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USDA Announces $53 Million to Enhance Michigan Rural Health and Public Safety

Name
Alec Lloyd
City
East Lansing
Release Date

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced investments to improve rural community infrastructure, provide essential services and improve access to health care across rural America through Rural Development’s Community Facilities (CF) program.  Today’s investments in health facilities and support for first responders comes as the department celebrates National Rural Health Week. 

“Rural America deserves quality, affordable health care, but too often local communities lack the capital to invest in improving the facilities that deliver that care,” Vilsack said. “I am especially proud of the role that USDA plays in addressing the critical needs for health care facilities, including mental health facilities.”

With today’s announcement, Secretary Vilsack said that the department has eclipsed a goal, set in December of 2013, to investing up to $50 million in CF funds over the subsequent three years to develop or improve mental health facilities and services in rural areas.  CF funding in 2015 more than quadrupled that goal in just two years, funding more than $213 million in 80 projects in 34 states.

Michigan has 17 projects totaling more than $53 million in loans and grants:

 

Recipient

Amount

Type

Project Description

Mills Township

$37,000

Grant

Lighting Along Boardwalk

Tuscola County

$19,000

Grant

Patrol Vehicle

Beaverton

$30,000

Grant

Purchase New Patrol Vehicle

Wexford County

$11,000,000

Loan

Fire, Rescue, & Public Safety

Kimball Township

$1,000,000

Loan

Fire, Rescue, & Public Safety

Mackinac Straits Area Health

$525,000

Loan

Health Care

Twin County Community Probation Center

$2,100,000

Loan

Public Buildings/Improvements

Saginaw County Agricultural Society

$343,000

Loan

Other Facilities

Munising Bay Healthcare

$9,230,000

Loan

Health Care

Three Rivers Health System, Inc.

$1,231,969

Loan

Health Care

Frankenmuth Farmers Market

$1,370,000

Loan

Other Facilities

John Tolfree Hospital

$12,700,000

Loan

Health Care

City of Harrison

$2,789,000

Loan

Health Care

City of St. Ignace

$100,000

Loan

Public Buildings/Improvements

Barry County Community Mental Health Authority

$4,592,000

Loan

Health Care

Ishpeming Building Authority

$250,000

Loan

Public Buildings/Improvements

Baruch SLS, Inc.

$5,800,000

Loan

Health Care

Total

$53,116,969

 

 

Today’s projects were funded from August through September 2015.

Since 2009, USDA has awarded $9.7 billion under its Community Facilities programs, including $4.9 billion for 1,052 health care projects; $266 million for improvements to 206 public schools; $133 million for 555 libraries; $39 million for 240 day care centers; and $791 million to support 4,876 public safety facilities in rural areas.

Funding of each grant and loan announced today, which amounts to more than $1.2 billion in new projects, is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the funding agreement.  The funding announced today will bring CF funding up to $1.8 billion over the course of the fiscal year 2015.

President Obama’s plan for rural America has produced historic investments in rural communities. Under the President’s leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have strengthened America’s small towns and cities and helped improve the nation’s economy.