(WHTM) — On Friday, the Biden-Harris Administration gave $643,877 to support Pennsylvania’s rural health clinics with vaccination efforts as cases rise due to the spread of the Delta variant.

Funds will go to 13 rural health clinics in the Commonwealth to fight COVID-19 misinformation by developing and implementing vaccine confidence and outreach efforts. Funding was made available by the American Rescue Plan and is being dispersed by the Health Resources and Services Administration through the Rural Health Clinic Vaccine Confidence Program.

“Rural health clinics play a crucial role in supporting our national vaccination effort to defeat COVID-19,” Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said. “This funding will give trusted messengers in rural communities the tools they need to counsel patients on how COVID-19 vaccines can help protect them and their loved ones.”

Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) are used to spread information about how and where vaccinations are available locally and work with vaccination sites and public health partners to increase vaccine confidence. Funding will also be used to improve health literacy, safety and the benefits the vaccine will bring to curbing COVID-19 spread.

The Health Resources and Services Administration will make grant awards to Rural Health Clinics based on the number of sites being operated, which will be about $49,500 per site. RHCs are a special designation given to practices caring to underserved and rural areas to ensure access to care.

“Rural Health Clinics are critical partners in addressing health equity gaps, including those related to vaccination,” HRSA Acting Administrator Diana Espinosa said. “This funding will help Rural Health Clinics address the barriers people in their communities face to getting vaccinated and build confidence in vaccines through trusted resources for health care services and health information.”

To learn more about these programs, visit HRSA’s website.