Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. brought his Take Back Your Health tour to Danville on Monday, touring an agricultural research facility and a substance use treatment center in a part of Virginia where rural hospitals depend heavily on the federal program facing the largest spending reduction in years.
The visit included two stops. Kennedy toured the Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville, a facility studying how to grow nutrient-dense crops with reduced chemical inputs, and Tranquility Grove Rehab Center in Chatham.
One geographic note for readers: HHS described the stop as southwest Virginia, but Danville and Chatham are in the Southside region, along the North Carolina line. Local outlets covering the visit used the Southside designation.
The Stops and the Message
At the agriculture center, Kennedy focused on nutrient density in the food supply.
"It's an important thing to understand, because you can grow these plants without pesticides, which is a big advantage, but they don't have the same kind of micronutrient loading as a wild plant that's grown in the soil," he said, according to WDBJ. "And so, Virginia Tech is trying to crack that code."
The center brings together researchers, farmers and industry to develop agricultural technology and workforce training, with part of the research aimed at improving soil health while reducing fertilizer and pesticide inputs. Scott Lowman, the institute's vice president of applied research, said the chance to present that work to national leaders matters to a region facing rural health challenges.
Kennedy also said federal funding would expand rural health care access through telehealth and artificial intelligence, Cardinal News reported. He said the most significant impact of AI in health care will be in rural America.
Adoption is already widespread. A 2026 American Medical Association survey found about 81 percent of physicians report using AI for tasks including searching medical research, triage, patient communication, visit documentation and discharge instructions, alongside continuing concerns about data security, patient privacy and the changing role of human professionals.
The visit had a political dimension that should be stated plainly. It occurred ahead of Virginia's Republican primary, and Rep. John McGuire, who represents the 5th District, hosted Kennedy on the tour. Kennedy credited McGuire with helping secure funding for the programs he visited and said he would like to see him continue in the job.
The Funding Question in the Background
The tour arrived while the administration faces scrutiny over the Medicaid provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the law will reduce federal Medicaid spending by roughly $911 billion over the next decade and leave 10 million more people uninsured nationwide. Medicaid is a major revenue source for rural hospitals across Virginia, where thin operating margins make the program's share of revenue a structural rather than incidental issue.
Kennedy addressed the concern directly during the visit. "My agency is important to this region, and we want to continue to serve those roles," he said, according to WSLS. He also said President Trump "has done more to revitalize America's rural economies and rural health care than any other president in history."
The partial offset is the Rural Health Transformation Program, a $50 billion fund created to support rural health systems, with all 50 states receiving first-year awards averaging roughly $200 million each. The National Rural Health Association estimates Virginia will receive enough through that program to offset about 62 percent of the state's projected Medicaid funding reductions.
That figure deserves context from more than one direction. It comes from an advocacy organization for rural health providers rather than from a federal scorekeeper. A KFF analysis reached a less optimistic national conclusion, estimating that the $50 billion fund would offset about 37 percent of the projected $137 billion reduction in rural federal Medicaid spending over ten years. KFF has separately cautioned that comparing a state's rural health allotment directly against its Medicaid cuts can be misleading, in part because the program is temporary while Medicaid funding is ongoing, and because the statute limits how the money may be used. Readers should treat any single percentage as one analysis rather than a settled number.
The Health Access Picture in Southside Virginia
The region has documented access constraints that predate any current policy debate.
Much of Southside and Southwest Virginia is federally designated as a health professional shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health. Specialty care frequently requires travel to Roanoke, Greensboro, Winston-Salem or Charlottesville, distances that turn routine follow-up into a logistical problem for households without reliable transportation.
Substance use treatment capacity has been a persistent gap across the region, which is part of why a rehabilitation facility appeared on the itinerary. Broadband access, which determines whether telehealth is actually usable, remains uneven in rural counties, a point that bears directly on the telehealth and AI expansion Kennedy described.
For residents seeking care now, several routes exist independent of federal policy debates. Federally qualified health centers are required to serve patients regardless of insurance status or ability to pay and operate on a sliding fee scale; the searchable directory is at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov. The Virginia Department of Health operates local health districts offering immunizations, communicable disease services, and some clinical care. For substance use treatment, SAMHSA's national helpline at 1-800-662-4357 provides free, confidential referrals around the clock.
The Developments Worth Tracking
Several concrete things will determine whether this region's health care picture improves or erodes, and none of them will be settled by a tour stop.
State allocations from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how Virginia distributes them will shape which facilities receive support. Medicaid provisions in the current law take effect on a staggered schedule, with work requirement implementation and eligibility changes arriving over the coming year. Rural hospital operating margins and any service line closures in Southside and Southwest Virginia are the measurable outcome.
Readers can track federal health professional shortage area designations for their county through HRSA data tools, which is the closest thing to an objective local access measure available to the public.
MedicalDaily will report on Rural Health Transformation Program allocations to Virginia and on any changes in rural hospital service availability in the region as those figures become available.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in Danville? HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited on August 3 as part of his Take Back Your Health tour, touring the Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center in Danville and Tranquility Grove Rehab Center in Chatham.
Was Danville described accurately as southwest Virginia? HHS used that description, but Danville and Chatham are in Virginia's Southside region near the North Carolina border. Local outlets used Southside.
What did the Secretary say about rural health care? He said federal funding would expand access through telehealth and artificial intelligence, and that the administration remains committed to rural communities.
How large are the Medicaid reductions? The Congressional Budget Office estimates the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will reduce federal Medicaid spending by about $911 billion over the next decade and leave 10 million more people uninsured.
Does the Rural Health Transformation Program cover the gap? The National Rural Health Association estimates Virginia's share would offset roughly 62 percent of projected reductions. A KFF analysis put the national rural offset closer to 37 percent, and cautioned that such comparisons can mislead.
What access problems does the region already face? Much of Southside and Southwest Virginia is federally designated as a shortage area for primary, dental, and mental health care, with specialty care often requiring long travel and uneven broadband limiting telehealth.
Where can residents find low-cost care now? Federally qualified health centers, searchable at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov, must serve patients regardless of ability to pay. For substance use treatment, SAMHSA's helpline is 1-800-662-4357.
