Assistant Secretary Kelly Crosby said North Carolina licensed its 100th opioid treatment program and secured $2 million in recurring funding to support medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in jails, and highlighted new opioid‑settlement and rural health dollars to expand MOUD in FQHCs and mobile units.

Board members learned that the state has signaled approval of a certificate of need that clears the way for MRI services, received progress reports on the new campus and staffing gains, and were told rural health-transformation funding decisions for seven proposals are expected by mid-May.

Department heads reported regional Grow Indiana (RHTP) awards: EMS reported $274,306.88 for a mobile integrated health program (vehicle and position) and the health department reported $99,152.44 for rural health transformation work; council agreed to consider formal acceptance on the record after reviewing the proposed grant-funded position policy.

The committee referred a proposed multi‑year, federally funded $22.5 million contract with Findhelp (Aunt Bertha) to expand the Tennessee Community Compass closed‑loop referral system to the Sept. 24 meeting after members raised questions about sole‑source procurement, costs, and overlap with the public directory.

Superintendent Dr. Solito told the committee the district will receive a significant, embargoed award from a federal/state rural health transformation program to expand biomedical career pathways; he said the program will bring over $5,000,000 to Rhode Island rural districts but details are still confidential.

Secretary Bullard told the House Appropriations subcommittee the Health Care Authority’s $494.747 million state request mixes replenishing depleted cash reserves with funding for rural health transformation and managed-care obligations; he warned the agency is "a bad flu hiccup away from not having cash flow."

Executives described outreach to state legislators and multiple grant tracks — including an HRSA networking grant and a March 11 LOI deadline for rural health transformation funds — and said they will seek shared credentialing and group‑purchase arrangements with three Alaska critical‑access hospitals.

Lawmakers discussed House Joint Resolution 32 asking Alaska's governor and congressional delegation to seek more time and flexibility from CMS so the state can pass and implement multiple bills tied to Rural Health Transformation Program funding; members debated priorities, implementation capacity and language on sustainable financing.

Tribal, hospital and primary‑care representatives told a joint legislative health committee Alaska received $272 million in year‑one RHTP funding and urged projects that maximize access while stressing sustainability, CMS deadlines and unanswered eligibility questions.

Petersburg Medical Center presented a phased replacement-campus plan, condition-report findings describing the existing facility in "managed decay," and a funding strategy that leans on grants and the state's rollout of Rural Health Transformation Program funding, which Alaska has been awarded for distribution.

Central District Health Department staff told the Hall County board they earned national accreditation and are pursuing Rural Health Transformation Project grants to expand community health workers, oral-health services and strategic stockpile capacity.

LB912 would give DHHS authority to endorse community health worker (CHW) training that meets statewide core competencies; proponents said endorsement will standardize training, expand workforce mobility, and help unlock federal funding tied to rural health transformation.

Sandra DePalma of the American Academy of Physician Associates told the board peer-reviewed studies and state reviews find no increase in malpractice payments or patient harm after relaxing supervision or practice-agreement requirements, and tied favorable practice environments to Rural Health Transformation funding opportunities.

State Health & Welfare presenters outlined the first-year Rural Health Transformation cooperative agreement (~$195 million), explained CMS approval requirements, described a 15% cap on provider payments that held several projects, and reiterated obligation and spending deadlines.

VSAC leaders told the House Health Care committee that demand for state-administered forgivable loans and scholarships outstrips current funding; the governor's proposed budget omits some line items and VSAC is exploring how rural health transformation dollars might or might not substitute.

VSAC told the House Appropriations Committee it funded 176 nursing forgivable-loan recipients last year with $3.2 million from Global Commitment, requested an additional $2 million to meet demand, and urged swift action on a $195 million rural health transformation grant because of 'use-it-or-lose-it' timing constraints.

Agency of Human Services told the Senate Health & Welfare committee that Vermont won a $195 million award from CMS’s Rural Health Transformation grant but federal guidance on who qualifies and how funds may be spent remains incomplete; providers urged clarity on eligibility for Chittenden County and on sustainability for one‑time projects.

The Bipartisan Policy Center will host a webinar June 30 from 11 a.m. to noon EDT on how states are leveraging funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) to strengthen rural health...

Texas will get the biggest portion of the first rollout of the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program, which was created in tandem with legislation slashing Medicaid funding.