Today I met with Will Condon, Market CEO of Sacred Heart Health System; Scott Kashman, Market CEO of St. Vincent’s Health System; Kelly Beach, President of Sacred Heart Gulf Hospital; Robin Godwin, President of Sacred Heart Bay Hospital; Trey Absheir, President of Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital; Jason Foland, President of Studer Family Children’s Hospital; and Jules Kariher, Chief Advocacy Officer of Ascension Florida for Hospitals Day at the Capitol.
We had a great conversation about several key healthcare priorities for Northwest Florida, including the Rural Health Infrastructure Grant Program. After going unfunded since 2008, I was proud to advocate for reviving the program and securing $10 million in non-recurring funding for the 2023–2024 fiscal year. Since then, we have been able to secure funding for the program each year to help strengthen rural hospitals and improve access to care for families across our communities.
I’m grateful for the work these healthcare leaders do every day, and I’ll continue fighting to ensure our communities have the resources they need to stay healthy and strong.