U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Development (USDA-RD) Alaska State Director Jim Nordlund today announced that six Alaskan recipients have been awarded a total of $2,338,241 in grants. The grants are being provided through USDA-Rural Development’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) program. The funding may be used to purchase telemedicine or educational services equipment for rural communities.
"The DLT program delivers educational and medical opportunities that are urgently needed in remote, rural areas," Nordlund said. "It is appropriate that today is National Rural Health Day and that three of the six awards are for medical equipment. No matter where you live in America, you should have access to quality health and education. Rural Alaskans deserve the same opportunities as our urban residents, and these grants will help close the gap in our rural areas."
One of the recipients, the North Slope Borough, is receiving a $420,027 DLT grant to purchase video equipment to link six village clinics, four end-user sites, and the Samuel Simmonds Memorial Hospital in Barrow. The project will increase access to emergency medical care, examinations, behavioral health and specialized services.
The other five recipients include:
Yukon Koyukuk School District
$496,701 to purchase video conferencing equipment for nine schools in the Interior;
Eastern Aleutian Tribes, Inc.
$279,106 to purchase video conferencing equipment and state of the art CPR mannequins capable of recording and quantifying performance to increase lifesaving proficiency;
Bering Strait School District
$497,572 to purchase video conferencing equipment to increase access between Bering Strait School District offices and 15 public schools;
Alaska Children's Services, Inc.
$290,188 to build an interactive tele-psychiatry network delivering mental and behavioral health services to schools in Kalskag, Bethel, Chuathbaluk, Crooked Creek and Stoney River; and
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
$354,647 to install video conferencing equipment in 13 schools.
Funding of each grant announced today is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the funding agreement.
Since 2009, USDA-Rural Development has invested nearly $2 billion in 225 rural Alaskan communities. These investments in housing, community facilities, business, energy, water and sewer, telecom and electric have helped to grow rural Alaska’s economy and enhance the quality of life for its residents.