Governor Crist Awards Grant to Opportunity Florida

~ More than $10.7 million will connect rural hospitals with major medical centers in Florida ~

TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today awarded Opportunity Florida Inc. a Rural Infrastructure Fund grant totaling $1.12 million in support of a Federal Communications Commission Broadband Pilot Project.  The grant will be used to connect nine rural hospitals and one rural health care clinic to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital in Tallahassee, Sacred Heart in Pensacola and Bay Medical in Panama City. 

“The technology improvements made possible by this grant will facilitate real-time connectivity between rural hospitals and major medical facilities that have a greater number of staff with special areas of expertise,” said Governor Crist. “This project enhances health care systems, and the new technology also has the potential to also help our schools, emergency management and economic development.”

Opportunity Florida Inc. represents the eight counties in the Northwest Florida Rural Area of Critical Economic Concern (RACEC). Two of the rural hospitals are located within the North Central Florida RACEC. The grant leverages $9.6 million from the Federal Communication Commission for this project. 

“Building economic capacity and improving the quality of life for our region is exactly why Opportunity Florida was formed,” said Johnny Eubanks, Chairman of the Board for Opportunity Florida. “These funds will provide not only important infrastructure improvements for our health care facilities, but will also create future capacity for economic development in two Rural Areas of Critical Economic Concern.”

The Governor’s Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development administers the Rural Infrastructure Fund grant program, which was created in 1996 by the Florida Legislature.  The program helps rural communities make necessary infrastructure improvements to increase economic development in their communities.  Opportunity Florida Inc. worked with the Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development; Enterprise Florida Inc.; the Agency for Health Care Administration and the Big Bend Rural Health Information Organization (RHIO) to secure this grant.

Among many rural-based initiatives, the Governor is authorized by Florida Statute 288.0656 to designate up to three Rural Areas of Critical Economic Concern, which provides rural areas with greater access to the state’s economic and tourism development incentive programs. To date, three such areas have been designated – including the two impacted by today’s announcement.