JOLIET – Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14) recently announced that Illinois Valley Community College (IVCC) will receive $889,855 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants Program. The grant will help the college provide telehealth services and virtual dual credit classes to IVCC students and students at 10 partner schools in surrounding areas. Underwood, a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, secured funding for the program in the Fiscal Year 2023 government funding omnibus.

“I’m thrilled to bring home federal resources that will directly benefit students at Illinois Valley Community College and 10 other schools in our community,” said Underwood. “I’ve heard from so many people who have been affected by recent hospital closures, including families and first responders, about the challenges they face when it comes to accessing medical care. Securing this grant is part of my ongoing work to protect and expand rural health care in northern Illinois.

“It’s especially important for young people to be able to access mental health services, and I’m pleased to see this grant help connect students to mental health professionals. I’ll keep fighting for investments like these that expand educational opportunities and access to mental health care in La Salle, Bureau, and Putnam counties.”

The grant will help IVCC and 10 partner secondary schools purchase technology to connect mental health professionals with students, many of whom live in rural communities and face barriers to accessing care.

The technology will also be used to set up virtual learning classrooms at IVCC and its partner schools. These dedicated classrooms will create opportunities for students at small or rural schools to take dual credit classes and increase collaboration between students and teachers at different schools.

This grant will serve 6,876 students at the following schools: Illinois Valley Community College – Oglesby; Mendota High School District 280 – Mendota; Regional Office of Education #35 Safe School – Peru; Ottawa Township High School 140 – Ottawa; Hall High School District 502 – Spring Valley; Putnam County High School – Granville; Henry-Senachwine High School – Henry; LaSalle-Peru Township High School District 120 – LaSalle; Marquette Academy – Ottawa; Serena High School – Community Unit School District 2 – Serena; LaMoille Junior/Senior High School – LaMoille.