USDA Announces Emergency Rural Health Care Grants to Strengthen Healthcare Access in Rural Communities

U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn) and Tina Smith (D-Minn) joined U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to announce that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide significant funding through Emergency Rural Health Care grants to help rural health care facilities, tribes, and communities expand access to coronavirus vaccines, health care services, and nutrition assistance. This funding will make a significant difference in rural communities, providing medical equipment, telehealth services, food assistance, and coronavirus vaccines.

Key Takeaways:

• The USDA will provide significant funding through Emergency Rural Health Care grants to help rural health care facilities, tribes, and communities expand access to coronavirus vaccines, health care services, and nutrition assistance.
• The grants will provide medical equipment, telehealth services, food assistance, and coronavirus vaccines to rural communities.
• Two types of assistance will be available: Recovery Grants and Impact Grants, with Recovery Grant applications accepted on a continual basis until funds are expended.
• Impact Grants are available to help regional partnerships, public bodies, nonprofits, and tribes solve regional rural health care problems and build a stronger, more sustainable rural health care system in response to the pandemic.
• Applicants can apply for grants starting from the announcement date, with Impact Grant applications due by 4:00 p.m. local time on October 12, 2021.
• Senators Klobuchar and Smith have worked to improve and increase access to health care in rural communities, with Senator Klobuchar fighting to put in place a federal distribution strategy for coronavirus vaccines and Senator Smith working to secure $500 million for the Community Facilities Program.
• The grants are part of the USDA's efforts to help rural America build back better and equitably as the nation continues to respond to the pandemic.

Statistics:

• The grants will provide funding for rural communities to expand access to coronavirus vaccines, health care services, and nutrition assistance.
• Recovery Grants will provide up to $1 million in funding to public bodies, nonprofit organizations, and tribes to support rural hospitals, health care clinics, and local communities.
• Impact Grants will provide funding for regional partnerships, public bodies, nonprofits, and tribes to solve regional rural health care problems and build a stronger, more sustainable rural health care system.
• The grants will be accepted on a continual basis until funds are expended, with Impact Grant applications due by 4:00 p.m. local time on October 12, 2021.

Sources:

• "U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn) and Tina Smith (D-Minn) joined U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to announce the program." - United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
• "The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make significant funding available through Emergency Rural Health Care grants to help rural health care facilities, tribes, and communities expand access to coronavirus vaccines, health care services, and nutrition assistance." - USDA
• "This federal funding will make a big difference by providing medical equipment, telehealth services, food assistance, and coronavirus vaccines to those in our rural communities." - Senator Klobuchar
• "This is how we advance our commitment to improving access to health care in rural areas." - Senator Smith
• "Under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, USDA is playing a critical role to help rural America build back better and equitably as the nation continues to respond to the pandemic." - U.S. Agriculture Secretary Vilsack
• "Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Sens. Klobuchar and Smith have worked to improve and increase access to health care in rural communities." - MIL OSI USA News