Source: US State of Pennsylvania
May 05, 2025 – Uniontown, PA
ADVISORY – FAYETTE COUNTY – Shapiro Administration to Highlight Proposed Investments to Improve Maternal Health and Support Rural Health Care Workforce During Visit to Uniontown Hospital’s New, Reopened Maternity Unit
Pennsylvania Secretary of Human Services Dr. Val Arkoosh will join leaders from West Virginia University Medicine at Uniontown Hospital to tour their recently reopened maternity unit, which brings labor and delivery services back to the Uniontown community. The visit will also highlight Governor Josh Shapiro’s proposed 2025-26 budget and the significant investments it proposes for hospitals, maternal health, and the rural health care workforce across the state.
Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has prioritized addressing maternal health disparities and access to quality health care for all Pennsylvanians. The Governor’s 2025-2026 budget proposal provides $5 million to fund maternal health initiatives, which builds on the success of the 2024-25 bipartisan budget that included $2.6 million for maternal mortality prevention.
In addition, the Governor’s budget proposal makes targeted investments to expand the health care workforce, ensure rural communities have access to care, and help keep hospitals open. The budget proposal includes $10 million in state funds to support rural hospitals and an additional $10 million for hospitals statewide – investments that can lead to additional federal funding to support health care systems that are the backbone of their communities.
WHO:
Department of Human Services Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh
WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital President and CEO, Carrie Willetts
WVU Medicine Children’s Birthing Center at Uniontown Hospital Medical Director, Lawrence Glad, MD
WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital Clinical Director of Obstetrics, Beth LaFrankie, MSN, RNC-NIC
WHEN:
Monday, May 5, 2025, at 10:15 AM
WHERE:
Uniontown Hospital
500 W Berkeley Street
Uniontown, PA 15401
MEDIA RSVP:
Please bring a photo ID. Media interested in attending must RSVP with the name of the reporter and photojournalist to ra-pwdhspressoffice@pa.gov.