MONTGOMERY—ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell announced Thursday that two Alabama communities have been selected for the Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) Program that will bring free medical, dental, and optical care during a military medical training operation tentatively scheduled for 2018 in the two communities. The operation is a partnership between the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) and the military.
Governor Kay Ivey, 2017 DRA States’ Co-Chair, praised the partnership to address healthcare issues in the region.
“DRA is committed to improving the quality of life of our nation’s most rural citizens,” Governor Ivey said “This effort to provide healthcare in underserved areas is a continuation of that mission, and speaks highly of the important work done by DRA.”
IRT program is done through partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Military’s reserve forces. The purpose is to improve military readiness while simultaneously providing quality medical services to communities throughout America. ADECA will be working with the DRA and local officials in Monroeville and Thomasville to plan the operation.
“Governor Ivey has prioritized rural Alabama and has directed her administration to do everything it can to help our neediest citizens,” Boswell said. “ADECA’s mission is to strengthen local communities, and we are proud to partner with the DRA and other federal agencies to address an important need in the communities of Monroeville and Thomasville.”
Similar IRT programs have been conducted in Alabama. In 2015, more than 10,000 Alabamians in the cities of Camden, Demopolis, Selma, Clayton, Eufaula and Tuskegee received services and more than 18,000 medical, dental and optical procedures were done.
Additional information on the IRT Program in Monroeville and Thomasville will be released as it becomes available.
Contact: Jennifer Ardis Elmore