Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced that the State of Florida has been awarded $209 million through the federal Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) this week. The funding will specifically help the state's health care by prioritizing workforce, innovation, and access in underserved rural areas.
Florida's funding was also made possible by a $50 billion initiative under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed in July.
“Our Agency, thanks to the leadership of Governor DeSantis and President Trump, has ample tools in our toolbox that will help in enhancing health care in our rural communities and bolstering the support families need,”Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Shevuan Harris said in a release. “This award reflects the voices of our providers, stakeholders, and rural communities who told us what they need most, and we are laser focused on creating lasting impacts in our rural communities by building a stronger workforce, leveraging innovation, and expanding access to care. These investments will deliver sustainable improvements for rural families across Florida.”
According to the release, the funding will do the following:
- Strengthen clinical training and rural rotations.
- Give start-up funding for rural and satellite clinics.
- Invest in mobile health units, including patient monitoring, behavioral health telehubs, and advanced telespecialty services.
“Every family in Florida should have access to high-quality care regardless of their zip code, and no one should have to travel long distances to access the care that they need,” Safety Net Hospital Alliance CEO Justin Senior.“These funds will improve access and care in rural communities where there is often a shortage of providers. Our hospitals specialize in providing the highest level of care to patients regardless of their ability to pay, and we support rural communities and getting families the care that they need as close to home as possible. Investments like this are a huge help.”
George E. Weems Memorial CEO David Walker added, "For rural hospitals, this funding is a lifeline. "Telehealth, mobile health units, and care coordination will help us keep patients local, reduce unnecessary transfers, and provide the kind of care our communities deserve."
