FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 9, 2020
RURAL HEALTH MEDICAL PROGRAM AWARDED FUNDING
TO AID IN FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19
SELMA, AL – On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), awarded more than $1.3 billion to 1,387 health centers as part of a historic U.S. response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Rural Health Medical Program, Inc. was one of the health centers to be awarded this funding. HRSA-funded health centers may use the awards to help communities across the country detect coronavirus; prevent, diagnose, and treat COVID-19; and maintain or increase health capacity and staffing levels to address this public health emergency.
On Friday, March 27 the President signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, into law. This unprecedented legislation will help secure the resources needed to keep Americans safe from the coronavirus. HRSA is making these vital health center investments available immediately, as they are a key element of the nation's public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"This new funding secured by President Trump will help our community health centers continue the work they're doing on the ground against the coronavirus," said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. "HRSA-funded health centers are already playing a critical role by delivering essential services, serving as community testing and screening sites, and alleviating burdens on our nation's emergency rooms and hospitals. HHS will continue bringing every resource we have to support heroic healthcare workers across the diverse settings health centers serve, from our cities to our rural towns."
“We are very fortunate to have received this funding. The administration acted swiftly with their response to this pandemic as this funding will allow us to continue to bring the highest quality of medical services to our patients while exploring new ways to deliver care to our communities,” said Keshee Dozier Smith, CEO of Rural Health Medical Program, Inc.
"HRSA-funded health centers are part of the backbone of our nation's health care system, serving 1 in 12 people nationwide," said HRSA Administrator Tom Engels. "Increasingly, people are turning to health centers for the first line of defense in combating emergency public health priorities like the novel coronavirus. Health centers will put these resources to immediate use to respond to emerging and evolving local needs and continue to deliver high quality primary health care services to their patients."
For Rural Health Medical Program, Inc., this means that we are able to keep our doors open, to support our medical staff that is on the front line providing care to all residence and especially the medically underserved in Dallas, Marengo, Monroe, Perry, and Wilcox counties in Alabama. The HRSA funding directly supports our COVID-19 efforts by expansion of our telemedicine healthcare services which allows our staff to treat patients from their homes. We are still treating patients onsite across our eight locations as well are equipping our mobile clinic with COVID-19 testing capabilities to reach the most vulnerable rural populations of our communities. Additional details regarding our mobile clinic locations and hours will be released over the coming weeks. Over the past 40 year plus years our primary goal has been to become the, Providers of Choice across our service areas, to patients regardless of their ability to pay, including those who are insured, uninsured, underserved, and at-risk. Continuing to provide access to quality primary and preventative healthcare will always be a prime focus for Rural Health Medical Program, Inc. on-site and/or via telemedicine video and audio, audio only, and email correspondence options.
