The Rural Development branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture is proudly funding three Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) projects in Pennsylvania.

These projects will help connect rural communities with medical and educational experts in other parts of the country, increasing access to health care and advanced educational opportunities.

“Distance Learning and Telemedicine projects are essential to rural Pennsylvania,” said Pennsylvania State Director Tom Williams. “These projects provide two vital benefits to rural communities throughout the state - medical treatment and education. By expanding the reach of these elements of health care, we are helping to strengthen the quality of life for rural Pennsylvanians.”

On June 30, (Department of) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack hosted a town hall meeting in Abingdon, Va., and while there, he announced funding for five DLT projects in rural Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia.

In total, USDA Rural Development will provide $23.4 million in grants for 81 Distance Learning and Telemedicine projects in 32 states.

In Pennsylvania, three projects have been funded through this effort.

The Titusville Area School District was awarded a $421,925 grant to establish a distance learning network, connecting instructors at Edinboro University to students in 11 rural K-12 schools in northwest Pennsylvania as well as the cultural center on the Catawba Indian Reservation in South Carolina.

All participants will be able to share teacher resources in their schools and across school district lines.

A major cause of death in some rural communities is heart disease, stroke and other chronic diseases.

Universal Health Services Inc., a hospital management company based out of King of Prussia, was awarded $430,939 for teleconferencing equipment enabling their specialists to provide rural clinics with remote cardiology and health care to patients in rural communities across the country.

The Butler Memorial Hospital in western Pennsylvania was awarded $137,755 to purchase telemedicine equipment.

This project will empower Butler Health System’s Crossroads Campus and Butler Memorial Hospital with the ability to extend specialty services to rural primary care providers and in-clinic pharmacies and to Warren County prison.

USDA Rural Development has provided $213 million for 634 DLT projects in rural areas nationwide since 2009.

USDA’s Rural Utilities Service, which administers the DLT program, also offers infrastructure programs that bring broadband, safe drinking water and improved wastewater treatment facilities to rural communities.

Last year Rural Development in Pennsylvania invested $74,126,800 through 14 water and environmental loan and grant projects throughout the state.

These projects ensure that all communities in Pennsylvania have access to safe drinking water and sanitary waste disposal.

For a full list of water and environmental programs, visit the Rural Development website at rd.usda.gov/pa.

Since 2009, USDA Rural Development has helped bring high-speed Internet access to nearly six million rural residents and businesses; invested $31.3 billion in 963 electric projects that have financed more than 185,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines serving 4.6 million rural residents; helped 1.1 million rural residents buy homes; and funded nearly 7,000 community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care facilities.

USDA also has invested $11 billion to start or expand 103,000 rural businesses.

For more information, visit usda.gov/results.

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Editor’s note: Dan Shields is the state technician/public affairs representative for Rural Development with the United States Department of Agriculture.