Springfield, IL  (CAPITOL CITY NOW) -One Central Illinois college is getting federal dollars to help put more highly trained nurses into rural healthcare settings in the state.

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin visited Illinois College in Jacksonville Thursday and announced the school will receive $911,000 to expand its Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. The money was secured through Congressionally Directed Spending, also known as an earmark.

“This funding to expand our nursing program is an investment in Illinois College students to address the critical need for skilled nurses in our region,” said Barbara A. Farley, President of Illinois College. “Opportunities like these inspire students and empower them to make a difference in the world.”

In May of last year, Durbin introduced his “Roadmap to Grow Illinois’ Rural Health Workforce” initiative, forming a partnership with hospitals, community health centers, medical and nursing schools, community colleges, dentists, physicians and nurses. The initiative aims to allocate fresh funding to tackle shortages and staffing challenges in rural healthcare settings across Illinois.

The roadmap prioritizes the following: generating interest among middle and high school students for careers in health care, increasing the capacity of clinical education programs and improving recruitment for rural areas.