MAINE RECEIVES $910,000 B00ST FOR NEW AND EXPANDED MENTAL HEALTH & REHABILITATION TREATMENT CENTERS
Farmington, Belfast, and Skowhegan Communities to Benefit
Washington, DC, November 12 -- The US Department of Agriculture's Rural Development mission area will loan $910,000 to three non-profit entities in rural Maine to construct, expand and refurbish mental health and rehabilitation treatment facilities, USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Jill Long Thompson announced today. USDA Rural Development administers a number of programs designed to strengthen rural economies and expand infrastructure in rural areas.
"USDA and the Clinton-Gore Administration are committed to providing rural residents with access to quality health care," Long Thompson said. "These loans represent the priority that this Administration places on providing all of its citizens, rural and urban, with access to health services. I am pleased that USDA can contribute in this manner."
"Mental illness is a disease that can strike anyone at anytime, regardless of where they live," stated Tipper Gore, Mental Health Policy Advisor to President Clinton. "Rural residents, just like their urban counterparts, deserve access to quality treatment and affordable care. USDA's Community Facility Program is a good example of how government can work with the private sector to provide a valuable service to the community."
The $910,000 will be dispersed to the following:
Mid-Coast Mental Health Association in Belfast will receive a $400,000 loan for the construction of a 7,000 square foot community health building. The center will provide services for individuals suffering from mental illness and substance abuse.The Crisis & Counseling Center, Inc. in Skowhegan will receive a $175,000 loan for the construction of a new community health center. The center will provide services for individuals suffering from mental illness and substance abuse.
Sandy River Rehabilitation Center, Inc. in Farmington will l receive a $335,000 loan to purchase, expand and refurbish an existing facility in Farmington. The center will provide health services to individuals with developmental disabilities.
"These loans will help provide needed services to the residents of Belfast, Skowhegan and Farmington," Maine Rural Development State Director Seth Bradstreet said. "USDA's Community Facilities program makes it possible for rural communities to provide basic services to its residents."
Through its Community Facilities Program, Rural Development's Rural Housing Service is striving to ensure that facilities - such as health care clinics, police and fire stations, schools and child care centers - are readily available to all rural Americans. The commitment of USDA to this effort is at the core of its mission and its promise to help build stronger, more vibrant rural communities across the nation.
Contact:
Clark Ray
(202) 720-5579
Maine Rural Development State Director Seth Bradstreet
(207) 990-9106