Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04) joined Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Tom Engels, for a Rural Healthcare Champions Recognition Event at Lakeland Community Hospital.
“Today, it was an honor to join HRSA Administrator Tom Engels as we celebrated an important milestone for rural healthcare and the communities that depend on it. It was, of course, extra special to be making this announcement in my hometown of Haleyville and at my hometown hospital, Lakeland,” Aderholt said.
“President Trump and his Administration have made strengthening rural healthcare a priority, and I’m proud to have worked with them to advance this important effort. This initiative reflects a deliberate commitment to ensuring our rural hospitals have the resources they need to survive and serve their communities.
“As Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee overseeing health funding, I was proud to secure and advance the Rural Hospital Provider Assistance Program through the Fiscal Year 2026 Consolidated Appropriations Act. Through this program, eligible hospitals will receive direct financial assistance to help maintain and strengthen essential healthcare services,” Aderholt added.
Approximately 30 rural hospitals in Alabama were eligible to apply for the grant: Atmore Community Hospital, Bibb Medical Center, Bullock County Hospital, Clay County Hospital, Community Hospital Inc, Crenshaw Community Hospital, D W McMillan Memorial Hospital, EAMC-Lanier, Evergreen Medical Center, Fayette Medical Center, Grove Hill Medical Center, Highlands Medical Center, Hill Hospital of Sumter County, Jackson Medical center, John Paul Jones Hospital, Lake Martin Community Hospital, Lakeland Community Hospital, Marion Regional Medical Center, Mizell Memorial Hospital, Monroe Community Hospital, North Baldwin Infirmary, Northwest Medical Center, Regional Medical Center of Central AL, Russell Medical Center, Russellville Hospital, St. Vincent's Hospital, Troy Regional Medical Center, Whitfield Regional Hospital, and Wiregrass Medical Center.
“This grant was designed to provide support specifically to small rural hospitals — those that have no more than 50 beds — facing payment disadvantages, with the goal of preserving essential healthcare services and preventing avoidable closures. This is a critical need for our rural communities, those like the ones here in Winston County and the surrounding region that Lakeland serves,” Aderholt said.
“Today, we announced that through the Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program, Lakeland Community Hospital is receiving $490,800 to expand telehealth and establish a non-emergency transportation program for rural patients. Rural families deserve the same access to care as those living in larger cities, and that belief has guided my work throughout my service in Congress. That commitment has meant working directly with hospitals, healthcare providers, and federal agencies to address challenges threatening the long-term viability of rural healthcare.
“Our work is not over though. The Fiscal Year 2027 Labor HHS funding bill advanced by the subcommittee also includes significant increases for key rural health initiatives, including expanding the Rural Hospital Provider Assistance Program from $25 million to $100 million. Rural hospitals are essential to the health and well-being of our communities, and I look forward to seeing this investment help ensure Alabamians, and rural citizens across the country, can continue to receive quality healthcare close to home,” Aderholt added.
Russellville Hospital will receive a $1.29 million grant through the same funding to expand its telehealth services in behavioral health and neurology.