U.S. Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers (KY-05) announced today that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded the Whitley County Health Department with a $400,000 grant to help families and pregnant women access vital healthcare services.

“Raising healthy children and families is important for our local communities,” said Rogers.  “I applaud HHS for addressing this specific need in Whitley County.  For far too long our mothers have had limited care throughout their pregnancy and this funding will go a long way towards educating our region on the importance of prenatal care.  Opening up these healthcare services to our community will only help to make our region a stronger, healthier place to live and raise a family.”

The Whitley County Health Department will use this funding for their Voices of Appalachia Health Start project which targets pregnant women and provides outreach, case management, depression screening and referral, health education, interconceptional care, and enabling services.  The objectives of the project are to reduce the high infant mortality rates, assure early and ongoing prenatal care, places women and children with medical providers, provide case management and health education services, offer depression screening and counseling referrals, and link young mothers to community support resources.

As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, Rogers works to secure funding for important projects in the fifth Congressional district.