USDA funds telemedicine projects in Hamilton, Marion and Polk Counties

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WDEF) – Tennessee’s USDA Rural Development Director announced funding for five Distance Learning and Telemedicine projects in Tennessee.

The telemedicine projects help connect rural communities with medical and educational experts in other parts of the country. Officials say that increases access to health care, substance misuse treatment and advanced educational opportunities.

The following recipients and their respective counties were selected to receive funding for telemedicine projects:
• Chattanooga Hamilton County Hospital Authority – Hamilton County
• Tennessee Rural Education Association (receiving two grants) – Polk and Marion Counties

Some of the awards will help communities provide services to address opioid misuse. That’s a problem officials say is especially prevalent in rural areas.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is leading an interagency effort to address the rural opioid crisis. Vilsack recently hosted a town hall meeting to address how the crisis is affecting rural America and parts of Appalachia. At the same time, he announced funding for five Distance Learning and Telemedicine projects in rural Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia to respond to the issue.

If you’d like to learn more about USDA Rural Development programs available in Tennessee, click here.

USDA Rural Development has provided $213 million for 634 DLT projects in rural areas nationwide since 2009. USDA’s Rural Utilities Service, which administers the DLT program, also offers infrastructure programs that bring broadband, safe drinking water and improved wastewater treatment facilities to rural communities.