PORTLAND, Ore., Dec. 6, 2021 – USDA Rural Development Acting State Director Jill Rees today announced that USDA is investing $107,478 for Mercy Foundation, Inc. to expand health care access in rural Douglas County, Oregon.
“There has never been a more urgent need for rural communities to have access to immediate, responsive, and modern healthcare,” said Rees. “With this funding, Mercy Foundation will expand their ability to support children and youth through flexible, supportive telehealth services.”
This investment will assist Mercy Foundation to increase access to health care in 22 rural Douglas County schools. USDA’s participation supports Mercy Foundation’s partnership with local providers Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center and Evergreen Family Medicine to provide school-based telehealth services with a virtual care system for 6,400 students. The system will close the gaps in access to rural care to improve health outcomes for low-income vulnerable youth.
This award is 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. Applications for this 100% grant program are accepted through a competitive process. Contact John Holman, General Field Representative, with questions related to program use, eligibility, application information, and more at john.holman2@usda.gov or (503) 310-7692.
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. 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. USDA Rural Development is prioritizing projects that will support key priorities under the Biden-Harris Administration to help rural America build back better and stronger. Key priorities include combating the COVID-19 pandemic; addressing the impacts of climate change; and advancing equity in rural America. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.