Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.25 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to the city of Fairview, Oklahoma, to assist in the expansion of the outpatient therapy department of Fairview Regional Medical Center. This EDA grant, to be matched with $336,199 in local investment, is expected to create 20 jobs.
“President Biden has dedicated his Administration to ensuring that the nation recovers and grows back stronger from the coronavirus pandemic and that all Americans have access to the quality, affordable health care they deserve,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This EDA investment in the city of Fairview will result in a new Outpatient Therapy Sports Performance Rehabilitation Center building at Fairview Regional Medical Center that will provide these health services in the wake of increased health care demand and enhanced safety protocols.”
“The Economic Development Administration plays an important role in helping communities across the nation implement economic development strategies to mitigate economic hardships brought on by the coronavirus pandemic,” said Dennis Alvord, Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “This EDA grant will allow Fairview Regional Medical Center to construct a new facility to house its outpatient therapy department so that it can continue to safely offer rehabilitation services including physical therapy, cardiac rehab, and speech therapy to the region.”
“I am glad to see the EDA is awarding a $1.25 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to Fairview to support rural health care by expanding the outpatient therapy department of Fairview Regional Medical Center (FRMC),” said Senator Jim Inhofe. “These targeted funds, provided through bipartisan legislation we enacted last year, will help FRMC continue to provide critical therapy services to Northwest Oklahoma as we recover from the pandemic.”
“Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, health care workers across Oklahoma have dedicated their lives for the health and safety of our communities,” said Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03). “In the wake of COVID-19 and enhanced safety protocols, these CARES Act funds will ensure that the Fairview Regional Medical Center can continue to safely serve its patients and families while expanding its rehabilitation services. I congratulate the local leaders of Fairview, Oklahoma and the Northern Oklahoma Development Authority on their efforts and thank them for their tireless advocacy on behalf of their follow Oklahomans. I thank the EDA for their continued commitment in investing in Oklahoma’s local communities.”
This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Northern Oklahoma Development Authority, which EDA funds to help bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment, and create jobs.
This project is funded under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Public Law 116-136 PDF), which provided EDA with $1.5 billion for economic assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance, which is being administered under the authority of the bureau’s flexible Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) (PDF) program, provides a wide-range of financial assistance to eligible communities and regions as they respond to and recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation’s regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.