Disadvantaged to benefit from new facility
MARSHFIELD, WI – With the grand opening of the Marshfield Dental Center today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development has again assisted the Family Health Center of Marshfield, Inc. in their mission to bring affordable, quality oral healthcare to rural Wisconsin residents. The creation of this clinic is expected to provide more than 40 jobs and serve more than 5,000 patients annually.
Since 2008, the agency has funded five dental centers located in Park Falls, Neillsville, Rice Lake, Medford, and Marshfield, Wis. Through the USDA Rural Development Community Facility Loan Program, more than $5.4 million has been funded for the dental care facilities; and $5 million has been funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
“Not only do the clinics provide dental-care services, they build pride in the communities where they are located; they create permanent jobs, and they inspire confidence and economic development,” said Stan Gruszynski, USDA Rural Development Wisconsin State Director. “USDA Rural Development is pleased to be a partner with the Family Health Center in creating a sustainable foundation for growth in rural Wisconsin.”
The expense of visiting a dentist and the distance required to travel to receive quality care are two factors that have made it difficult for rural Wisconsinites to receive the care they require. Family Health Center of Marshfield, Inc. has seen this essential need in Wisconsin’s rural communities and has made it their mission to find a solution to provide greater access to proper dental care.
In Fiscal Year 2010 alone, nearly 10,000 patients, combined, were treated at the clinics in Park Falls, Neillsville and Medford. In addition to helping patients, the clinics also provide jobs and improve the economic sustainability for the communities.
“The USDA Rural Development fund has been a critical capital partner in Family Health Center’s efforts to meet the oral health needs of patients who would otherwise go without care,” said Greg Nycz, Executive Director of Family Health Center of Marshfield, Inc. “Our success simply could not be as extensive as it has been without the capital partner we have found in the USDA Rural Development program. Together we are making a big dent in the access problem in northern Wisconsin and helping to ensure continued economic development in many of our rural communities.”
USDA Rural Development’s Community Facilities Programs provide grants to assist in the development of essential community facilities in rural areas and towns of up to 20,000 in population. Loans, guarantees and grants are available to public entities such as municipalities, counties, and special-purpose districts, as well as to non-profit corporations and tribal governments.
President Obama signed The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into law on Feb. 17, 2009. It is designed to jumpstart the nation’s economy, create or save millions of jobs and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st Century. The Act includes measures to modernize our nation’s infrastructure, enhance energy independence, expand educational opportunities, preserve and improve affordable health care, provide tax relief, and protect those in greatest need.
More information about USDA’s Recovery Act efforts is available at http://www.usda.gov/recovery. More information about the Federal government’s efforts on the Recovery Act is available at http://www.recovery.gov.
USDA Rural Development’s mission is to deliver programs in a way that will support increasing economic opportunity and improve the quality of life of rural residents. As the lead federal agency for rural development needs, USDA Rural Development returned nearly $744 million dollars this past year to rural Wisconsin communities. Funds are used to finance and foster growth in homeownership, business development, and critical community and technological infrastructures. Further information on USDA Rural Development programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting the web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/wi.
