States are earmarking specific slices of their Rural Health Transformation Program dollars for technology upgrades, service expansions and workforce pipeline development.
CMS has announced 54 such efforts since August. Each state’s full fiscal year 2026 award was set in December 2025, when CMS approved $50 billion in Rural Health Transformation Program funding across all 50 states. Some entries are specific initiatives within a state’s award; others are CMS announcing that a state has committed its full fiscal year 2026 amount. States are listed in alphabetical order.
Alabama — $144 million and $55 million. CMS said Aug. 24 the $144 million in funding will improve mental health, substance abuse, emergency and maternal care, and help rural providers modernize their technology and cybersecurity. The agency announced another $55 million in funds Oct. 1 to support 35 grants to expand access to maternal, emergency and preventive care. Projects will help at least 20 rural hospitals add emergency labor and delivery resources and expand maternal-fetal medicine through new telehealth capabilities, among other efforts.
Alaska — nearly $249 million. The funding will support the development of a drone prescription delivery program, robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgical program, and a new residential treatment and recovery campus in the state, among other initiatives, according to an Aug. 25 news release. On Oct. 22, CMS announced nearly $249 million for 254 projects that will expand maternal and child health services, strengthen the rural health workforce and bring new technology to village clinics, completing the state’s Year 1 funding cycle.
Arkansas — $149.3 million and $54.6 million. CMS said Aug. 31 the nearly $150 million in funding will expand telehealth and increase access to specialty care and preventive screenings. On Sept. 24, CMS announced another $54.6 million was being distributed to support 54 projects on nutrition, physical activity and chronic disease management, along with recruiting, training and retaining the rural healthcare workforce. CMS said the announcement completes Arkansas’ initial Year 1 award cycle.
California — more than $233 million. CMS announced Oct. 29 that California has committed its full fiscal year 2026 award to regional care networks and telehealth, partnerships with midwives, doulas and community health workers for maternal and primary care, workforce training pathways, and technology and infrastructure upgrades.
Colorado — $169.6 million. The funding will support 91 grantees and roughly 250 projects, including expanded telemedicine and mobile clinics, behavioral, maternal and pediatric care, and pre-hospital whole-blood transfusion capability for rural EMS providers across 39 counties, according to a Sept. 28 news release.
Connecticut — $50 million. CMS announced Sept. 17 the funding will go toward helping four rural hospital systems upgrade equipment, renovate facilities, expand service capacity and stabilize essential infrastructure, building on more than $7 million previously announced for prevention and physical activity in rural communities.
Delaware — nearly $23 million and more than $1 million. The $23 million in funding will help the state’s three federally qualified health centers modernize EHRs, add remote patient monitoring and cybersecurity upgrades, and deploy two new mobile health units and a passenger van for rural and agricultural communities. On Oct. 14, CMS announced more than $1 million to recruit and retain physicians, including two educational awards for medical students and an expected 61 housing and relocation awards for residents who commit to five years of practice in rural Delaware.
Florida — $193.7 million. CMS announced Oct. 23 the funding will go to 45 organizations to expand telemedicine, remote patient monitoring, pharmacy-based services, diagnostic kiosks and community paramedicine, supported by more than 500 partnerships among the awardees.
Georgia — nearly $219 million. CMS announced Aug. 27 that the $93.3 million in funding will expand telehealth services and advance surgical robotics. On Oct. 23, CMS announced that Georgia has committed its full nearly $219 million award across five initiatives, including mobile clinics and telehealth pods, maternal, pediatric, behavioral and preventive care, clinician training, residencies and incentives, and EMR and cybersecurity upgrades at rural hospitals.
Hawaii — $58 million. The funding will support workforce transformation efforts, new ambulances and upgraded emergency communications systems across the state, according to a Sept. 1 news release.
Idaho — nearly $186 million. CMS announced Oct. 28 that Idaho has committed its full fiscal year 2026 award across five initiatives, including telehealth, cybersecurity and EHR modernization; community health workers and EMS professionals to bring services into homes; workforce training, recruitment and retention; programs for chronic disease, behavioral health and maternal and child health; and facility and equipment improvements.
Indiana — $120 million. The funding will expand maternal and infant health services, along with primary and behavioral healthcare access in the state, CMS said Sept. 3.
Iowa — $209 million. CMS announced Oct. 9 that Iowa has committed its full fiscal year 2026 award to its Healthy Hometowns initiative, which will fund robotic-assisted orthopedic surgery at rural hospitals, the state’s first Maternal-Fetal Medicine Telehealth Network, cancer prevention and screening, EMS technology, and health information exchange tools connecting more than 100 facilities.
Kansas — $16.8 million. The Trump administration announced Sept. 14 that $16 million will fund emerging technology grants for 14 rural providers to adopt diagnostic tools and remote patient monitoring, with the remaining $780,000 going to an interfacility transport project to speed patient access to specialty and behavioral care.
Louisiana — $37.7 million. The funding will bolster rural workforce efforts, including up to $20 million to connect public universities and community and technical colleges with rural providers, $12.7 million to help 53 rural providers recruit and retain clinicians through incentives like sign-on bonuses and relocation assistance, and $5 million for healthcare career pathways across 39 campuses, according to an Oct. 9 news release.
Maryland — $16.4 million. CMS announced Oct. 19 the funding will train Marylanders for healthcare jobs, expand registered apprenticeships, reduce financial barriers to training and certification, and help rural communities recruit and retain clinicians.
Michigan — $25 million. The funding will modernize healthcare technology, expand telehealth and remote patient monitoring capabilities, and improve high-speed internet connectivity in rural areas, according to a Sept. 4 news release.
Mississippi — $104 million and $32 million. The initial $104 million in funding will support 167 grants: 97 grants totaling about $47.4 million for technology modernization and cybersecurity, 43 grants totaling nearly $43.3 million to close care gaps in surgical, specialty and maternal services, and 27 grants totaling nearly $13.4 million to expand telehealth and remote patient monitoring, according to a Sept. 15 news release. On Oct. 21, CMS announced another $32 million for 60 awards to recruit and retain rural physicians and other clinicians, expand clinical training and career pathways, and establish three psychiatric emergency units next to hospital emergency departments.
Missouri — more than $45 million and more than $2.3 million. CMS announced Sept. 22 the $45 million in funding includes about $35 million for 20 rural hospital projects covering facility improvements and new diagnostic equipment, up to $6.4 million to connect rural providers with behavioral health and perinatal specialists, and up to $4.2 million to train 437 people as EMTs and paramedics and help rural agencies hire and retain certified staff. On Oct. 13, CMS announced more than $2.3 million, including $1.46 million to expand a cost-sharing childcare program for rural healthcare workers and $879,000 to start Missouri’s first certified nurse midwife training program.
Montana — $8.7 million and $3.63 million. The $8.7 million in funding will provide new ambulances for four rural EMS agencies and equipment upgrades for 75 more, including three tribal governments, CMS said Sept. 29. On Oct. 16, CMS announced $3.63 million in awards to 17 rural EMS agencies to expand community integrated health services, such as post-discharge follow-up, fall risk assessments and wound care delivered in patients’ homes.
Nebraska — more than $177 million. The state has used the funding to secure signed recruitment and retention contracts with providers across 51 counties, add remote monitoring technology at 45 healthcare facilities and create more than 200 new community health worker and supervisor positions across the state, CMS said Oct. 13.
New Hampshire — more than $11 million. CMS announced Oct. 16 the funding, awarded through the state’s GO-NORTH program, will create and expand Mobile Integrated Health programs in rural communities and support partnerships among municipalities, EMS agencies and rural hospitals to improve coordination and ease workforce and call-volume pressures on EMS.
New Mexico — $74 million. The funding will support the creation of six regional hubs to coordinate with local providers and community partners on expanding specialty, maternal, behavioral health and chronic disease services in rural, frontier and tribal communities, according to a Sept. 21 news release.
New York — $76 million. CMS said Sept. 4 the funding will strengthen coordination among rural hospitals, primary care providers, federally qualified health centers and behavioral health providers, and expand clinical training programs for the rural workforce.
North Carolina — $1.25 million, $20 million and $17 million. The $1.25 million in funding announced Sept. 14 will expand school-based health centers, telehealth and mobile care for children in rural communities, building on a previously announced $10 million for 39 local EMS agencies to strengthen the rural EMS workforce and behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment access. On Sept. 30, CMS announced an additional $20 million in funding to eligible healthcare providers for telehealth expansion, EHR upgrades, cybersecurity and clinical decision-support technology. CMS announced another $17 million in funding Oct. 7 to expand mental health and substance use disorder services for rural residents.
North Dakota — $1 million. The funding will launch the state’s Coordinating and Connecting Care initiative, which will identify gaps, improve communication and strengthen coordination of healthcare services, according to an Aug. 20 news release.
Ohio — $3.15 million and $92 million. The initial $3.15 million in funding will expand pharmacy connectivity and care coordination across the state, CMS said Aug. 26. On Oct. 16, CMS announced $92 million in funding, including $31.4 million for coordinated rural care networks, $30.3 million to improve maternal care and $30.3 million for equipment and facility upgrades at 22 rural hospitals, such as a new behavioral health unit and on-site MRI services.
Pennsylvania — $35 million. CMS said Aug. 19 the funding will support new screening technology, additional operating rooms and expanded medical transportation for rural providers.
Rhode Island — $5.48 million. CMS announced Sept. 4 that the funding will expand career and technical education in healthcare fields at 14 local education agencies and schools, building student pathways into nursing, EMS, behavioral health and other high-demand professions.
South Carolina — $167 million. CMS announced Sept. 17 the funding will support 228 grants for pop-up healthcare locations, mobile vans, new clinics and school-based mental health services, along with health IT upgrades such as EHRs, digital intake and remote monitoring, a cybersecurity upgrade at a rural hospital, a specialized obstetrical surgical robot and local 24-hour pharmacy kiosks.
South Dakota — $90 million, $13 million and $7.2 million. The initial $90 million in funding will support health IT modernization, cybersecurity upgrades and interoperability improvements across rural and tribal communities, according to an Aug. 19 news release. On Sept. 24, CMS announced an additional $13 million that will support 12 modernization and infrastructure grants for providers in the state’s Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic initiative, building toward a same-day 24/7 mobile crisis response service for residents needing substance use and mental healthcare. CMS announced a third funding distribution of $7.2 million to expand ambulance-based telemedicine and upgrade emergency communications across South Dakota.
Texas — $51 million, $78 million, more than $8 million and $87 million. CMS announced Sept. 28 the $51 million in funding will support 68 rural hospital districts and authorities through the state’s Make Rural Texans Healthy Again initiative, backing community-based prevention, wellness and nutrition programs targeting diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease and obesity. On Oct. 15, CMS announced $78 million for 216 rural providers through Rural Texas Strong to prevent and manage chronic disease, recruit and retain clinicians, and upgrade equipment and facilities. CMS announced another more than $8 million for 28 providers Oct. 22, and on Oct. 29 it announced $87 million for 129 providers to prevent and manage chronic conditions, recruit and retain physicians and emergency personnel, replace aging medical equipment and improve facilities.
Vermont — $11.7 million. CMS announced Sept. 10 that Vermont is committing $9 million to tuition benefits for healthcare professionals who commit to five years in rural communities, with the remaining $2.7 million split between expanding capacity at three rural nursing homes and training more licensed nursing assistants at four community partner sites.
Virginia — $122 million. The funding will be used to expand healthcare access, workforce development and innovation initiatives statewide, according to an Aug. 28 news release.
West Virginia — $4.2 million, $4.8 million and more than $19 million. CMS announced Aug. 20 that the funding will expand medical transportation options for patients and improve access to care. On Sept. 9, CMS announced two additional $2.4 million awards: one for a statewide recruitment and relocation program aiming to bring in at least 125 licensed healthcare professionals in its first year, and another through the state’s Health to Prosperity initiative to expand worksite clinics and employer-based preventive care. On Oct. 30, CMS announced more than $19 million through 11 awards for mobile health units, drone delivery of time-critical medical supplies, remote eye care and patient monitoring, nursing education and apprenticeship programs, and secure systems for sharing health data.
Wyoming — $205 million. CMS announced Oct. 23 that Wyoming has committed its full fiscal year 2026 award, including $91.8 million for emergency care such as labor and delivery, EMS and trauma services, $56.3 million to train nurses, EMTs, behavioral health workers and physicians, $38.6 million for its Make Wyoming Healthy Again initiative and $16.9 million for technology.
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