July 16, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) via the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) has provided $398 million in funding to 1,540 small rural hospitals for COVID-19 testing and mitigation.
State Offices of Rural Health, which work with small rural hospitals to implement quality and operational improvement efforts, will receive the funding announced today to distribute to eligible small rural hospitals in their state.
Small rural hospitals —those with fewer than 50 beds and Critical Access Hospitals— will use the funds to maintain or increase COVID-19 testing, expand access to testing for rural residents, and tailor mitigation efforts to reflect the needs of local communities.
“The Biden Administration recognizes the important role that small rural hospitals have in closing the equity gap and ensuring that rural Americans can protect themselves and their communities from COVID-19,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Today’s funding will help small rural hospitals continue to serve their communities in this critical role by expanding their COVID-19 testing capacity and mitigation efforts.”