Rural Health Transformation Program: Public Comment Open for Connecticut’s Grant Application

The Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS), in collaboration with several other state agencies, is preparing Connecticut’s application for the Rural Health Transformation Program federal grant opportunity.  DSS is requesting public input that will contribute to shaping the state’s strategy to enhance health for residents in the state’s rural areas.  

Written public comments are due no later than Friday, October 3, 2025, with a preference for earlier submissions, as comments will be reviewed on a rolling basis.  For assistance, email Public.Comment.DSS@ct.gov.

Section 71401 of Public Law 119-21, or H.R. 1, creates a new Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP).  All 50 states can submit a one-time grant application to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).  Based on the federal law funding formula ($10 billion annually for five years, half split evenly across all states with approved applications and half allocated by CMS based on various factors), state officials anticipate that Connecticut, upon federal approval of the application, will receive at least $100 million per year for five years starting in 2026.

The state must submit a Rural Health Transformation Plan as part of its RHTP grant application, which must address the following topics:

• Improve access to hospitals, other healthcare providers, and healthcare items and services furnished to rural residents of the state
• Improve healthcare outcomes of rural residents of the state
• Prioritize the use of new and emerging technologies that emphasize prevention and chronic disease management
• Initiate, foster, and strengthen local and regional strategic partnerships between rural hospitals and other healthcare providers to promote measurable quality improvement, increase financial stability, maximize economies of scale, and share best practices in care delivery
• Enhance economic opportunity for, and the supply of, healthcare clinicians through enhanced recruitment and training
• Prioritize data and technology-driven solutions that help rural hospitals and other rural healthcare providers furnish high-quality healthcare services as close to a patient’s home as possible
• Outline strategies to manage long-term financial solvency and operating models of rural hospitals in the state
• Identify specific causes driving the accelerating rate of stand-alone rural hospitals becoming at risk of closure, conversion, or service reduction

Click here to access the public comment form.