ICYMI: Congressman Taylor Secures Funding to Expand Rural Health Services
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Dave Taylor (OH-02) applauded two of his community project funding requests passing in the recent government funding package, H.R. 5371, which passed the House of Representatives on November 12th. The funding was included in the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies section of the bill.
“I’m pleased to announce the return of nearly $2 million of taxpayer dollars to southern Ohio, delivered directly through the passage of two of my Fiscal Year 2026 Community Project Funding requests," said Congressman Taylor. “In regions like ours in rural Appalachia, Ohioans are forced to travel long distances in order to receive the care they need. These federal dollars will help bridge the gap in healthcare accessibility for the most rural Americans so that no one is left without sufficient care.”
“We’re incredibly grateful for Congressman Taylor’s leadership in securing this critical investment for rural health care,” said Kathi Edrington, Adena Health president and CEO. “This funding will help us expand Adena’s internal EMS fleet, which reduces wait times for patients needing transport, improves operational efficiency for staff, and increases the availability of rooms for our patients and their families. It’s a win for everyone we serve across south central and southern Ohio.”
"Holzer is absolutely thrilled to be included as a recipient of funding from the federal government for updating our infrastructure to allow us to consolidate our health system laboratory operations. The consolidation also allows for a domino effect of space utilization, thus enhancing our ability to better serve our patients in behavioral health,” said Holzer Health System CEO Dr. Rodney Stout. “Without this funding, Holzer has routinely delayed the development and implementation of the consolidation solely due to funding. We greatly appreciate Congressman Taylor’s, Senator Husted’s, and Senator Moreno’s support and providing time and energy to understand the challenges faced in rural healthcare. This investment will definitely return in multiples its value to this/our rural community in Southern Ohio.”
Project 1: Adena Health’s EMS Transport Expansion
Access to reliable transportation is not just a logistical issue. It can greatly impact a person’s health, as it is one of the top barriers identified in Adena Health’s Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). Many of their patients, especially seniors and those living in poverty, delay or miss critical care simply because they cannot get there on time.
The $750,000 of community project funding allocated for Adena Health will help expand their internal EMS capacity by adding two fully equipped ambulances to the existing fleet housed at Adena Regional Medical Center (ARMC). These new vehicles will be outfitted with the necessary medical equipment, communication tools, and safety features to support inter-facility transfers, discharges, and urgent non-emergency transport.
Project 2: Holzer Health System Pathology Lab Modernization
The $999,000 of community project funding allocated for the Holzer Health System will combine its hospital laboratory services with Anatomic Pathology and Microbiology services. To accomplish this, it will assist with the installation of a new air handler unit (AHU) within the existing hospital laboratory system. Once this new air handling system is installed, it will enable the relocation of Anatomic Pathology and Microbiology to Holzer Health’s main campus.
A complete list of Fiscal Year 2026 Community Project Funding requests submitted by Congressman Taylor is available here.
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