USDA Invests more than $20M in health care in rural Montana

U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development in Montana is touting $20 million in investments it has made to improve rural health care in the state, with more than half of that here in this part of north-central Montana and another providing services in this region.

Rural Development State Director Kathleen Williams announced in a release last week a total of $20 million in recent investments in 11 public organizations, non-profits, and rural health care facilities in Montana through the Emergency Rural Health Care grant program over the last two years.

The funding was designed to ease economic strain brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and generate long-term health care sustainability in rural and Tribal communities, the release said.

“These funds provided direct relief to several critical care sites across Montana, enabling them to address challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and more,” Williams said in the release. “Every Montanan deserves quality health care no matter where they live, and this funding not only provided immediate relief, but also helped rural health care facilities’ progress toward long-term sustainability.”

USDA awarded $129 million nationwide in Emergency Rural Health Care grants from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to improve health care facilities in rural and Tribal communities. These grants generated access to COVID-19 testing and vaccines, sustained rural health care services, and provided food assistance through food banks and food distribution facilities.

Available from early 2021 through 2022, this funding was a lifeline to rural Montanans, the Rural Development release said, and was distributed to eligible applicants through two available tracks:

• Track One: Recovery grants provided immediate relief to address economic conditions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Track Two: Impact grants to advance ideas and solutions focused on solving regional rural health care issues and advancing long-term sustainability of rural health.

Among the investments were Bear Paw Development Corp. receiving a $10,000,000 grant for a wellness center on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. The facility will increase access to health care services, help recruit and retain providers and professionals, integrate traditional, cultural beliefs and resources, and offer overall healing and wellness services to members of the community.

A press release last year said the Anaakyaaniiin Wellness Center will use an integrated health care model and incorporate primary care, substance abuse services, behavioral health services, physical therapy and diabetes treatment with traditional cultural beliefs and healing practices of the Aaniiih and Nakoda peoples on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation.

The program will provide equitable, high-quality health care services to Fort Belknap and other area residents, the release said.

Plans include a recreation center, fitness facility, medical wing and nutrition room/community kitchen. The center will provide essential services to keep Fort Belknap and area residents healthy and serve as a gathering place for healthy activities, the release said. Additionally, the center will offer extensive telehealth opportunities to connect especially youth and veterans with caregivers.

In the release last year, Fort Belknap Indian Community Council President Jeffrey Stiffarm said the facility will provide high-quality health care to tribal members who often have had limited or no access to services like the center will provide, and build a state-of-the-art health care facility in Hays.

Rural Development also highlighted a grant to the Chippewa Cree Tribe on Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation. The tribe received $164,062 Track 1 grant to develop mobile delivery capability for the Rocky Boy Reservation food bank, which serves more than 3,300 Hill County residents eligible for assistance.

And a grant to a Hardin facility will allow it to offer telehealth services at satellite sites including in Blaine County.

Big Horn Valley Health Center received two grants — Tracks 1 and 2 — totaling $6,345,583 to renovate an historic building in Miles City that will offer health care resources to rural residents. The building will include a pharmacy, dental clinic, public meeting space, clinical training program, Custer County Public Health Department integration and space for support and administrative personnel.

A USDA release last year says satellite sites will be set up to receive telehealth services from the Miles City hub, in Chinook and Harlem as well as the Crow Agency, Hardin, Lame Deer, Lewistown, Lodge Grass, Wibaux and Wyola.

Other Montana recipients included:

Big Horn Hospital Association in Hardin, Montana, received a $596,812 Track 1 grant to implement a new electronic health record and associated software to interface with Billings Clinic facilities. This seamless transition of records and information will result in integrated record keeping and promote patient portal use for rural populations, including in Blaine County.

Community Hospital of Anaconda in Anaconda, received a $116,300 Track 1 grant to purchase IT infrastructure that will enhance telehealth services for this critical access hospital in Deer Lodge County, enabling providers to access patients and provide care in medically underserved rural areas.

Granite County Hospital in Philipsburg received a $79,000 Track 1 grant to purchase hospital equipment that will increase its capacity to distribute vaccines and provide additional health care services to residents in remote, rural areas of the county.

Marias Health Care Services, Inc., in Shelby received a $1,000,000 Track 1 grant and a $7.6 million Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan to renovate a vacant big-box store and consolidate multiple health care services under one roof, resulting in enhanced delivery of care to more than 5,800 patients in a four-county area in north-central Montana.

Powder River County in Broadus received a $122,500 Track 1 grant to purchase two ambulances and related first responder equipment for the county. The ambulances and equipment will improve the county’s ability to deliver emergency services to more than 2,000 rural residents.

Prairie County Hospital District in Terry received two Track 1 grants totaling $621,965 to increase capacity to deliver patient care services and improve its emergency department. This county-owned critical access hospital is a certified trauma receiving facility that fills a critical need for residents in this rural community.

Valley View Home in Glasgow received a $232,728 Track 1 grant to ensure it was able to maintain 30-day stock of durable medical items and other critical supplies such as personal protective equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic. Because of its remote location, supply chain issues challenged this 96-bed skilled nursing facility that provides care for nearly 100 senior residents from multiple northeastern Montana counties.

Wheatland Memorial Health Care in Harlowton received a $1,000,000 grant as part of multiple USDA funding sources to build a new, $20 million modernized 38,000 square foot critical access hospital and integrated rural health clinic to meet the needs of more than 2,600 residents. The new facility will feature upgraded electrical and ventilation systems, new furniture and fixtures, and state-of-the-art medical equipment so it can continue delivering quality, accessible health care to residents of the rural Montana community.