USDA www.usda.gov announced that the Community Facilities program www.rd.usda.gov has made a $54.6 million loan to the Fulton County Health Center in Wauseon, Ohio www.fultoncountyhealthcenter.org. The funds will be used to renovate a critical access hospital that also offers treatment for substance misuse disorders.
The Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. Low interest direct loans, grants, a combination of loans and grants, as well as their loan guarantee program are available. Funds may be used to purchase equipment, to build, improve essential community facilities, and to pay related project expenses.
Essential community facilities can include hospitals, medical clinics, dental clinics, nursing homes, or assisted living facilities. Also, funds and loans can provide for utility services that can include telemedicine or distance learning equipment
The USDA loan to the Fulton County Health Center is also going to help construct a 62,220 square-feet medical office building, which will help to attract additional medical specialists to the area. About 80 new jobs are anticipated as a result.
When complete, the hospital and new medical office building will have the staff and equipment to deliver quality medical services including treatments for patients who have opioid and other substance use disorders.
The surrounding region on Ohio’s northern border also stands to benefit from the Fulton County Health Center’s loan since the center is the only medical provider in the area. From 2009 to 2015, USDA has invested more than $36.9 million in Ohio including more than $5.1 billion to support a number of projects that include loans for telecommunications, broadband, and other critical infrastructure.
Go to www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/community-facilities-direct-loan-grant-program for more information on the Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program.