COLUMBIA, S.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has granted South Carolina just over $1.5 million total for five projects aimed at improving health care facilities in rural areas.
South Carolina's portion is part of $74 million available nationwide through the Emergency Rural Health Care Grants Program, according to USDA Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small.
The projects receiving funds in South Carolina are:
- In Barnwell County, South Carolina, The Family Y, YMCA/YWCO of CSRA Inc. received $44,000 to support food insecurity of individuals living in rural South Carolina due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds will be used to purchase food, a van for transporting the food, and it will allow hiring of additional personnel.
- Hampton Regional Medical Center: $767,500 to upgrade the hospital's information system to a robust and fully-integrated electronic medical record system, which will provide a complete health information system to enable enhanced medical care to the patients receiving care. Hampton Regional Medical Center anticipates linking its system to the Medical University of South Carolina to provide a more comprehensive manner of providing care from their affiliate hospital.
- McLeod Regional Medical Center of the Pee Dee: $297,700 to purchase equipment that will provide immediate relief to address the economic conditions arising from the COVID19 pandemic. This project will increase the medical surge capacities of these rural clinics and will help ensure that medical staff can provide the residents of Chesterfield, Dillon, Horry, and Clarendon counties access to potentially life-saving equipment in the fight against the virus and other serious health concerns.
- Palmetto Care Connections: $282,102 to purchase video collaboration software to establish and grow its telehealth presence in rural communities. This software improvement will enable Palmetto Care Connections to connect to many healthcare organizations for specialized care, additional primary care needs, public health information including COVID-19, and to coordinate care with extremely rural residents who may otherwise not have access to healthcare in a timely manner.
- Performing Arts & Science Academy: $158,800 to expand their existing food service distribution in rural Marion County. Performing Arts and Science Academy (PASA) is a sponsor for Summer Food Service Program and Child Adult Care Food Program. PASA has partnered with these agencies to improve, develop, and maintain healthy eating habits. This project will help PASA to continue to expand the food service program so they can provide nutritional food during this ongoing pandemic which has been proven to be a greater need.