Kansas has built upon the work from Year 1 by opening a second round of funding opportunities for the Regional Partnerships Grant Program (RPGP), the Transformative Capital Investment (CAP) grant program, and the Community Health Worker + Accountable Food is Medicine (CHW+AFIM) program. The Emerging Technology grant program and the Anchor Hospital Advancement Program (AHAP), among other programs, will also receive funding following a successful first year. Several new RHTP projects will launch in Year 2, including the non-emergent medical transportation grant program, designed to help rural Kansans get to their medical appointments and the consumer facing technologies program, which will provide early-stage disease education, community resources, and care consultations for rural Kansans with Alzheimer’s.    

The RHTP is a $50 billion nationwide program established by House Resolution 1 in 2025. Over five years, states will receive annual funding based on rural health needs and transformative initiatives. Kansas’ plan includes 24 programs across five key initiatives: 

• Expand Primary and Secondary Prevention Programs 

• Secure Local Access to Primary Care 

• Build a Sustainable Rural Health Workforce 

• Enable Value-Based Care 

• Harness Data and Technology 

“We’ve taken great strides in Year 1 of the Rural Health Transformation Program to build a health care system that works for all Kansans – regardless of zip code – at a time when rural communities are particularly vulnerable and need support the most,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I am confident Year 2 of the RHTP will build upon the progress we’ve made to improve quality of and access to rural health care in our state.” 

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), in partnership with the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), the University of Kansas Health System Care Collaborative (CCA), the Kansas Rural Health Innovation Alliance (KRHIA), and other health organizations across the state, implemented Year 1 programs totaling $222 million, the sixth largest award in the country. Programs implemented in Year 1 include $98.7 million in grants to eligible providers and partners in rural communities for projects that will build new, and enhance existing, partnerships, help providers make improvements to their facilities and buy needed equipment, as well as implement proven technologies to improve care delivery.  

“The requirements to quickly identify and implement projects in Year 1 of the RHTP were challenging, but through effective collaboration, Kansas providers are well on their way to executing enhanced access to care close to home, and transforming the care delivery system for rural communities,” KDHE Secretary Janet Stanek said. “Year 2 focuses on building on that momentum and continuing to put these well-earned dollars to work to strengthen rural hospitals, clinics, long term care facilities, and other providers.”  

Behavioral health and disability services in rural areas are a key focus of the Kansas RHTP. In Year 1, Kansas launched a nursing facility pilot program for selected facilities to support services that manage complex behaviors and reduce inappropriate use of antipsychotic medication.  

“Year 1 has set the stage for us to continue transforming the way behavioral health and disability services in rural Kansas are supported through a more coordinated, collaborative system,” KDADS Secretary Laura Howard said. “By implementing better data sharing, transportation and resource networks, and embedding behavioral health intervention hubs in emergency departments, rural Kansans will have more access to these vital services.” 

The second year of the RHTP began Oct. 31, 2026, and will run through the end of October 2027.  

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This press release is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $225,896,116.63 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.