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…

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services awarded a Cooperative Agreement of $638.716 billion to the Health Services Kentucky Cabinet For on December 29, 2025, under the Rural Health Transformation Program (CFDA 93.798) to support five care innovation models addressing chronic disease, maternal health, behavioral health crises, dental access, and emergency services across rural Kentucky through October 30, 2030. The Rural Community Hubs for Chronic Care Innovation model reduces obesity and diabetes rates through evidence-based, community-led prevention strategies. The Powering Maternal and Infant Health model increases timely perinatal care in maternity care deserts using coordinated, telehealth-enabled teams. The Rapid Response to Recovery model expands integrated, technology-enabled crisis care from community response to long-term support, incorporating mobile crisis intervention and telehealth. The Rooted in Health initiative addresses dental access gaps in rural areas. A fifth model, titled Kentucky Rural Dental Access Pro, appears truncated in source materials but aligns with the dental access priority.

Work is performed statewide in Kentucky. The Health Services Kentucky Cabinet For, a state government entity headquartered in Frankfort, holds the award as prime recipient. The Cabinet passed sub-awards effective July 1, 2026, to multiple sub-recipients including county and district health departments (Madison County, Barren River District, KY River District, Greenup County, Muhlenberg County, Christian County, Pike County, Lewis County, Purchase District, Green River District, Bracken County, and Northern Kentucky Independent District Health Department), the University of Kentucky Research Foundation, the University of Louisville Office of Research & Innovation, and the Appalachian Kentucky Health Care Access Network Inc. These sub-recipients deliver public health services including WIC administration, HIV surveillance and prevention, immunizations, family planning, maternal and child health, emergency preparedness, epidemiology, cancer screening, and opioid response programs across their respective service areas.

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 kentuckian 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