Regional Health Properties, Inc. ("Regional") (NYSE:RHE) (NYSE:RHE) and SunLink Health Systems, Inc. ("SunLink") (NYSE:SSY) jointly announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement and plan of merger (the "merger agreement"), pursuant to which SunLink will merge with and into Regional (the "merger") in exchange for the issuance of an aggregate of 1,410,000 shares of Regional common stock and 1,410,000 shares of Regional's newly-authorized Series D 8% Cumulative Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock with a liquidation preference of $10 per share. The merger has been approved unanimously by each company's board of directors and completion of the transaction is subject to the receipt of the approvals of the shareholders of both Regional and SunLink, regulatory approvals and satisfaction of customary closing conditions.