Local Hospital Receives Two USDA Grants

JERSEYVILLE - Jersey Community Hospital made an important announcement on Wednesday about two $150,000 USDA Community Facility Grants to help offset the cost of creating two clinics to help address community addiction with a spotlight on opioid abuse. The clinics will be located in Jerseyville and Roodhouse. 

There was a commemoration event with Congressman Rodney Davis and Illinois State USDA Director for Rural Development Illinois Douglas Wilson on Wednesday in Jersey at 220 E. County Road.

Jon Wade, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer for Jersey Community Hospital, led the event.

He started the affair by saying that the purpose was to welcome the two $150,000 grants for the East County Road facility and a facility in Roodhouse as part of the Jersey Community, Addiction, Recovery and Education Services Program or as he called it (CARES).

Wade said from 2010 to 2015 substance abuse deaths in Jersey county increase upward of 400 percent and 110 percent in Greene County. 

“This is a real problem we have to address in rural communities,” Wade said. “We will have a lot better resources thanks to the help of Representative Davis and Mr. Wilson.”

Rep. Davis said this is a great day not only for Jersey, but Greene County. “We all know the ravages of the opioid crisis in rural areas,” Rep. Davis said. “Jersey and Greene are right on the front lines with people needing treatment. It was the biggest problems for local law enforcement. There is not enough access to give the addicts’ treatment when they need help. The worst thing for an addict to walk in and have someone say can you come back tomorrow. Nine times out of 10 they won’t come back. I think this partnership will pay dividends for years to come.”