CLARKSDALE, MS - Delta Regional Authority (DRA) today announced 11 additional healthcare facilities have been chosen to participate in the Delta Region Community Health Systems Development – Technical Assistance Program (DRCHSD), which enhances healthcare delivery in the Delta and Alabama Black Belt regions through intensive, in-depth and long-term technical assistance to rural hospitals and medical facilities.
In 2017, DRA partnered with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish the DRCHSD program. The technical assistance, provided by subject matter experts at the National Rural Health Resource Center, supports capacity building for quality improvement, telehealth, and integration of social services to help healthcare facilities increase financial viability and operational efficiency.
“Access to quality, affordable healthcare continues to be a pressing issue throughout our rural communities,” said DRA Federal Co-Chairman Dr. Corey Wiggins. “The Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Technical Assistance Program addresses these issues by providing hands-on support to Delta hospitals so they can meet the needs of the communities they serve.”
“We’re pleased to welcome these eleven healthcare organizations, representing a diverse mix of rural hospitals, community health centers and Rural Health Clinics, to our 6th cohort of the Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program,” said Tom Morris, HRSA’s Associate Administrator for Rural Health Policy. “These facilities will get intensive technical assistance and support to build on their successes so they can continue to provide essential health services in their rural communities."
The following 11 healthcare facilities were selected for the DRCHSD Cohort 2021.
Alabama:
Washington County Hospital & Nursing Home | Chatom, Alabama
Washington County Hospital & Nursing Home is a 25-bed, critical access hospital that serves Washington County.
Arkansas:
Bradley County Medical Center | Warren, Arkansas
Bradley County Medical Center is a 25-bed, critical access hospital that serves Bradley County.
Cross Ridge Community Hospital | Wynne, Arkansas
Cross Ridge Community Hospital is a 15-bed, critical access hospital that serves Cross County.
Five Rivers Medical Center | Pocahontas, Arkansas
Five Rivers Medical Center is a 50-bed, prospective payment system hospital that serves Randolph County and surrounding areas.
Lawrence Memorial Health Foundation, Inc. | Walnut Ridge, Arkansas
Lawrence Memorial Health Foundation, Inc. is a 25-bed, critical access hospital that serves Lawrence County.
Mainline Health Systems | Dermott, Arkansas
Mainline Health Systems is a federally qualified health center that serves Chicot County and surrounding areas.
Ouachita County Medical Center | Camden, Arkansas
Ouachita County Medical Center is an 82-bed, prospective payment system hospital that serves Ouachita County.
Illinois:
Community Health & Emergency Services, Inc. | Cairo, Illinois
Community Health & Emergency Services, Inc. is a federally qualified health center that serves Alexander County.
Louisiana:
Family Healthcare and Wellness Center | Hammond, Louisiana
Family Healthcare and Wellness Center is a rural health clinic that serves Tangipahoa Parish.
Hood Memorial Hospital | Amite, Louisiana
Hood Memorial Hospital is a 25-bed, critical access hospital that serves Tangipahoa Parish.
Oakdale Community Hospital | Oakdale, Louisiana
Oakdale Community Hospital is a 49-bed, prospective payment system hospital that serves Allen Parish.
About the Delta Regional Authority
DRA was established in 2000 as a formal framework for joint Federal-State collaboration to promote and encourage the economic development of the lower Mississippi River region and Alabama Black Belt. DRA invests in projects supporting transportation infrastructure, basic public infrastructure, workforce training, and business development. DRA’s mission is to help create jobs, build communities, and improve the lives of those who reside in the 252 counties and parishes of the eight-state region.