USDA LOANS OVER $1 MILLION TO CONFEDERATED TRIBES FOR HEALTH CLINIC BUILDING REHAB
Check Presented to Tribal Representatives
COOS BAY, Ore., January 13, 1998 -- USDA Rural Development's Oregon State Director Scott Duff today presented a ceremonial check in the amount of $1,077,130 to representatives of the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians for a loan USDA Rural Development is making to the Confederated Tribes to convert the old Elks Club building at (address) into a new, state-of-the-art tribal health clinic and administration building.
"This loan should help considerably with some of the problems the Confederated Tribes were having with the current system," USDA's Under Secretary Jill Long Thompson commented on the project. "The money reflects the Clinton/Gore Administration's commitment to providing quality health care to all Americans, urban and rural."
"This is a major event for the future of the tribe and it will consolidate our health services and all our administrative services in one building," Tribal Finance Director Regina Gregory said. The tribe currently provides services from three separate sites within Coos Bay that are at maximum capacity, Gregory said. The building will become a "one stop" service area for tribal members.
In addition to consolidating health care services, the loan will help convert large, open spaces in the new building into private offices, and bring the building into compliance with state and Federal regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. The money will also be used to provide new roofing materials and new paint for the exterior of the building. The funds are being made available by the Administration's Pacific Northwest Economic Adjustment Initiative, which was designed to assist timber-affected communities in the Northwest.
"Rural Development is happy to be able to help with this project as part of the work we're doing in the Northwest," said Oregon Rural Development State Director Duff. "Projects of this nature contribute not only to the health and well-being of individuals, but to the continued wellness of the entire community."
Additional financing for the project will be provided by the Indian Health Service.
Rural Development Community Facility loans and grants provide health care clinics, police and fire stations and schools and child care centers to rural communities of 50,000 or less throughout the country. 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:
USDA Rural Development Oregon State Director Scott Duff
503-414-3300