Vermont Senator Peter Welch has announced grants to help two rural hospitals in the state’s Northeast Kingdom.
During a roundtable discussion in St. Johnsbury on rural health care challenges Friday, the first-term Democrat and representatives from the USDA’s office of Rural Development announced $28.4 million in USDA grants for Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital and Copley Hospital.
The money from the USDA’s Community Facilities Direct Loans and Emergency Rural Health Care grant program will be used to expand capacity, modernize facilities, and improve health care access.
It’s expected that the federal grants will save about 400 jobs.