ARH Advanced Care Receives $1.5 Million Grant from Appalachian Regional Commission’s POWER Initiative
March 18, 2022 – The ARH Advanced Care long-term acute care hospitals is set to open in Pike and Perry counties have been awarded a $1.5 million grant by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to help purchase equipment needed for hospitals that are specifically designed for patients with medical conditions requiring highly specialized care for more than 25 days.
This award is part of a recently announced $21 million package supporting 21 projects serving 211 coal-impacted counties through ARC’s POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative. POWER targets federal resources to communities affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations, and coal-related supply chain industries.
“I commend the ARH Advanced Care board for innovating and collaborating to grow opportunities for people in their own community and neighboring communities,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “Partners like ARH Advanced Care are integral to making our POWER projects come to life, and I look forward to seeing the ways our Appalachian Region continues to grow, thanks to the impact of their work.”
The ARH Advanced Care locations will bring a much-needed service to eastern Kentucky that patients currently must be transported to other areas of the state to receive. These distant facilities place patients much farther away from their support network of family members, friends, and their familiar healthcare provider.
“The services the ARH Advanced Care hospitals will provide will have a major impact on the health and healing of many of the area’s most acutely ill patients,” said Russ Barker, ARH Advanced Care President and CEO. “We greatly appreciate the funds awarded by the ARC as we work to provide the technology and equipment needed to give these patients the best possible dedicated, long-term care.”
Since POWER launched in 2015, ARC has invested nearly $316.6 million in 393 projects across 358 coal-impacted counties. The nearly $73 million awarded in 2021 is projected to create/retain over 10,383 jobs and attract nearly $527.3 million in leveraged private investments.
The $13 million ARH Advanced Care hospital project calls for space on the Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center campus to be converted into a 25-bed, nearly 16,000-square-foot Long-Term Acute Care Hospital that will operate as ARH Advanced Care – Kentucky River. An 11,000 square foot, 25-bed ARH Advanced Care – Big Sandy hospital will be located at Tug Valley ARH Regional Medical Center in South Williamson.