USDA makes investment to improve health care in rural Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Thursday that it is awarding over one million dollars in grants to further improve health care facilities in Wisconsin.

The $1.5 million in grants was made available from funds from the Emergency Rural Health Care Grants Program.

The USDA Rural Development promotes a healthy community and environment through the grants they distribute to ensure people, kids and families have access to necessary health care. These grants specifically support health care for people and places that often lack access.

“This type of investment strengthens our rural health care infrastructure and is vital to the health and well-being of people living in small communities across our state,” USDA Rural Development State Director for Wisconsin Julie Lassa said.

The investments will help rural health care providers implement telehealth and nutrition assistance programs, increase staffing to administer COVID-19 vaccines and tests, build or upgrade facilities and purchase medical supplies.

One million dollars of the grant money for Wisconsin will be used in Lafayette County to purchase equipment for a new critical access hospital to be built in Darlington. The new building will be on a 36-acre lot and will be designed to meet the community’s current and future needs.

The other $581,824 will go to Burnett Medical Center, Inc. to help implement an electronic record keeping system in their facilities.