Funding Is Contained in the Fiscal Year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. – Today U.S. Senators Arlen Specter, Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Bob Casey announced final approval of federal funding for several central Pennsylvania health care, education and labor projects. The projects are contained in the Fiscal Year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill.
“I am pleased that Congress has approved this important funding for Central Pennsylvania,” Senator Specter said. “Health and education are our nation’s greatest capital assets, and these projects are vital to ensuring quality health care and education for the area’s residents.”
This money is great news for Central Pennsylvania and I am pleased that members of the committee approved this funding,” said Senator Casey. “I will continue working with Senator Specter to ensure residents of the area have access to quality health care and education.”
Central Pennsylvania projects in the bill include:
*House Members that also supported a project are indicated in parentheses
$143,000 for Bucknell University and Geisinger Health System in Union County for the training of health professionals.
$95,000 for Mount Nittany Medical Center in Centre County to construct a new state-of-the-art Cancer Center at Mount Nittany Medical Center.
$95,000 for Pennsylvania State University in Centre County for a youth mentoring program. Funds will be used to develop curriculum, as well as develop a model to train and provide on-going technical assistance to community-based youth development workers.
$95,000 for Cumberland Perry Association for Retarded Citizens in Cumberland County to support educational programming for young adults with disabilities. This program will serve post high school students by providing them with appropriate educational, pre-vocational and life skills to maintain their educational accomplishments. Funding will also be used for a behavioral consultant to assist individuals with autism or mental retardation in socializing and fully participating in programs.
$95,000 for Holy Spirit Healthcare System in Cumberland County to purchase 35 updated infusion pumps that will increase patient safety and efficiency of infusion medication administration to critical care patients of Ortenzio Heart Center at Holy Spirit.
$95,000 for Messiah College in Cumberland and Dauphin Counties for laboratory equipment to train nursing students.
$238,000 for Harrisburg Area Community College in Dauphin County for HACC-Midtown to expand and update job training programs in Harrisburg. (Holden)
$95,000 for Penn State Hershey Medical Center in Dauphin County for a study of practices that will best increase access to community-based preventive care, thereby preventing or reducing the impact of disease and disability on underserved populations.
$95,000 for Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute in Dauphin County for the purchase of new equipment necessary to open and operate PA Psych Institute. The funding will assist with the triage and evaluation center, a new resource intended to facilitate placement of patients.
$190,000 for Pinnacle Health System in Dauphin County for the expansion and reconfiguration of the current Emergency Department at Pinnacle Health Harrisburg Hospital from 28 to 57 beds. (Holden)
$95,000 for Rural Opportunities Inc. in Dauphin County to conduct a public education and outreach campaign to recruit and serve more eligible farm workers with employment and training services throughout the state of Pennsylvania.
$95,000 for Elk Regional Health Center in Elk County to purchase a Video Gastroscope which will be used to conduct colonoscopies.
$95,000 for Wilson College in Franklin County to acquire scientific laboratory equipment for the college's Molecular Biology/ Biochemistry programs.
$95,000 for Fulton County Medical Center in Fulton County for the construction and equipment for an additional 30 bed nursing home and a medical office building.
$95,000 for JC Blair Memorial Hospital in Huntingdon County to implement Electronic Medical Record systems with a focus on improving patient safety and reducing the cost of healthcare.
$48,000 for Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition in Lancaster County to increase awareness of the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Program within the state and to expand the outreach of the PA Breast Cancer Coalition’s patient advocacy efforts.
$95,000 for Elizabethtown College in Lancaster County for technology infrastructure improvements to create "smart" classrooms. Investment in technology for these buildings will allow the college to expand programs and increase academic research opportunities.
$95,000 for Ephrata Hospital in Lancaster County to purchase intravenous pumps used to administer medications with bedside bar-code scanners.
$95,000 for Good Samaritan Health Services Foundation in Lebanon County to purchase CT Scan equipment for the Cancer Care Center.
$95,000 for Jersey Shore Hospital in Lycoming County to purchase a new cardiac monitoring system.
$95,000 for Susquehanna Health in Lycoming County to replace a 15 year old Image Intensifier.
$95,000 for Bradford Regional Medical Center in McKean County to provide advanced diagnostic testing equipment for cardiology and other conditions to a region that does not currently have this technology.
$95,000 for Kane Community Hospital in McKean County to develop a Women's Diagnostic Breast Center, including the purchase of Hologic Lorad All Digital Mammography Unit, Assisted Stereotactic Breast Biopsy Table, and GE Short-Bore MRI.
$95,000 for Geisinger Health System in Montour County to pilot and test the Reaching Rural Veterans Initiative for treating post-traumatic stress disorder.
$119,000 for Charles Cole Memorial Hospital in Potter County for rural training assistance, including Rural Emergency Medicine and ALS Transports to ensure the reliability, quality, and safety for all patients. (Peterson)
$190,000 for Schuylkill Medical Center (formerly Pottsville Hospital) in Schuylkill County for the upgrade and expansion of the Pottsville Hospital and Warne Clinic’s information technology system, including the installation of electronic medical records (EMR). (Holden)
$95,000 for Susquehanna University in Snyder County to outfit science laboratories with new science equipment to expand experiential learning and research opportunities for students and faculty.
$95,000 for Mansfield University of Pennsylvania in Tioga County to improve the technology used in nursing training programs, including electronic mannequins used to simulate medical examinations and computer software.
$95,000 for Soldiers + Sailors Memorial Hospital in Tioga County to complete the Emergency Department renovation.
$95,000 for Memorial Hospital in York County to purchase a new Patient Identification System for the clinical laboratory department which will increase patient safety.
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