Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $2.6 Million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance to Support Telehealth and Workforce Training Needs in Southeast Kansas

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $2.6 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center (NMRMC), Chanute, Kansas, to establish the Southeast Kansas Impact Center for Wellness, Education, and Business. This EDA grant, to be matched with $650,000 in local investment, is expected to create 256 jobs and generate $45 million in private investment.

“The Economic Development Administration is committed to helping communities across the nation implement strategies to mitigate economic hardships brought on by the coronavirus pandemic,” said Dennis Alvord, Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “The new Southeast Kansas Impact Center for Wellness, Education, and Business will house a workforce training center that will be run in partnership with local businesses and clinic and telehealth facilities that will allow NMRMC to meet rapidly growing telehealth provider needs.”

“We must use every tool at our disposal to rebuild a healthier, stronger Kansas following the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “This grant will strengthen the local economy in Chanute and support the telehealth and workforce training needs in Southwest Kansas by adding 256 new jobs and $45 million in private investment.”

“This grant is an investment in the people and economy of southeast Kansas, creating hundreds of jobs, improving telehealth services and providing important resources for workforce training,” said Senator Jerry Moran. “Thank you to the Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center for leading the charge on this initiative and the many health care providers and local businesses willing to work in partnership to bring this project to a reality. As the lead Republican on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, I will continue to support the ongoing and critical mission of the Economic Development Administration to assist the economic activity of our communities, especially during this pandemic.”

The EDA grant will assist in the demolition of an existing, blighted former tuberculosis hospital located adjacent to NMRMC and the construction of the new Impact Center on the site. This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Southeast Kansas Regional Planning Commission, which EDA funds to help bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment, and create jobs.

This project is funded under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Public Law 116-136 PDF), which provided EDA with $1.5 billion for economic assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance, which is being administered under the authority of the bureau’s flexible Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) (PDF) program, provides a wide-range of financial assistance to eligible communities and regions as they respond to and recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.