Building Oregon’s Rural Health Transformation Program

Building Oregon's Rural Health Transformation Program

Oregon’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) has moved quickly from federal opportunity to active investment in rural communities. As a reminder, the RHTP is a cooperative agreement with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services through which Oregon will receive $197.3 million for the program’s first budget period.

Thanks to the work of staff, partners, award recipients and community leaders across the state, Oregon has secured funding, launched multiple award pathways, begun distributing dollars and created new opportunities for rural partners to connect and collaborate.

Program highlights

Multiple funding opportunities launched

Oregon’s first investments include a mix of direct funding and competitive grants designed to address immediate needs and support longer-term rural health transformation.

• Immediate Impact Awards for projects positioned to respond quickly to pressing rural health needs and directly support progress toward Year 1 targets, recognizing that timely implementation of these projects is critical to overall program success
• Catalyst Awards for larger projects focused on improving access, strengthening services and advancing rural health outcomes.
• Transformation Funds for eligible rural hospitals, certified rural health clinics, and local public health authorities in rural areas to support infrastructure, essential services and locally identified transformation activities.
• Tribal Initiative Awards under a set-aside for the Nine Federally Recognized Tribes of Oregon, to improve Tribal healthcare access and health outcomes in rural and remote Tribal communities, based on each individual Tribe’s identified needs.

OHA has announced Immediate Impact and Catalyst Award recipients and launched Tribal Initiative Awards and has begun getting dollars out the door to partners. Details about each of the awarded projects can be found in the awards section of the RHTP web page.

This marks an important shift from building the program to investing directly in rural communities and supporting partners as they put their projects into action.

CMS heard directly from rural partners

Oregon recently hosted a three-day visit with the program’s CMS project officers.

During the visit, rural partners shared their communities’ needs, strengths and plans for using the funding. Projects highlighted during the visit included efforts to:

• Expand access to rural eye care through a mobile nonprofit clinic.
• Increase home-visiting services for older adults who live alone.
• Provide early home-visiting services for families from childbirth through age 3.
• Expand or relocate rural clinics to improve safety, access and capacity.

These conversations helped connect federal funding and program requirements directly to the communities the program is intended to support.

Regional collaboration is taking shape

OHA has funded regional to foster collaboration among health care organizations, social service organizations, community partners, and local leaders. Organizations will be invited to join these conversations, and they can request invitations via the ORH website.

The convenings will create opportunities to:

• Build and strengthen regional partnerships.
• Share updates on rural health initiatives and community needs.
• Identify opportunities for collaboration and coordination.
• Discuss strategies for developing a coordinated regional approach to future RHTP funding opportunities.
• Develop grant applications for regionally identified RHTP grant proposals (by the end of Year 2 of the RHTP program).
• Provide peer learning and technical assistance for organizations planning or implementing rural health projects

The Oregon Office of Rural Health will also support outreach and regional engagement, including an upcoming vendor roadshow.

Additional information and registration links will be shared as planning . More details are available in this ORH press release.

Important reminders

Vendor interest form and database

OHA maintains a vendor interest form and vendor database to help rural health partners identify and connect with potential vendors.

Inclusion on the list, in the vendor roadshow, at a convening or in another program-sponsored activity does not represent OHA approval, endorsement, certification or preferred vendor status.

These resources are intended only to help rural health partners identify and connect with potential vendors. OHA is vendor-neutral and does not recommend or guarantee the qualifications, services or performance of any vendor listed.

Organizations are responsible for conducting their own review and following all applicable procurement, contracting, conflict-of-interest and funding requirements before selecting a vendor.

What comes next

In the coming months, OHA will continue:

• Distributing funds to award recipients.
• Supporting project implementation and reporting.
• Sharing program updates and guidance.
• Creating opportunities for partners to connect and learn from one another.
• Highlighting the work taking place across rural Oregon.

This progress reflects the expertise, time, patience and commitment of staff, applicants, award recipients, community partners and local leaders across the state.

Together, we are moving Oregon’s Rural Health Transformation Program from investment to impact.

This program newsletter 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 $197,271,577.67, with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents of this release are those of OHA and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CMS/HHS or the U.S. Government.