WASHINGTON, D.C. — The USDA recently announced funding designed to improve Internet access and health care training, primarily in rural areas of Illinois.

The broadband expansion program calls for the issuance of low-interest loans to four Illinois phone companies to lay new or improved broadband equipment.

Based in southeastern Illinois, Shawnee Telephone Co. will receive access to nearly $30.3 million in low-interest loans to construct FTTP (Fiber-To-The-Premises) facilities. This is to allow Shawnee to provide voice and data services at speeds of up to 100 megabytes (MB) per second to both residences and businesses.

Last year the company received $7.3 million in loan and grant funds from USDA Rural Development to expand broadband service to customers in Pope and Hardin counties.

The low-interest loans “will provide residents of these rural communities with high-speed Internet connections to improve health care and educational opportunities and connect to global markets,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “In addition to providing much-needed services to rural businesses and residents, these investments will increase jobs, not just in the near-term, but through expanded opportunities in rural areas.”

Colleen Callahan, state director for Rural Development in Illinois, based in Champaign, said companies likely wouldn’t be able to make the improvements as quickly as they will, without access to loans.

“They are making significant investments, and USDA Rural Development is proud to be part of their efforts,” she added.

The region, through the nonprofit Connect SI group, also recently received a $519,529 USDA grant to cover costs of starting the Southern Illinois Delta Regional Simulation and Learning Lab project.

Equipment will be purchased and housed at four regional community colleges and two high schools to provide educational programs and training for health care professionals, especially new nurses, using broadband connections. The services are designed to provide the training and education to those in rural areas who can’t always travel far distances.

“These are important resources to help train and locate health care providers in southern Illinois,” said U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello (D-12th), whose district includes part of the southern Illinois region.

The server used for the project will be located in a lab at John A. Logan College in Carterville. The lab, a part of Southern Illinois Healthcare, will host the classes with high-tech mannequins and equipment needed for the courses.

Classes will be offered at Shawnee College, Rend Lake College, Southeastern Illinois College and Logan, making it much easier for nurses in the area to keep current with education requirements.

“The future of health care in rural Illinois depends in large part on preparing our youth for careers in health service,” Callahan said. “With the help of broadband, we can expand educational opportunities to areas where they are especially needed.

Established under the 2008 farm bill, grants are awarded to serve communities with no more than 50,000 inhabitants to address unmet health needs in the Delta Regional Authority. This includes parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.