Funds help health care for rural families

1.08.2008-

Imagine a rural America without schools, hospitals, nursing homes and fire and rescue services.
USDA Rural Development — through its employees, programs and partner organizations — is dedicated to providing these community services to farm families and rural communities by working with local leaders to ensure access to quality health care, education and public safety.
Rural community hospitals, nursing homes and health care providers not only contribute to an improved quality of life for rural residents, but are also important sources of employment.
Last year, USDA Rural Development provided $253 million nationally in loans and grants to help improve or replace rural health care facilities.
We are pleased that $10 million of that funding was returned to the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland.
Just last month, we were honored to visit and announce our support for the construction of the Alice Byrd Tawes Nursing Home located in Crisfield, Md.
The project is being funded through two USDA Rural Development loan programs.
The McCready Foundation Inc. is receiving $6 million, through the community facilities direct loan program, and the Bank of Delmarva is providing $4 million with the support of Rural Development’s community facilities guaranteed loan program.
The Alice Byrd Tawes Nursing Home opened nearly 40 years ago with the capability of housing 69 patients serving Crisfield and surrounding areas.
It provides skilled nursing care and skilled rehabilitation care for Medicare, Medicaid and private pay patients.
It is a non-profit nursing home that is collocated with the McCready Memorial Hospital.
The nursing home no longer meets state guidelines for number of nurses’ stations and for resident bathing and toileting facilities.
When reconstructed, the nursing home will be a 76-bed, modern, up-to-date skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility.
An added feature will include a 30-bed, assisted living center, the first in Somerset County.
Our programs and services are not new to the Crisfield area.
In the late 1970s, our agency provided similar funding to help renovate McCready Memorial Hospital.
In the many years that have passed, the quality of life in rural America has dramatically improved due in large part to the ongoing efforts by USDA.
In the Depression era, we were focused on bringing electricity to farms.
Today’s programs are focused on health care, first responders, energy projects, value-added agriculture, broadband, infrastructure improvements and affordable housing.
To learn more about the loan and grant programs that are available through USDA Rural Development, visit our Web site at www.rurdev.usda.gov or call the state office for Delaware and Maryland at 302-857-3580.