11/09/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/09/2026 15:38
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Department of Health is announcing the full list of Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) awards supporting 138 grantee projects to expand access to care and connect rural Tennesseans to better care closer to home.
"Tennessee is leading the way in transforming rural health care and ensuring families can access the services they need closer to home," Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said. "These locally-driven solutions will improve maternal and child health, expand access to care, and strengthen health outcomes in rural communities across our state. Through the Rural Health Transformation Program, we are building on Tennessee's commitment to helping every Tennessean live a healthy and productive life, no matter where they live."
RHTP funding to the 138 selected grantees will represent more than $422 million of total investment in rural health initiatives in Tennessee over the next five years of the grant program's lifecycle.
A detailed spreadsheet of the grant recipients, individual projects selected, and awarded project amounts is available on this page of the RHTP website.
Visit the RHTP website, select Plan and Strategy from the menu, for details and specifics on Tennessee's RHTP priorities and strategic focus areas.
"These locally led projects reflect a long-term team commitment to expand coordinated health care and services to address the unique needs of rural communities," Tennessee Health Commissioner Dr. John Dunn said. "By working with our General Assembly and Federal partners, we are investing in sustainable solutions to build a stronger rural health system that will improve health in Tennessee communities today and for years to come."
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services awarded Tennessee more than $206 million in late 2025 through the federal RHTP grant program. The nationwide program represents a five-year commitment of $50 billion to improve access to care, quality and health outcomes in rural communities across the country.
"The Trump Administration's Rural Health Transformation Program has a simple formula for success: state innovation backed by federal funds equals lasting improvements for rural communities," CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said. "Investing in locally driven solutions is an important step toward achieving that vision for rural Tennessee and CMS is excited to partner with states to build stronger, more resilient rural health systems."
Click for more information about the Rural Health Transformation Program, To receive notifications about RHTP funding opportunity announcements, sign up for email notifications.
The CMS and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are providing support for this project as part of a financial assistance award totaling $206,888,882.11, with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CMS/HHS or the U.S. Government.