RHTCMS332079
Cooperative Agreement
Overview
Grant Description
Kentucky Rural Health Transformation Plan - To improve health outcomes, expand access to care, & strengthen the infrastructure that supports the Commonwealth of KY rural constituents & areas.
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is the 10th most rural state in the country, with 1.87 million residents, nearly half (41.6%) of the total state population, residing in a rural area.
According to America’s Health Rankings, Kentucky is currently ranked 41st out of the 50 states based on a spectrum of measures.
Average life expectancy ranges from 64.5 to 79.7 years across counties, with a lower life expectancy in counties within eastern rural areas.
These rural communities face some of the most significant health access challenges in the Commonwealth and across the country, including high rates of chronic disease, maternal health deserts, behavioral health crises, and limited access to preventive dental care and emergency services.
The Commonwealth’s Rural Health Transformation Plan (RHTP) represents a bold step forward to transform care delivery across our rural health ecosystem.
Kentucky’s Department for Public Health, under the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) and, together with key stakeholders, propose five specific care innovation models to refocus efforts on improving access and prevention of high-priority health conditions that disproportionately impact rural Kentuckians.
These initiatives and their goals include:
1) Rural community hubs for chronic care innovation: Reduce obesity and diabetes rate through evidence-based, community-led strategies focused on upstream prevention;
2) Powering maternal and infant health, community-based teams: Increase timely perinatal care in maternity care deserts through coordinated, telehealth-enabled teams;
3) Rapid response to recovery, EMPATH model, mobile crisis, and telehealth: Expand integrated, technology-enabled crisis care from community response to long-term support;
4) Rooted in health, Kentucky Rural Dental Access Program: Improve rural access to preventive dental care and treatment through expanded training and mobile, portable services; and
5) From crisis to care, integrated EMS and trauma response: Strengthen EMS and trauma care capacity, responsiveness, and coordination.
Across these five priority areas, Kentucky will make investments in new and emerging technology infrastructure, data interoperability standards, and other technology-based initiatives.
The Commonwealth will also support workforce capacity by expanding the number and role of clinical and non-clinical health care workers to improve access and enable more cost-effective rural health delivery at the local community level.
Kentucky intends to allocate funds to subrecipients who will play a critical role in implementing the proposed initiatives outlined in the RHTP.
The Commonwealth will also maintain ongoing engagement with stakeholders across the program’s duration to ensure broad input and collaboration.
Kentucky is fully committed to fiscal responsibility, rigorous monitoring, measurable outcomes, and long-term program sustainability.
Furthermore, the Commonwealth will adopt and enforce any policies or regulations necessary to support and advance the goals of the program.
Through this comprehensive and collaborative approach, Kentucky aims to create lasting improvements in rural health outcomes across the Commonwealth and be a leader in rural health transformation nationwide.
Total federal cost: $200,000,000 per budget period.
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is the 10th most rural state in the country, with 1.87 million residents, nearly half (41.6%) of the total state population, residing in a rural area.
According to America’s Health Rankings, Kentucky is currently ranked 41st out of the 50 states based on a spectrum of measures.
Average life expectancy ranges from 64.5 to 79.7 years across counties, with a lower life expectancy in counties within eastern rural areas.
These rural communities face some of the most significant health access challenges in the Commonwealth and across the country, including high rates of chronic disease, maternal health deserts, behavioral health crises, and limited access to preventive dental care and emergency services.
The Commonwealth’s Rural Health Transformation Plan (RHTP) represents a bold step forward to transform care delivery across our rural health ecosystem.
Kentucky’s Department for Public Health, under the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) and, together with key stakeholders, propose five specific care innovation models to refocus efforts on improving access and prevention of high-priority health conditions that disproportionately impact rural Kentuckians.
These initiatives and their goals include:
1) Rural community hubs for chronic care innovation: Reduce obesity and diabetes rate through evidence-based, community-led strategies focused on upstream prevention;
2) Powering maternal and infant health, community-based teams: Increase timely perinatal care in maternity care deserts through coordinated, telehealth-enabled teams;
3) Rapid response to recovery, EMPATH model, mobile crisis, and telehealth: Expand integrated, technology-enabled crisis care from community response to long-term support;
4) Rooted in health, Kentucky Rural Dental Access Program: Improve rural access to preventive dental care and treatment through expanded training and mobile, portable services; and
5) From crisis to care, integrated EMS and trauma response: Strengthen EMS and trauma care capacity, responsiveness, and coordination.
Across these five priority areas, Kentucky will make investments in new and emerging technology infrastructure, data interoperability standards, and other technology-based initiatives.
The Commonwealth will also support workforce capacity by expanding the number and role of clinical and non-clinical health care workers to improve access and enable more cost-effective rural health delivery at the local community level.
Kentucky intends to allocate funds to subrecipients who will play a critical role in implementing the proposed initiatives outlined in the RHTP.
The Commonwealth will also maintain ongoing engagement with stakeholders across the program’s duration to ensure broad input and collaboration.
Kentucky is fully committed to fiscal responsibility, rigorous monitoring, measurable outcomes, and long-term program sustainability.
Furthermore, the Commonwealth will adopt and enforce any policies or regulations necessary to support and advance the goals of the program.
Through this comprehensive and collaborative approach, Kentucky aims to create lasting improvements in rural health outcomes across the Commonwealth and be a leader in rural health transformation nationwide.
Total federal cost: $200,000,000 per budget period.
Funding Goals
REFER TO NOFO
Grant Program (CFDA)
93.798
Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Kentucky
United States
Geographic Scope
State-Wide
Related Opportunity
Kentucky Cabinet For Health & Family Services was awarded
Kentucky Rural Health Transformation Plan: Improving Access & Outcomes
Cooperative Agreement RHTCMS332079
worth $212,905,591
from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in December 2026 with work to be completed primarily in Kentucky United States.
The grant
has a duration of 4 years 10 months and
was awarded through assistance program 93.798 .
The Cooperative Agreement was awarded through grant opportunity Rural Health Transformation Program.
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 1/5/26
Period of Performance
12/29/25
Start Date
10/30/30
End Date
Funding Split
$212.9M
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$212.9M
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
RHTCMS332079
SAI Number
RHTCMS332079-2895290668
Award ID URI
SAI UNAVAILABLE
Awardee Classifications
State Government
Awarding Office
75FCMC OFC OF ACQUISITION AND GRANTS MGMT
Funding Office
75FCME OFM – OFFICE OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.
Awardee UEI
LECJQDCLHVE5
Awardee CAGE
1M3S5
Performance District
KY-90
Senators
Mitch McConnell
Rand Paul
Rand Paul
Modified: 1/5/26