USDA Rural Development State Director Bobby Goode announced funding for five Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) projects in Tennessee. These projects will help connect rural communities with medical and educational experts in other parts of the country, increasing access to health care, substance misuse treatment and advanced educational opportunities.
“Funding DLT projects is important because the program ensures rural residents and businesses with access to modern, 21st Century communication technologies,” Mr. Goode said. “Additionally, the program helps rural communities to compete in a global economy.”
USDA is awarding $23.4 million in grants to support 45 distance learning and 36 telemedicine projects in 32 states. In Tennessee alone, nearly $1.07 million will be used to fund various DLT projects across the state.
The following recipients and their respective counties were selected to receive funding:
· Chattanooga Hamilton County Hospital Authority – Hamilton County
· Tennessee Rural Education Association (receiving two grants) – Polk and Marion Counties
· Carey Counseling Center, Inc. – Obion County
· Mountain States Health Alliance – Johnson County
Some of the awards will help communities provide services to address opioid misuse, a problem that is especially prevalent in rural areas. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is leading an interagency effort to address the rural opioid crisis. On June 30, Vilsack hosted a town hall meeting in Abingdon, Va., to address how the crisis is affecting rural America and parts of Appalachia, and while there he announced funding for five DLT projects in rural Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia to respond to the issue.
USDA Rural Development has provided $213 million for 634 DLT projects in rural areas nationwide since 2009. USDA’s Rural Utilities Service, which administers the DLT program, also offers infrastructure programs that bring broadband, safe drinking water and improved wastewater treatment facilities to rural communities.
USDA Rural Development is moving investments to rural America with housing, business and infrastructure loans and grants to create jobs and strengthen rural economies with an emphasis to assist areas of persistent poverty. Since 2009, the agency has assisted more than 1.5 million Tennessee families and businesses in 230 communities in all 95 counties of Tennessee, investing more than $6.6 billion through affordable loans, loan guarantees, and grants.
For more information on USDA Rural Development programs available in Tennessee contact the State Office at 615-783-1300.