Gov. Gianforte, DPHHS Announce $3.63 Million to Expand EMS Care in Rural Montana

Governor's Office

HELENA, Mont. - Governor Greg Gianforte and Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) Director Charlie Brereton today announced a $3.63 million investment across 17 rural Montana emergency medical services (EMS) agencies to improve access to non-emergency health services.

"Through the Rural Health Transformation Fund, President Donald J. Trump and Administrator Oz are directly addressing the health needs of rural Montana," Gov. Gianforte said. "This $3.63 million investment will support 17 EMS agencies in bringing care into Montanans' homes, helping patients manage chronic conditions, and connecting them to critical health services. We're grateful for the Trump administration's ongoing commitment to our rural and frontier communities."

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz highlighted Montana's work to expand community integrated health services as an example of the Rural Health Transformation Program's (RHTP) goals in action.

"The Trump Administration's Rural Health Transformation Program is based on one simple idea: your access to quality health care shouldn't depend on your ZIP code," Dr. Oz said. "Funding new approaches to expand community integrated health services is an important step toward achieving that vision for rural Montana, and I look forward to seeing RHTP dollars support equally transformative innovations for rural communities nationwide."

The funding will support new or expanded community integrated health (CIH) services in rural and frontier communities. CIH brings care to patients in their homes, providing health care access that overcomes barriers such as lack of transportation and limited patient mobility.

EMS professionals with a CIH endorsement can carry out patient care plans under medical director oversight, extending the reach of a patient's primary care team. These plans can include in-home clinical services to help manage chronic and acute conditions, along with transportation assistance and support for social needs. Together, these services can improve access to care, support healthier communities, and reduce preventable emergencies.

For example, CIH professionals can provide in-home care such as post-discharge follow-up, fall risk assessments, wound care, laboratory blood draws, point-of-care testing, and resource navigation. They can also help address chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes by providing education, monitoring, and appropriate treatment.

The 17 agencies receiving funding are: Sheridan Memorial, Plentywood; City Of Billings; Vitology EMS, Kalispell; Madison Valley EMS, Ennis; Logan Health, Shelby; Prairie County Ambulance; Bitterroot Health, Hamilton; Central Valley Fire, Belgrade; City of Livingston; Billings Clinic, Broadwater; Wibaux County Health; Red Lodge Fire Rescue; Interstate Medical Transport, Deer Lodge; Central Montana Medical Center, Lewistown; Jefferson Valley EMS, Whitehall; Seeley Lake Fire Rescue; and Dahl Memorial, Ekalaka.

The awards were made through the DPHHS Community Integrated Health Pilot Site Grant for fiscal year 2026, with funding amounts based on each agency's grant application request and demonstrated need.

Agencies may use the funding for new or expanded full-time positions, mileage for CIH visits and patient transportation, essential CIH equipment and supplies, as well as clinical integration and other resource needs such as continuing education, software for clinical EHR integration, other operational and infrastructure costs, and outreach and patient education materials.

"This pilot is a critical link between underserved Montanans and health care services," Dir. Brereton said. "Front-line providers such as EMTs and paramedics, many of them volunteers, will be able to do more for people with chronic conditions such as asthma and diabetes by meeting patients where they are."

Eligible agencies must be located in or serve rural Montana and be able to operate a CIH program. Agencies serving rural or frontier areas with an active or past CIH program received priority consideration.

The Rural Health Transformation Program is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of a financial assistance award totaling $233,509,358.76, with 100% 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.

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