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1991.10.10 :  Grants -- Rural Health Outreach

Contact:  Sue Bernstein (301) 443-0835
October 10, 1991

       HHS Secretary Louis W. Sullivan, M.D., today announced 100
recipients for an $18.3 million Rural Health Outreach Grant Program,
a new initiative to close severe health care gaps in rural America.
       Under the program, private nonprofit or public health care
organizations will use federal funds to demonstrate new ways to reach
rural residents whose health needs have gone unmet under other, more
specified federal programs. 
       "More than 1,400 rural communities throughout virtually every
state of the nation face severe shortages of health professionals and
services," said Secretary Sullivan in announcing the awards.  
       "There are pregnant mothers who don't have an obstetrician,
elderly residents without transportation, and children who are missing
vaccinations -- the needs are diverse," said Secretary Sullivan.  
       The department estimates it would require 2,000 physicians, in
addition to nurse practitioners, psychologists and other health
professionals to meet the basic needs of such communities. 
       To better span the variety of needs in the absence of more
available health care, the program requires that grantees form a
consortium of at least three participants.  

     "With this money, hospitals, primary care centers, local health
departments and other health organizations will be able to reach
larger numbers of rural Americans," said Dr. Robert G. Harmon,
administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration,
which will oversee the grants.    
       "Some providers will offer transportation to clinics, others
will reach out with mobile health care vans, and still others will
beam emergency medical training classes for paramedics via satellite,"
he said.            
       The competitive grant program drew 500 applicants from 46
states and two territories.  The one-year grants average $180,000 and
are awarded to one entity in each of the proposed consortia.  

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NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS:  The names of the recipient organizations and
their locations are available upon request.