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Overview
The Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to Make Rural Nebraska Healthy Again. Nebraska's Keep Care Local initiatives aim to strengthen healthcare across the state by expanding access to high-quality services and helping individuals and families receive timely, coordinated care closer to home. Keeping care local supports healthier communities, strengthens rural healthcare systems, and allows Nebraskans to stay connected to their families, support networks, and trusted local providers throughout their care journey.
Community Health Workers (CHWs) will work with Local Health Departments (LHDs) and tribal organizations supporting care coordination with rural hospitals or facilities to strengthen prevention and care navigation in rural communities. CHWs help connect people with a regular healthcare provider or clinic for ongoing care, support patients in managing chronic diseases by providing education and checking in remotely for non-emergency needs, and coordinate communication between primary care providers, behavioral health specialists, and maternal health services.
Nebraska will develop a formal CHW certification pathway and maintain a statewide registry, defining core competencies and specialized endorsements such as home visiting and lactation support. If you are interested in becoming a CHW, reach out to your local health department.
Remote Patient Monitoring and Assistive Technologies will help Nebraskans safely remain at home, support independent living, improve chronic disease management, connect patients with care teams through real-time data, improve access to care in rural communities, and reduce health care costs.
Veteran Electronic Health Record Coordination will improve care coordination and timely access to care for veterans by connecting rural veterans with VA facilities and local rural hospitals and clinics through the External Provider Scheduling system.
Critical Access Hospitals and Rural Emergency Hospital Support will preserve and support essential health services and strengthen rural health care infrastructure.
Modification of Existing Clinical Facilities for Crisis Stabilization Centers will provide funding for equipment and enhancements to hospitals and behavioral health providers to expand crisis response, stabilization, and substance use withdrawal services in rural areas.
Perinatal Regionalization will improve health outcomes for mothers and babies by organizing Nebraska's maternal and neonatal care system into a coordinated regional network that expands timely access to specialized care, strengthens rural referral pathways, and supports local providers through teleconsultation with maternal-fetal medicine specialists.
Technology-Enhanced Pharmacy Services will strengthen rural pharmacy access and chronic disease management through a digital medication management app, pharmacist incentives, medication reviews, prescription synchronization, adherence support, and early identification of high-risk patients.
Assisted Living Facility Modernization Grants will strengthen Nebraska's long-term care system by modernizing specialized memory care environments, improving safety, enhancing quality of life, and delivering better care outcomes for individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.
Incentive Payments for Memory Care and Complex Care will strengthen access to specialized memory care services in rural Nebraska communities by helping facilities meet the increased staffing, care coordination, and service demands associated with higher-acuity residents while encouraging residents to remain in their local communities whenever possible.
Integrated Primary Care Providing Behavioral Health Services in Clinics will strengthen rural primary care clinics as long-term access points for behavioral health.
Behavioral Health Nursing Home Pilot will build post-acute care capacity for individuals with serious mental illness and complex behavioral needs, particularly for those who are dual-eligible.
The Rural Health Transformation Program is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (US HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $218,529,075.01 with 100 percent funded by CMS/US HHS. The contents are those of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CMS/US HHS, or the U.S. Government.