White House pumps money into rural health jobs
President Barack Obama announced new job initiatives recommended by the White House Rural Council for growing the economy and creating jobs in rural America this week at the White House Rural Economic Forum.
The Council’s recommendations focus on areas of need in rural communities, including helping rural small businesses access capital and increasing rural access to healthcare workers and technology.
The Council’s recommendations, which leverage existing programs and funding, include $350 million in U.S. Small Business Administration funding to rural small businesses over the next five years, launching a series of conferences to connect private equity and venture capital investors with rural start-ups and creating capital marketing teams to pitch federal funding opportunities for private investors interested in making investments in rural communities.
Additionally, the Department of Health and Human and Services (HHS) will expand eligibility for the National Health Service Corps loan repayment program so that critical access hospitals (CAHs) can use these loans to recruit new physicians.
“This program will help more than 1,300 CAHs across the country recruit needed staff. The addition of one primary care physician in a rural community generates approximately $1.5 million in annual revenue and creates 23 jobs annually,” the White House statement said.
The Council’s recommendations focus on areas of need in rural communities, including helping rural small businesses access capital and increasing rural access to healthcare workers and technology.
The Council’s recommendations, which leverage existing programs and funding, include $350 million in U.S. Small Business Administration funding to rural small businesses over the next five years, launching a series of conferences to connect private equity and venture capital investors with rural start-ups and creating capital marketing teams to pitch federal funding opportunities for private investors interested in making investments in rural communities.
Additionally, the Department of Health and Human and Services (HHS) will expand eligibility for the National Health Service Corps loan repayment program so that critical access hospitals (CAHs) can use these loans to recruit new physicians.
“This program will help more than 1,300 CAHs across the country recruit needed staff. The addition of one primary care physician in a rural community generates approximately $1.5 million in annual revenue and creates 23 jobs annually,” the White House statement said.