Virginia’s Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program is creating new opportunities to bring care closer to the communities that need it. Through investments in technology, infrastructure, and innovative care models, the program can help rural providers expand how and where care is delivered. Several current funding opportunities may be especially relevant to clinics and organizations using or exploring telehealth, remote patient monitoring, and hybrid models of care.
A New Investment in Rural Health
The RHT Program is a five-year, $50 billion federal initiative administered by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to strengthen rural health care. Virginia received approximately $189.5 million in first-year funding, with investments continuing across five budget periods through 2030.
Virginia’s RHT strategy is organized around four initiatives:
- Connected Care, Closer to Home focuses on expanding access to care through telehealth, mobile care, and hybrid care models, helping bring services closer to where rural residents live.
- CareIQ focuses on using technology, data, and interoperability to improve how providers access and exchange information and support more connected care.
- Rural Health Workforce focuses on strengthening and expanding the rural health workforce to help communities meet their health care needs.
- Community Vitality focuses on addressing broader factors that influence rural health and supporting stronger, healthier communities.
Together, these initiatives are intended to strengthen rural health care.
Strengthening Access Through Technology
Telehealth is an important part of Virginia’s RHT strategy for expanding access to care, particularly through the Connected Care, Closer to Home initiative. Recent RHT funding opportunities have included remote patient monitoring, mobile and hybrid care, electronic consultations, telehealth kiosks, and other technology-enabled approaches that can help providers reach patients beyond traditional clinical settings.
Together, these investments can help providers extend clinical capacity, connect patients with services closer to home, and make care more accessible in rural communities.
Current Opportunities for Providers
Virginia is releasing RHT funding opportunities on a rolling basis.
Two current opportunities may be particularly relevant to providers looking to expand access to care:
- Community Paramedicine: Supports alternative care delivery, chronic disease management, care transitions, preventive services, behavioral health, and care coordination. These models may also incorporate technology-enabled connections to additional providers and services.
- Innovative Maternal Care: Supports approaches to improve access to maternal health services, including mobile and technology-enabled care, care coordination, and regional partnerships.
Providers should check the Virginia RHT website for current opportunities and deadlines.
Looking Ahead
The RHT Program represents a significant investment in the future of rural health care in Virginia. For telehealth providers, it also creates an opportunity to think beyond individual virtual visits and consider how technology can become part of a sustainable care model.
As new opportunities become available, organizations should review the requirements and consider how they might fit with existing programs, community needs and long-term goals.
Learn more and view current funding opportunities: https://www.ruralhealthtransformationva.virginia.gov/.