BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today praised the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announcement that it is awarding a $2 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to Des Moines University Osteopathic Medicine. The university will use this grant to purchase equipment for its planned state-of-the-art telehealth training center.
“I’m very happy Des Moines University has been awarded a $2 million grant from the Economic Development Administration for their brand-new telehealth training center. This is great news for the students in our state who will learn from this cutting-edge technology and Iowa families who will ultimately benefit from this type of care,” Grassley said. “Having access to advanced telehealth programs is more important than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic and as we look forward. It’s also critical for Iowans to continue to have a variety of care options.”
“EDA is committed to helping communities across the nation implement strategies to mitigate economic hardships brought on by the coronavirus pandemic,” Dennis Alvord, Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, said. “This EDA investment will help train Des Moines area healthcare providers in telehealth technologies critical to responding to the pandemic, while also preparing students for the future of healthcare.”
This project will allow Des Moines University to purchase equipment to be housed in a brand new telehealth training center that is currently being designed with assistance from a regional health care system. With this equipment, students will be able to train with simulated and live patients to advance telehealth workforce training objectives. This grant, to be matched with $2.1 million in local investment, is expected to create 678 jobs.
This project is funded under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act which provided EDA with $1.5 billion for economic assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus pandemic. As Senate Finance Committee chairman last Congress, Grassley authored several provisions that were included in the CARES Act.
