Bozeman, Mont., Feb. 28 – U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development in Montana State Director Kathleen Williams announced today that USDA is investing more than $19 million to build a new health care facility in Harlowton, Montana.
With funding through USDA’s Emergency Rural Health Care Grant and Community Facilities Direct and Guaranteed Loan Programs, Wheatland Memorial Health Care will build a new, modernized 38,000 square foot critical access hospital and integrated rural health clinic to meet the needs of more than 2,600 local residents.
“Everyone deserves quality, accessible health care, no matter where they live, which is why it is critical that we invest in infrastructure like rural hospitals and care facilities,” said Williams. “USDA is proud to work with Wheatland Memorial Health Care to ensure rural Montanans here will have access to quality, state-of-the-art care close to home.”
Wheatland Memorial, which opened in 1951, has expanded several times over the years to adapt its facilities and clinical care to meet the needs of an ever-changing health care environment. But after more than 70 years its infrastructure was unable to support a 21st Century health care operation.
Scheduled to open in December 2024, the new facility will feature upgraded electrical and ventilation systems, new furniture and fixtures, and state-of-the-art medical equipment so it can continue delivering quality, accessible health care to residents of this rural Montana community and beyond.
USDA Rural Development funding for the project include:
- USDA Community Facilities Direct Loans ($15,264,000) which provide affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. These loans will help finance construction costs.
- USDA Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan ($3,700,000) which provides loan guarantees to eligible lenders to develop essential community facilities in rural areas and supports lenders in the process. Funded by Farmer’s State Bank of Montana, this loan will finance construction costs.
- USDA Emergency Rural Health Care Grant ($1,000,000), funded through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, supports long-term sustainability in rural health. This grant will finance upgrades in furniture, fixtures, and equipment.
USDA Rural Development has six offices in Montana – Billings, Bozeman, Great Falls, Helena, Kalispell, and Missoula. To learn more about investment resources for rural areas in Montana, call (406) 585-2540 or visit www.rd.usda.gov/mt.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, 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 by supporting improvements in infrastructure, business development, housing, and community facilities in rural, tribal, and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
To receive USDA Rural Development updates, visit the GovDelivery subscriber page and follow on Twitter @RD_Montana.
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