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Joplin, MO – Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, Inc. was awarded a $2.5 million rural health grant on Friday that will vastly improve access and outcomes in health care to Bourbon County residents.
Freeman’s fourth and newest hospital was one of 17 Kansas-based health care facilities to receive a Rural Emergency Hospital Conversion/Transformative Capital Investment Program (REH/CAP) grant via the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). These grants help rural health facilities like Fort Scott Hospital make either facility renovations or capital investments “to transform how they serve their communities.”
A total of $29.1 million was distributed to the 17 Kansas locations. Freeman Fort Scott Hospital Inc. was chosen from a pool of 73 applications. The $2,502,999 amount was the fourth highest awarded.
“This award represents a significant investment in the future of healthcare in Fort Scott, Bourbon County, and the surrounding region,” said Anita Walden, chief administrative officer of Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, Inc.
The grant money was made available through the Kansas Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP).
“We are incredibly grateful for the support provided through the Rural Health Transformation Program and for the confidence placed in Freeman Fort Scott Hospital’s vision for improving access to care for the community we serve,” Walden continued.
Last December, Kansas was awarded $221 million from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as part of the H.R. 1 bill, which provided $50 billion to help reshape healthcare in rural communities nationwide over the next five years.
“These investments reflect the power of collaboration and long-term planning in addressing the unique health care needs of rural Kansas communities,” Gov. Laura Kelly said in a statement. “By supporting regional partnerships, rural hospitals, and critical infrastructure improvements, the Rural Health Transformation Program is empowering communities to strengthen local health systems, improve access to high-quality care, and build a more sustainable future for rural Kansans.”
Located at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd., Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, Inc.—consisting of a six-bed emergency department and 10-bed acute care unit—opened in September 2025 and celebrated its official ribbon cutting earlier this month. More than 3,400 Fort Scott and Bourbon County residents have utilized the hospital’s emergency department in the last eight months.
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About Freeman Health System
Locally owned, not-for-profit and nationally recognized, Freeman Health System includes Freeman Hospital West, Freeman Hospital East, Freeman Neosho Hospital, Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, Inc., and Ozark Center—the area’s largest provider of behavioral health services—as well as two urgent care clinics, dozens of physician clinics, and a variety of specialty services. With more than 320 physicians on staff representing more than 90 specialties, Freeman provides cancer care, heart care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, children’s services, women’s services, and many others for all of the Four State Area. Freeman is also involved in numerous community-based activities and sponsored events and celebrations. Additionally, in the Joplin/Pittsburg areas, Freeman is the only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in a 70-mile radius. For more information, visit freemanhealth.com.