HHS awards funding to rural communities to combat COVID-19 pandemic

Posted on: 4/24/20

The Health Resources and Services Administration Federal Office of Rural Health Policy on Wednesday awarded $161.5 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funding to help rural hospitals and communities respond to the COVID-19 emergency. The funding includes $150 million to assist 1,779 hospitals through the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program, and $11.5 million for telehealth resource centers to assist rural and underserved areas. 
 
“Today’s funding gives rural hospitals critical support to build up their capacity for fighting COVID-19 in their communities, including through further expansions of telehealth, more purchases of [personal protective equipment], and boosting testing capacity,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar.

To read more about how the grant will be distributed in Oklahoma, read this Tulsa World article.