(The Center Square) — The Georgia Department of Community Health has awarded $9 million in Rural Hospital Stabilization Grants to 10 rural Georgia hospitals.
The hospitals will each receive $900,000 to support initiatives strengthening underserved communities’ access to care.
The Rural Hospital Stabilization Grant, established in 2014, ostensibly helps address the challenges rural hospitals across The Peach State face. DCH’s State Office of Rural Health, which facilitates the initiative, has awarded more than $39 million in grants since the program’s inception.
“Our goal is to reduce the number of rural hospital closures that may be a result of financial stress,” DCH Commissioner Caylee Noggle said in an announcement. “Through a formal request for grant application process, Georgia is demonstrating its commitment to rural regions working to close healthcare gaps, and to rural Georgians who are disproportionately affected by poor health outcomes, partially due to lack of access to care.”
Hospitals receiving grants are Candler County Hospital in Metter, Colquitt County Regional Medical Center in Moultrie, Donalsonville Hospital in Donalsonville, Elbert Memorial Hospital in Elberton, Evans Memorial Hospital in Claxton, Irwin County Hospital in Ocilla, Jasper Memorial Hospital in Monticello, Jefferson Hospital in Louisville, Liberty Regional Hospital in Hinesville and Wills Memorial Hospital in Washington.
“Rural hospitals across Georgia each face unique challenges which demand a timely and effective response in order to ensure all Georgians, regardless of where they live, have access to quality healthcare,” state Sen. Max Burns, R-Sylvania, said in an announcement.
Separately, on Monday, Gov. Brian Kemp announced $800,000 for a Certified Nursing Assistant Pilot Program. The Governors Emergency Education Relief Program funds the program and helps students negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic receive an education while pursuing their careers.
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