Funding secured through the Sinema & Kelly-backed American Rescue Plan
WASHINGTON – Arizona Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly announced over $5.1 million in Emergency Rural Health Care Grants for 12 rural health care organizations and community groups in Arizona.
“Arizona’s rural health care organizations are lifelines for underserved communities, and today’s funding will provide the needed resources, staffing, and supplies to keep Arizonans healthy and safe,” said Senator Sinema.
“The pandemic shed light on the key role our rural health care organizations play in keeping Arizonans healthy and safe. As our state continues to grow, we’ll keep fighting to make sure Arizonans have access to affordable and reliable care regardless of their zip code,” said Senator Kelly.
The over $5.1 million in grants will help rural hospitals and health care providers implement telehealth and nutrition assistance programs, increase staffing, build or renovate facilities, and purchase medical supplies.
Sinema and Kelly continue to press the federal government for robust support to rural Arizona community health centers. In April, Sinema and Kelly urged congressional leaders to reach an agreement on critical COVID-19 health aid for vulnerable, uninsured Arizonans and health providers in the state. In their letter, Sinema and Kelly note that with potential new COVID-19 variants looming, Arizona’s rural providers will be unable to afford the needed nursing staff to care for their at-risk communities, many of whom are unable to care for those medically-underserved including agricultural, older, and tribal populations.
Below are the recipients, award amounts, and program descriptions from today’s announcement:
|
Recipient |
Award |
Program Description |
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Steps to Recovery Homes |
$506,000 |
This Rural Development investment will be used to help Steps to Recovery, located in Cottonwood, Arizona, add telehealth to its menu of services provided to remote clients across the state. The expanded telehealth menu will be supported by upgrades to information technology, COVID testing, personal protection equipment, and program development. |
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Bisbee Hospital Association |
$831,470 |
This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase medical equipment and supplies to increase medical surge capacity during the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bisbee and Douglas, Arizona, and surrounding communities. |
|
|
Black Canyon Community Health Center Inc. |
$31,827 |
This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase equipment and make fiberoptic upgrades for telecommunications equipment. This will enable the health center to expand telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The health center serves rural patients in underserved communities in Yavapai and Maricopa counties. |
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Gila River Health Care Corp. |
$1,000,000 |
This Rural Development investment will be used to broaden access to COVID-19 testing and lab services for Gila River Health Care patients and employees on the Gila River Reservation. |
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|
White Mountain Communities Hospital Inc. |
$435,625 |
This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase medical devices and equipment. The new materials will enable the hospital to increase COVID-19 testing and vaccinations and increase bed capacity during COVID-19 surges. |
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|
Regional Center for Border Health Inc. |
$268,300 |
This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase five modular mobile units, equipment, supplies and furnishings, and add staffing to support COVID vaccines and testing for clients in the region of the Colorado River Indian Tribe. |
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|
Regional Center for Border Health Inc. |
$373,200 |
This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase equipment and provide training for a comprehensive, integrated primary and behavioral telehealth clinic for individuals being treated for COVID-19 in Yuma and La Paz counties. |
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Regional Center for Border Health Inc. |
$358,500 |
This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase two modular mobile units, equipment, supplies, and add staffing to provide COVID-19 testing, vaccines and primary care services to the medically underserved residents in Parker in La Paz County, Dateland in Yuma County, and in other outlying areas. |
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|
Community Hospital Association Inc. |
$397,500 |
This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase a mobile medical unit to provide COVID-19 testing and vaccines at community centers, businesses, fire stations and schools in and around Wickenburg, Arizona. |
|
|
Pinal Hispanic Council Inc. |
$40,000 |
This Rural Development investment will be used to expand telehealth mental health care services. The Council will purchase work stations and essential information technology equipment, and will retrofit conference rooms. The Council offers behavioral health services in Coolidge, Eloy and Douglas, Arizona. |
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|
Community Food Bank Inc. |
$54,000 |
This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase a 26- foot refrigerated truck to support the distribution and storage of food and commodities for the most vulnerable residents in the Bylas, Fort Thomas, San Carlos, and other smaller communities of the San Carlos Apache Reservation. |
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|
AJO Center for Sustainable Agriculture |
$875,838 |
This Rural Development investment will be used to help the community open a new food bank. The previous one closed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ajo Center for Sustainable Agriculture promotes and supports a sustainable local food system in Ajo, Arizona, and on the Tohono O’odham Nation. |
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Total: |
$5,172,260 |
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