News Release

Contact: Kevin Herglotz, (202) 720-4623
Claiborne Crain, (202) 720-1255

USDA AWARDS $11.4 MILLION IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS FOR EDUCATION AND MEDICAL SERVICE

     WASHINGTON, September 28, 2001--The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the selection of 45 Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) grants totaling $11.4 million, providing greater educational opportunities and medical service to rural citizens in 26 states.

     "The grants announced today underscore our commitment at USDA to work with communities to develop and improve access to rural health care and education," said Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman.

     In total, 22 distance education grants ($5.1 million), and 23 telemedicine grants ($6.3 million) were selected for funding. The education projects will help 306 schools provide 152,678 students with educational tools to better equip them for the global digital economy. An estimated two million rural residents will have access to better, faster, and more modern health care by more than 100 medical service providers participating in these projects.

     In Colinga, California, West Hills Community College District (WHCCD) will use the USDA funds to assist with the purchase and installation of start-up equipment to transmit and receive instructional course work among the three central California campus sites of WHCCD. The new technology will increase the availability of degree courses, such as education and allied health, for certification and graduation of underemployed residents.

     In Tennessee, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (The Delta Telehealth Project) will use the USDA funds to support a network of teleconferencing and telemedicine connections benefiting health care providers in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi. Through The Delta Telehealth Project and the LeBonheur Children's Medical Center, health care providers will have greater access to a wide range of specialty services such as; pediatrics, psychiatry, radiology, dermatology, pulmonology, infectious disease, and cardiology. Over 500,000 rural residents will have increased access to much needed medical services.

     The following is a complete list of approved project dollars by state. A complete list of the selected grant recipients can be found at the USDA Rural Development web site at: http://www.usda.gov/rus/telcom/dlt/awards.htm.

     USDA's Rural Utilities Service administers the Distance Learning and Telemedicine program. USDA Rural Development serves as the lead federal entity for rural development needs, and administers program assistance through three agencies: Rural Housing Service, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and Rural Utilities Service. Further information on USDA Rural Development can be obtained by contacting any USDA Service Center or by visiting USDA's web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov.

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