The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) submitted its application for $1 billion as part of the Rural Health Transformation Program. Since August, more than 200 partners have provided feedback to shape Wisconsin’s application. The application is the first step toward connecting partners in rural communities to promote equitable, efficient, and sustainable health systems throughout Wisconsin.
This $1 billion investment will focus on rural capacity, sustainability, and innovation across three major initiatives:
- Strengthen the rural health care workforce – $337 million. Recruiting and retaining an adequate health care workforce is a challenge in rural areas, making access to quality, timely care for rural residents difficult. This funding will provide grants for innovative workforce projects in rural communities, support career pathways for rural health care providers, and fund services provided by community health workers.
- Drive rural technology and innovation – $329 million. Rural Wisconsin needs the technology to support and reach residents, such as closed-loop referral systems and telehealth capabilities. This funding will invest in upgrades to rural provider systems, digital infrastructure, and develop a digital rural health care collaborative.
- Transform rural care through partnerships – $279 million. Rural Wisconsinites experience fragmented coordination across primary care, specialty care, behavioral health, chronic disease prevention, and community social supports. This funding will stand up a competitive grant program for rural regions to create coordinated systems of care where multi-sector partnerships show a clear path to sustainability.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will provide awardee decisions by December 31, 2025.
