BANGOR – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has committed $499,800 to fund a project to expand health care services in isolated areas of northern and eastern Maine.

The money comes in the form of a grant – the 2001 USDA/Rural Utilities Service Distance Learning and Telemedicine Competitive Grant – won through a collaborative project between St. Joseph Healthcare and Community Health and Counseling Services.

St. Joseph Healthcare and CHCS will use the award to establish a home-based telemedicine system for traditional home care and mental health services.

The system will capitalize upon a previously installed telemedicine base developed by the DownEast Telemedicine Network and the Maine Health Alliance.

The grant will help fund the purchase of computers and software that will provide a direct link between isolated clients and health care providers.

Clients will be provided with computers that will monitor their vital signs. Those computers will be linked to similar stations monitored by health professionals from St. Joseph Healthcare and CHCS. Staff from the two organizations will be able to teleconference with patients and make quick, appropriate responses to health issues.

The telemedicine program will serve rural residents of Aroostook, Hancock, Penobscot, Piscataquis and Washington counties. The proposed area of coverage encompasses 18,192 square miles, an area larger than New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island combined.

When fully funded, stations will be available to clients in the following communities: Amherst, Aurora, Beals, Bradford, Brownville, Caribou, Cherryfield, Columbia Falls, Corinna, Corinth, Dexter, Eastport, Exeter, Fort Kent, Garland, Grand Lake Stream, Greenbush, Guilford, Harrington, Houlton, Hudson, Jonesboro, Jonesport, Kenduskeag, Kingman, Lee, Medway, Milbridge, Milo, Monticello, Newport, Parkman, Pembroke, Perry, Robbinston, Sangerville, Springfield, St. Francis, Stetson, Steuben, Vanceboro, Wallagrass, Wellington, Wesley, Whiting, Winn and Wytopitlock.