Federal Grant Award Summary

The Billings Clinic Foundation received a $100,000 Project Grant award effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy under the Rural Healthcare Services Programs (CFDA 93.912). This Rural Health Network Development Planning grant supports the enhancement of patient progression strategies across the Billings Clinic Health Care Network, which serves Montana, Wyoming, and the Western Dakotas. The project delivers a comprehensive regional needs assessment and develops standardized policies and procedures designed to improve care coordination and patient transitions across network-affiliated critical access hospitals (CAHs). Key deliverables include establishing a standardized patient progression framework, improving post-acute care coordination, reducing health disparities for vulnerable populations including Native American communities and elderly rural residents, and minimizing transfer delays and readmission rates.

The initiative directly addresses fragmentation in rural healthcare delivery by creating structured approaches to patient transitions and developing long-term financial sustainability mechanisms for participating CAHs. Through collaboration with network participants, the project aims to overcome critical challenges including workforce shortages, geographic isolation, and inconsistent care continuity frameworks that currently limit access to specialized care in rural communities. The one-year planning period will establish the operational foundation necessary for implementing coordinated care coordination strategies across the multi-state network.