WASHINGTON, Nov. 17, 2017 – U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced that USDA provided more than $1 billion in Fiscal Year 2017 to help improve access to health care services in rural communities.
“USDA invests in a wide range of health care facilities – such as hospitals, clinics and treatment centers – to help ensure that rural residents have access to the same state-of-the art care available in urban and metropolitan areas,” Perdue said. “I understand that building a prosperous rural America begins with healthy people. Ensuring that rural communities have access to quality medical care is a top priority for USDA.”
USDA invested more than $1 billion in rural health care in Fiscal Year 2017 through the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program. The loans can be used to fund essential community services. For health care, this includes to construct, expand or improve health care facilities such as hospitals, medical clinics, dental clinics and assisted-living facilities, as well as to purchase equipment. Public bodies, non-profit organizations and federally recognized tribes in rural areas and towns with up to 20,000 people are eligible for these loans.
In Washington State, part of the funding awarded included a $1 million Community Facilities Direct Loan to Klickitat County Public Hospital District No. 1 (Klickitat Valley Health) for the remodel an existing space into a therapy space.
Okanogan Douglas Public Hospital District #1 received a Direct Loan of $4.3 million direct loan to finance improvements to the District's Three Rivers Hospital in Brewster, including the installation of a new roof, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system, and the move of the hospital’s emergency services to a different wing.
Grays Harbor County Public Hospital District No. 1 was awarded over $30 million in direct loans and loan guarantees to build a new wellness center in the City of Elma. The new three-story, 60,000 square foot facility will allow services provided within the hospital to expand and accommodate patient volumes. The new building will be home to a 6,000 square-foot physical therapy gym, a primary care clinic that can house up to 18 primary care providers, and additional diagnostic imaging opportunities. The building will also feature a retail pharmacy, a restaurant, indoor and outdoor family activity spaces, many more opportunities for educational classes, chronic disease support groups and more.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; homeownership; community services such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.