Submitted copy Health News
White River Health has been awarded more than $5 million in federal grants through two state rural health grants, with both projects providing services to Sharp County.
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Sept. 24 that $54.6 million was awarded in the second round of Arkansas Rural Health Transformation Program grants.
White River Health received approximately $2.1 million through the RISE AR initiative for 13 workforce projects aimed at recruiting, training and retaining health care professionals. The projects will address workforce needs in behavioral health, nursing, laboratory science, spiritual care and physician services in Independence, Stone, Jackson and Sharp counties and other rural areas.
The Batesville-based health system, which serves many Sharp County residents, also received a $2.94 million HEART grant to establish a “food-as-medicine” program serving Sharp, Stone, Jackson, Cleburne, Izard and Lawrence counties.
The program will connect patient health screenings with produce prescriptions, nutrition and cooking education, community health workers and locally produced food. It is also designed to create additional markets for area farmers....