Deborah Heart and Lung Center received a grant from the federal government that aims to help to ensure health care for rural residents in addition to being prepared in the event of future public health emergencies.

During a ceremony held on the campus of the Browns Mills facility on Feb. 24, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a $1 million Emergency Rural Health Care (ERHC) grant for Deborah. The funding was announced by USDA Deputy Under Secretary Farah Ahmad.

“Having access to quality health care is an important part of USDA’s commitment to ensuring that people living in rural areas have every opportunity to succeed – and that they can find those opportunities close to home,” Ahmad said.

Deborah is the only heart, lung and vascular specialty hospital in the region – services it’s provided for a century. The money will help to fortify the provider’s resources for the next pandemic response. Based in Burlington County and offering specialist care to residents from Ocean, Mercer and additional surrounding counties, the funding will also equip patient rooms to meet the critical stands necessary for treating highly infectious or very ill patients. According to the USDA, nearly 800,000 rural residents live within Deborah’s service area.

“The investment we’re announcing here in New Jersey demonstrates how the Biden-Harris Administration is partnering with rural people to make sure rural communities can continue to access essential health care services for years to come,” Ahmad added.

At the height of COVID-19, Deborah said it provided nearly 9,000 vaccinations from its clinic in addition to opening one of the first post-COVID Recovery Clinics in the tri-state area.

Deborah is in the midst of making its own investment in its future as well, with a $108 million expansion project underway at the facility. That work is financed by USDA Rural Development, as well, by way of an $88 million Community Facilities Loan and $10 million Community Facilities Loan Guarantee. Set to debut next spring, Ahmad also toured the development Friday.

According to the USDA, that funding for Deborah’s next phase represents the largest investment in a single facility in the history of USDA Rural Development in New Jersey.

“We are grateful for this $1 million grant from the USDA,” Joseph Chirichella, president and CEO of Deborah Heart and Lung Center, said. “As a rural hospital and the only specialty heart, lung and vascular hospital in the region, we serve as a critical resource for our community. Given our location, the residents in our area often have difficulty accessing specialty care without travelling long distances. This investment in our campus will help to broaden that access and do so in a way that is forward thinking and pandemic-ready.”

In addition to Deborah, $550,800 of funding was also announced for Shore Memorial Hospital in Somers Point. According to an announcement from the USDA, the funding will go toward purchasing essential equipment for a free-standing, 10-bed COVID-19 Isolation Unit in the Emergency Department of Shore Medical Center. The new unit will feature a negative pressure air handling system for COVID outbreaks, or any future similar pandemics, USDA said.

Along with Ahmad, New Jersey State Director Jane Asselta, senior officials from Deborah Heart and Lung Center and Shore Memorial Hospital, and representatives from the offices of Sens. Corey Booker, Robert Menendez, and U.S. Rep. Andy Kim were on hand for the announcement, as were Pemberton Township Mayor Jack Tompkins and Assemblyman Brandon Umba.

USDA Rural Development funds projects in New Jersey under the leadership of its state office staff, based in in Mount Laurel and supported by offices in Hackettstown, Columbus and Vineland.