Lakeland Community Hospital will use nearly half a million dollars in new rural health funding to expand telehealth services and establish a non-emergency transportation program for patients in Winston County.
The hospital received $490,800 through the Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program. The funding was highlighted Thursday during a Rural Healthcare Champions Recognition Event at Lakeland, attended by U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, Health Resources and Services Administration Administrator Thomas J. Engels, hospital officials and representatives of the Huntsville Hospital Health System.
The new funding is intended to help patients connect with healthcare services without having to travel long distances. The transportation program will provide another option for rural residents who face difficulty getting to medical appointments and other non-emergency care.
The event also highlighted the Rural Hospital Provider Assistance Program, a new federal initiative administered through HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. The program is designed to assist eligible rural hospitals in maintaining healthcare providers and essential services.
Lakeland President and CEO Cherie E. Sibley said the funding will provide the hospital with additional resources to serve patients throughout Winston County.
“We are incredibly grateful for this investment in Lakeland and, more importantly, in the people and communities we serve,” Sibley said. “These investments give us new tools to reach patients while supporting the essential care our neighbors rely on every day.”
Lakeland is a 25-bed critical access hospital and the only hospital in Winston County.
Roger Hayes, chairman of the Health Care Authority of Haleyville and Winston County, said the hospital’s role extends beyond healthcare.
“Lakeland is not only essential to the health of our community, it is also an important part of Winston County’s economy,” Hayes said. “The hospital provides jobs, supports local families, and contributes to the strength and stability of our community.”
Jeff Samz, president and CEO of Huntsville Hospital Health System, said partnerships between hospitals, government agencies and local leaders are important to maintaining healthcare access in rural communities.
“Having strong healthcare close to home makes a difference for every community, and that is especially true in rural areas,” Samz said.
Aderholt, who chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, was involved in advancing the Rural Hospital Provider Assistance Program through the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations process.
The Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program represents the state’s implementation of the federal Rural Health Transformation Program. Lakeland’s award was part of the first round of rural health grants announced by Alabama in August.
The hospital remains locally owned and governed by the Health Care Authority of Haleyville and Winston County.
In July, Lakeland entered into a two-year strategic affiliation with Huntsville Hospital Health System. Under the agreement, Huntsville Hospital Health System provides financial support, strategic guidance and other resources while Lakeland retains its local leadership, daily operations and community focus.
Hospital officials said the combination of the new funding and regional partnership is intended to improve access to care, support essential services and strengthen the hospital’s long-term role in Winston County.