Extreme heat prompts City of Topeka to take action with cooling shelters
25 July 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Federal agriculture officials say access to health care will be expanding for more than 100,000 living in rural Kansas.
Allen Picket with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in a press release that two grants totaling more than $780,000 will give rural Kansans greater access to healthcare. It is estimated that more than 110,000 rural Kansas will be impacted by this. The two grants include:
$759,600 to help purchase upgrades to the electronic health records system, data sharing and other connected health care information systems at the Labette County Medical Center. After the upgrades are complete, the facility will be prepared for future pandemics and enhance the quality of life for future customers.
$30,100 to help establish an on-campus health care center at Independence Community College. The center will partner up with Labette Health to staff and provide medical aid to students, staff and faculty on-site and through telehealth services.
“USDA is committed to ensuring rural Americans have access to reliable quality health care,” USDA Director for Kansas Rural Development Christy Davis said. “The Emergency Rural Health Care Grants being announced today will provide the infrastructure needed to improve the health in our rural communities.”
Picket said this comes as $129 million in Emergency Rural Health Care Grants are doled out nationwide to help improve health care facilities in 38 states along with Puerto Rico. You can learn more about the grant program by clicking here.