Georgia Department of Community Health Awards $9M in Grants to 10 Rural Hospitals

ATLANTA (July 25, 2022) – The Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) announced today grant awards totaling $9 million to 10 Georgia rural hospitals as part of its annual Rural Hospital Stabilization Grant program, currently in its seventh phase. Each hospital will receive $900,000 to support initiatives and services that strengthen access to quality care for Georgia’s underserved communities.

“From day one, my administration has worked to ensure Georgians have access to quality health care, regardless of their ZIP code,” says Governor Brian Kemp. “That’s one of the reasons why we’ve made investing in rural communities such a priority, and I applaud the Department of Community Health for its work strengthening hospitals in these areas. I look forward to seeing the impact these grants will have on the communities that depend on these providers to stay healthy.” 

The 2022 grant recipients are: Candler County Hospital (Metter, Ga.), Colquitt County Regional Medical Center (Moultrie, Ga.), Donalsonville Hospital (Donalsonville, Ga.), Elbert Memorial Hospital (Elberton, Ga.), Evans Memorial Hospital (Claxton, Ga.), Irwin County Hospital (Ocilla, Ga.), Jasper Memorial Hospital (Monticello, Ga.), Jefferson Hospital (Louisville, Ga.), Liberty Regional Hospital (Hinesville, Ga.), and Wills Memorial Hospital (Washington, Ga.).

“Our goal is to reduce the number of rural hospital closures that may be a result of financial stress,” says DCH Commissioner Caylee Noggle. “Through a formal request for grant application process, Georgia is demonstrating its commitment to rural regions working to close healthcare gaps, and to rural Georgians who are disproportionately affected by poor health outcomes, partially due to lack of access to care.” 

The Rural Hospital Stabilization Grant was established in 2014 to help address the unique challenges facing rural hospitals across the state. It is facilitated by DCH’s State Office of Rural Health (SORH), and has awarded more than $39 million in grant funding since the program’s inception.

“This program has become an integral part in stabilizing our rural hospitals and sustaining their viability,” says SORH Executive Director Stephen Register. “Through these and other critical resources, we are building the right partnerships and helping to strengthen Georgia’s healthcare programs to meet the complex needs of rural communities.”