Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will fund 81 Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) projects in 32 states. Nebraska has two projects funded totaling $310,000 with one for distance learning and another for telemedicine. These projects will help connect rural communities with medical and educational experts in other parts of the country, increasing access to health care, substance misuse treatment and advanced educational opportunities.
The Nebraska distance learning recipient is the Mid-Plains Community College- North Platte Campus that will receive a $100,144 grant to purchase video conferencing equipment to deliver courses to four extended campuses and a rural college.
The telemedicine recipient is Rural Health Partners, Inc. dba Heartland Health Alliance of Holbrook, which will receive a $209,663 grant to purchase telemedicine carts for 11 rural hospitals. The carts will assist patients by providing access to tele-emergency, tele-mental health triage, tele-hospitalist, and tele-specialist consulting services.
In Nebraska, contact General Field Representative Roger Meeks for more information on the DLT program at 402.416.4936 or roger.meeks@wdc.usda.gov.
"Using technology for educational opportunities and medical care can provide services that are often unavailable in rural areas," Vilsack said. "USDA's Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program helps communities better meet the needs of their residents. For example, opioid and other substance misuse disproportionately affect rural areas, and telemedicine is proving to be an effective tool for treating patients when experts otherwise would be unavailable. Hospitals, schools and training centers across the country are successfully using telecommunications to deliver specialized care to area residents, and we are proud to bring these capabilities to 81 additional communities."
USDA is awarding $23.4 million in grants to support 45 distance learning and 36 telemedicine projects.
USDA Rural Development has provided $213 million for 634 DLT projects in rural areas nationwide since 2009. USDA's Rural Utilities Service, which administers the DLT program, also offers infrastructure programs that bring broadband, safe drinking water and improved wastewater treatment facilities to rural communities.
Since 2009, USDA Rural Development (@USDARD ) has helped bring high-speed Internet access to nearly 6 million rural residents and businesses; invested $31.3 billion in 963 electric projects that have financed more than 185,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines serving 4.6 million rural residents; helped 1.1 million rural residents buy homes; and funded nearly 7,000 community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care facilities. USDA also has invested $11 billion to start or expand 103,000 rural businesses. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/results.