a project is serving tribal lands or is submitted by a local government, Tribal Government, non-profit or cooperative.
USDA has simplified the application process and has expanded the program significantly. For example, ReConnect will now offer 100 percent grants for certain projects on tribal lands and in socially vulnerable communities.
The Department plans to make available up to $200 million in ReConnect Program loans, up to $250 million in loan/grant combinations, up to $350 million in grants with a 25 percent matching requirement, and up to $350 million in grants with no matching requirement for projects in tribal and socially vulnerable communities.
For additional information on the upcoming ReConnect Program funding opportunity, see the Oct. 22, 2021, Federal Register (PDF, 319 KB). Once the application window opens, applications must be submitted through USDA Rural Development’s online application system on the ReConnect webpage. All required materials for completing an application are included in the online system.
To learn more about ReConnect Program eligibility, technical assistance and recent announcements, visit www.usda.gov/reconnect.
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/il. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
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