Georgia rural enhancement and transformation of health (great health) program is a grant to support value-based care uptake in the state of georgia; by strengthening the healthcare access, workforce

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services awarded the Georgia Department of Community Health a $1.427 billion cooperative agreement on December 29, 2025, under the Rural Health Transformation Program (CFDA 93.798) to execute the Georgia Rural Enhancement and Transformation of Health (GREAT HEALTH) program over five years through October 30, 2030.

The program delivers five core initiatives to transform rural healthcare delivery and access in Georgia. The first initiative prepares rural healthcare facilities and providers to qualify for the CMS Achieving Healthcare Efficiency through Accountable Design (AHEAD) model for hospitals and AHEAD primary care programs, including readiness assessment, gap identification, and technical assistance to address strategic gaps and mitigate fiscal risk. Additional initiatives address healthcare workforce development, value-based care adoption, technology-driven innovation, and systems-level improvements that maintain patient focus while improving quality and accessibility in rural communities.

The Georgia Department of Community Health administers the award and passes funding to multiple state agencies and private partners, including the State Office of Rural Health, Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce, Department of Public Health, Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, Department of Human Services, University System of Georgia, Georgia EMS Association/Georgia Ambulance Providers Association, Side by Side, Sharecare, Deloitte, and RSM.

Performance occurs statewide in Georgia. Of the total budget, $875.448 million has been obligated.

Abstract

Organization: georgia department of community health sub-recipients: state office of rural health, georgia board of health care workforce, department of public health, department of behavioral health and developmental disabilities, department of human services, university system of georgia, side by side, georgia EMS association/georgia ambulance providers association, sharecare, deloitte, RSM project goals: all five rural health transformation goals as specified in the nofo total budget amount: $1,427,778,682 over five years description: georgia's rural enhancement and transformation of health (great health) program will bring about a transformation of health in rural georgia. Achieving this vision means rural populations are healthier, live longer, have an improved quality of life, and can both live and work in the communities they love; rural places have healthcare that is high quality, more abundant, more accessible, and more effective; and rural progress creates systems-level change that leverages technology, drives innovation, and improves quality, while maintaining a patient focus. The great health program will do this through five initiatives: 1. Transforming for a sustainable health system focuses on preparing rural healthcare facilities and providers to qualify for the achieving healthcare efficiency through accountable design (AHEAD) model for hospitals and AHEAD primary care programs from CMS to align with the georgia vision of rural progress. As part of this initiative, the great health program will focus time and resources to working collaboratively with healthcare facilities and leaders to assess readiness, identify gaps, and provide technical assistance. Other parts of this initiative will address strategic gaps and mitigate fiscal risk that could cause some facilities and providers to delay engagement in these reforms. Georgia intends to apply in 2026 to be a part of the AHEAD program beginning in 2028. Many of the strategies outlined across initiatives will support the care delivery and financial situations of rural providers to ensure long-term, meaningful participation in AHEAD. 2. Strengthening the continuum of care includes nine strategies that focus on addressing rural-specific behavioral health concerns, improving infrastructure related to emergency preparedness to mitigate injury and trauma risks, improving public health initiatives related to newborn screenings and interhospital transportation, expanding support for acquired brain injury survivors, and increasing access to nutrition services for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and pregnant women. 3. Connecting to care to improve healthcare access includes six strategies that align with the vision of increasing access in rural places to ensure rural residents have more opportunities for preventative, primary, specialty, dental, and behavioral healthcare. 4. Growing a highly skilled healthcare workforce includes five strategies grounded in increasing and incentivizing healthcare workers to practice in rural georgia. This is directly associated with the vision for rural populations in rural places through expanded scholarship and GME programs and establishing rural recruitment incentives. 5. Leveraging technology for healthcare innovation consists of eight technology-based strategies that will scale up innovation with a focus on improving care delivery, aligning with the vision of advancing rural progress, through technological advances in cybersecurity, robotics, electronic medical records, artificial intelligence, and more