Kentucky

Kentucky Rural Health Transformation Program announces upcoming funding opportunities for EMS expansion, workforce development in dental hygiene, and community health hubs to improve rural health outcomes. Requests For Applications (RFAs) will be released soon.

This application enables Kentucky EMS agencies to apply for federal FY27 funding to either establish new or expand existing community paramedicine programs under the Rural Health Transformation Program. The program emphasizes integration with behavioral health systems and community partners to address rural unmet needs, divert non-emergent 911 calls, and improve population health. Awardees must provide demographic, service, and technology details, a detailed implementation timeline, and agree to extensive reporting and evaluation. Key contacts: Jimmie Hampton jimmie.hampton@ky.gov Event schedule: - Application Deadline - 06/12/2026

Kentucky received $212.9 million in FY2026 for the state’s rural health transformation, with a strong emphasis on modernizing and expanding EMS training and mobile skills programs. Funding is available to EMS agencies for hands-on and mobile training equipment, workforce expansion, and the development of community-based EMS education. Technical assistance, application support, and program reporting are provided to ensure sustainable impact. Key contacts: Jimmie Hampton jimmie.hampton@ky.gov; Bob Andrew bob.andrew@ky.gov Event schedule: - Submission Deadline - 06/12/2026 - 5:00 PM ET

This document is a budget worksheet for RHTP subrecipient applicants, detailing required budget line items and narratives for personnel, fringe, travel, equipment, supplies, training, consultants, contracts, and other costs. It provides instructions and computation examples, but does not identify recipients, award amounts, or application year. The worksheet ensures compliance with non-supplantation rules and standard federal grant budgeting procedures.

Kentucky's RHTP is a multi-year statewide initiative currently in the implementation planning phase as of January 2026. The program aims to improve rural health through coordinated statewide efforts, with future competitive procurement opportunities pending.

This summary presents high-level application details for multiple states requesting RHTP funding for FY26, with federal amounts ranging from $150M to $272M per state. All highlight major structural rural health barriers, with strategies including expanding workforce training, advancing telehealth, supporting maternal care, addressing chronic disease, and value-based payment reform. All states emphasize hospital support, technology modernization, and improved rural population health outcomes, paired with select state policy commitments, e.g., SNAP waivers, licensure compacts, and nutrition CME.

This document is a federal award announcement for the Kentucky Rural Health Transformation Plan, funded under the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025. The award, totaling $212,905,590.56, is managed as a cooperative agreement with CMS, with required milestones, reporting, and revised budget submission for the first budget period. The period of performance spans December 29, 2025, to October 30, 2030, and includes fiscal and progress report requirements tied to CMS oversight.

Kentucky's RHTP application proposes five interrelated statewide initiatives: rural chronic care hubs, maternal health community teams, behavioral health crisis and telehealth system, rural dental innovation, and rural EMS/trauma reform. Major themes include technology-enabled care, workforce pipeline expansion, integrated data interoperability, and sustainable financing models. These strategies align directly with RHTP transformation aims and target current leading health gaps impacting rural Kentuckians.

Kentucky’s RHTP launches five interrelated initiatives including Rural Community Hubs for Chronic Care Innovation, PoWERing Maternal and Infant Health, Rapid Response to Recovery with the EmPATH model, Rooted in Health for rural dental access, and Crisis to Care integrated EMS response. The plan emphasizes innovation, technology-enabled care, and workforce recruitment pipelines to build a resilient, integrated, and technology-forward rural health system. Funding is provided through a $212.9 million CMS grant covering FY2026–FY2030.