Arizona

Arizona was awarded $166,988,956 in federal funds under RHTP to strengthen rural healthcare. Strategic focus areas include telehealth expansion, workforce development, EHR upgrades, and grants for behavioral health, chronic disease, and maternal health. The program phases include setup, implementation, and continuous improvement with ongoing stakeholder engagement.

Arizona was awarded $166 million for Year 1 of the Rural Health Transformation Program, the largest federal rural health innovation investment in state history. Major initiatives include workforce expansion, behavioral health, telehealth modernization, maternal health, and chronic disease prevention, with sub-awards allocated to targeted programs. Extensive stakeholder engagement shaped Arizona's application and ongoing governance structure.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) invites all U.S. States to apply for participation in the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program. The program will invest in rural health system transformation across five budget periods (2026-2030), supporting innovative care delivery models, workforce development, quality improvement, and technology upgrades to improve rural healthcare outcomes. Key contacts: MAHARural@cms.hhs.gov; Grants@cms.hhs.gov; Grants@cms.hhs.gov Event schedule: - Informational program introduction applicant webinar - September 19, 2025 - ET - program website - Informational program introduction applicant webinar - September 25, 2025 - ET - program website - Optional letter of intent deadline - September 30, 2025 - ET - Application submission deadline - November 5, 2025 - 11:59 PM ET - Expected award date - December 31, 2025 - Expected earliest start date - December 31, 2025 - Optional letter of intent due - 2025-09-30 - 23:59 ET - Application due - 2025-11-05 - 23:59 ET

The RHTP provides Arizona with an opportunity to receive at least $500 million in federal funding over five years to support rural hospitals and Medicaid transformation, with a possible additional allocation determined by rural population and facilities. This toolkit outlines how 'rural' is defined for program eligibility, summarizing the Goldsmith Modification, RUCA codes, and the latest data underlying Arizona’s rural designation. Arizona’s Governor’s Office is leading the RHTP planning response. Key contacts: Bryna Koch, DrPH brynak@arizona.edu Event schedule: - CMS approval deadline for State's RHTP Plan - 12/31/2025 - H.R. 1 signed into law - 07/04/2025

Arizona is planning to apply for up to $500 million over five years from the new federal Rural Health Transformation Program. The opportunity emphasizes technology, workforce, and quality improvement for rural hospitals and health providers. Final CMS decisions are due by December 31, 2025, with implementation to follow if approved. Key contacts: Dan Derksen, MD; Bryna Koch, DrPH Event schedule: - Deadline for CMS approval or denial of State RHTP proposals - 12/31/2025

This document is an RFI issued by the State of Arizona seeking stakeholder input on potential uses of Rural Health Transformation Program funds. It is for planning and information-gathering purposes and does not include any funding awards. Key contacts: Niki Large niki.large@azdoa.gov Event schedule: - Response Due - 09/30/2025 - 5:00 PM MT

Arizona’s RHTP proposes a $57 million/year initiative focused on strengthening rural workforce, improving access with telehealth and mobile care models, targeting maternal and chronic disease disparities, and introducing licensure compacts to address workforce and emergency service gaps. Strategic pillars include access, workforce recruitment and training, financial innovation, and tech modernization, with outcomes tracked through an integrated data system. By targeting high rural mortality, maternal health, and chronic disease rates, and prioritizing partnerships and legislative reforms, the Plan aims for measurable system transformation by 2031. Event schedule: - EMS/Physician Assistant Licensure Compact Legislation Introduction Deadline - 12/31/2027 - Arizona Legislature - Target for Full Compact Implementation - 2028 - Statewide - AzHIP Final Plan Expected - 2026-03-31 - Arizona - Priority Health Initiatives Grants Implementation Start - 2025-10-01 - Arizona - Program Midpoint Evaluation - 2027-09-30 - Arizona - Grant Closeout and Final Evaluation - 2031-09-30 - Arizona - Stage 0: Program design and agreements finalized - 2025-11-01 - Arizona - Stage 1: Grant awards and provider onboarding - 2026-02-01 - Arizona

This brief summarizes key maternal health gaps and opportunities in rural Arizona under the Rural Health Transformation Program authority. It identifies the highest maternal mortality rates among rural American Indian women, critical rural workforce shortages, limited hospital access to obstetrics, and outlines policy, payment, telehealth, and workforce strategies for transformation. It directly references new RHTP flexibilities under H.R.1 for expanding rural maternal health and outlines concrete recommendations for sustainable service access. Event schedule: - H.R.1 (OBBBA) Signed into Law - 07/04/2025 - Nationwide - Toolkit Published/Updated - 10/22/2025 - Arizona Center for Rural Health

This nationwide CMS summary profiles FY26 RHTP applications from Alabama through Louisiana. All states focus on multi-year, comprehensive rural health transformation. Major themes include maternal health, chronic disease management, workforce growth, telehealth and technology, and value-based care adoption. Explicit investment proposals by state are included, with most states committing to provider incentives, regional partnerships, and infrastructure expansion.

The AHCCCS 2025-2029 Strategic Plan emphasizes advancing whole-person care, reducing the uninsured rate, and improving provider satisfaction. Notable initiatives include the H2O program to connect housing and health resources and a modernization of the Medicaid Enterprise System to strengthen fraud, waste, and abuse oversight. Stakeholder engagement and data-driven targeting underpin efforts to enhance health outcomes for rural and Medicaid populations.

AzSHIP supports 14 of Arizona's 17 Critical Access Hospitals with funds focused on fiscal and quality improvement across value-based purchasing, accountable care organizations/shared savings, and prospective payment systems. The 2025 program emphasizes telehealth and health information technology training investments compared to prior years. Key contacts: Melissa Quezada melissaquezada@arizona.edu; Brianna Rooney, DrPH bcrooney@arizona.edu

Arizona's Rural Health Transformation Program for fiscal year 2026 proposes a total budget of approximately $167 million, with significant investments in workforce expansion, health priorities including behavioral health, maternal-fetal health, and chronic disease, and accessibility improvements such as telehealth and technology upgrades. Event schedule: - Document submission date - 01/30/2026

This notice outlines the Arizona DAP program for hospitals and CAHs for FY 2025, with eligibility and requirements tied to health information exchange, SDOH activity, naloxone readiness, and advance directive registry participation. Hospitals must meet detailed milestone dates to earn DAP adjustments on Medicaid payments. The program stresses data-sharing, SDOH integration, overdose prevention, and quality improvement.

AzSORH has been continuously funded since 1990 and provides infrastructure to address rural health challenges in Arizona through education, technical assistance, network development, workforce expansion, and data analysis. The program supports multiple modes of community engagement measured through contacts, webinars, newsletter distribution, and web visits. Key contacts: Jennifer Peters petersjs@arizona.edu; Daniel Derksen, MD dderksen@arizona.edu Event schedule: - AZSORH FIVE-YEAR SUMMARY: TO JUNE 30 FISCAL YEAR (FY) - JULY 1 - AZSORH ACTIVITYFY 2019FY 2020FY 2021FY 2022FY 2023

The Arizona Center for Rural Health implemented naloxone training and coordinated Community Health Workers and EMS to improve opioid overdose response. The program focuses on building capacity through education and collaboration. Key contacts: Alyssa Padilla, MPH alydilla@email.arizona.edu; Daniel Derksen, MD dderksen@email.arizona.edu; Elena Cameron ercameron@email.arizona.edu

Az3RNET connects healthcare professionals with rural job vacancies across multiple Arizona regions, offering a free service coordinated with a national network to support workforce recruitment and retention. The program facilitates job postings, approval, and access to a national pool of candidates. Key contacts: Joyce Hospodar hospodar@arizona.edu; Jennifer Peters petersjs@arizona.edu

Funded through a cooperative agreement with CMS and administered by AHCCCS in partnership with ADHS and OEO, the program targets 786,000 rural Arizonans facing critical healthcare shortages. It focuses on four investment areas: rural health workforce development, priority health initiatives, expanding access to care, and strengthening rural health systems. Grant opportunities begin in Spring 2026 with awards finalized by Summer 2026, supporting rural hospitals, Tribal health programs, community health centers, and other organizations. Event schedule: - RHTP Website Launch - March 27, 2026 - Phoenix, AZ - Grant Opportunities Begin - April 2026 - All Grant Opportunities Posted - May 2026 - Funding Awards Finalized - Summer 2026 - Year 1 Funding Fully Committed - October 30, 2026

The plan includes $57 million per year for five years to grow and retain the rural health workforce; $45 million per year to enhance access through telehealth, mobile clinics, and care coordination; $27 million per year for behavioral health, maternal-fetal health, and chronic illness initiatives; and $51 million per year to subsidize rural providers' fixed costs and reduce administrative burdens. The program was developed in consultation with a broad coalition of rural health stakeholders and focuses on workforce strategy, health care access, key health priorities, and resiliency.

Arizona’s RHTP focuses on four strategic goals: Rural Health Workforce Development, Priority Health Initiatives, Expanding Access to Care, and Strengthening Rural Health Systems, funded through targeted yearly investments. The program prioritizes Tribal Nations, rural providers, and community organizations with competitive and direct grant opportunities starting in Spring 2026 and full Year 1 commitment by October 2026. Key partners include 22 Federally recognized Tribal Nations, rural hospitals and clinics, universities, local health departments, and state agencies.