USDA awards MaineGeneral Group Care services in Augusta and Waterville $1 million to cowl pandemic losses

AUGUSTA — 4 Augusta and Waterville healthcare services will obtain a mixed $1 million in federal grant funding to assist offset pandemic losses and to proceed offering important companies.

The cash will go towards MaineGeneral Group Care’s Inexperienced Avenue and Enterprise Drive services in Augusta and its Hathaway Heart and Seton Heart places in Waterville. The group care facilities, a part of the broader MaineGeneral community, present myriad companies starting from specialised house care to behavioral well being and substance use dysfunction companies to hospice care.

The U.S. Division of Agriculture awarded the funding earlier this month via its Emergency Rural Health Care Grants program, a part of the American Rescue Plan Act.

9 Maine organizations obtained a complete of $3.49 million in grant funding, and $74 million was awarded general to teams in 37 states, Guam and Puerto Rico.

“Whether or not it’s a cold-storage area to attach neighbors with wholesome, regionally grown meals, or a well being heart alongside our farthest northern border — these {dollars} signify hope,” stated USDA Rural Improvement Maine State Director Rhiannon Hampson in an Aug. 11 information launch.

Of the 9 Maine organizations receiving funding, MaineGeneral obtained the most important portion. Sebasticook Household Medical doctors in Palmyra additionally obtained a $1 million grant to construct a brand new well being care and wellness facility.

MaineGeneral spokesperson Pleasure McKenna stated Wednesday that, altogether, MaineGeneral Group Care misplaced greater than $3.7 million on account of diminished income and elevated working prices through the first 15 months of the pandemic.

“The pandemic has had a big impression on well being care and the traditional operations of well being care,” she stated. “Moreover, the pandemic has created an elevated demand for house care, hospice, behavioral well being and substance use companies. Grants have helped us keep sustainable throughout this lengthy pandemic, and these funds particularly will assist be sure that these beneficial companies can be found to our group.”

McKenna stated the grant will help with all companies that fall beneath MaineGeneral Group Care, and that it’s going to largely help the staffing wanted to fulfill the elevated demand for these companies in the neighborhood. She stated the grant will assist help “new medical workers resembling nurses, nurse practitioners, social staff and residential well being aides, amongst others.”

As somebody who grew up in rural Maine, Hampson stated the USDA is making an attempt to be the most effective steward of public {dollars} that it may well and that via investing in rural well being care areas the company can present individuals the direct good thing about well being care entry.

“We’re recovering from the pandemic, however we additionally acknowledge that which means various things for various individuals,” she stated. “For some individuals, that’s a very lengthy sport, and for some, issues won’t ever be the identical once more. And for different individuals, they’re simply anxious about what occurs when it occurs once more, and it’ll. We all know that now. So, we’re actually making an attempt to create resiliency.”

« Previous

Next »