# Louisiana — Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP)

The Louisiana Rural Health Transformation Program, led by the Department of Health and Office of Rural Health Transformation, is actively implementing a structured plan with six major initiatives focused on workforce expansion, value-based care, technology advancement, healthcare infrastructure, telehealth, interoperability, EMS, nutrition, behavioral health, and rural health innovation. Targeted awards and funding opportunities through at least August 2026 support clinician recruitment and retention, provider sustainability, capital investments, EHR modernization, Medicaid alternative payment models, and community health interventions. Active funding and project launches are underway, with milestones met for project approval and implementation. Current structured plan tracks 6 key initiatives and 17 strategic goals.

## At a glance

- Federal awards to date: $420,232,826.06 (Year 1 $208.4M + Year 2 $211.9M)
- Implementation phase (RCJ): IMPLEMENTING
- Funding opportunities tracked: 11 (0 open or announced, 11 closed)
- Awards recorded: $179.2M to 21 recipients
- Critical Access Hospitals: 19
- Rural population share: 29%

## Current progress

Louisiana's RHTP remains in active implementation. All Year 1 funding application windows are closed, with Notices of Intent to Contract announced for key initiatives in early October 2026 and notifications of award/denial completed by mid-October. Contracting is underway across multiple streams (including workforce, capital improvement, telehealth, and innovation), and preparations for Year 2 NOFOs and regional engagement in early 2027 continue. Award contracting and monitoring are ongoing, with $15.2M in listed funding in process. State opportunities: 8 total (8 past/closed), $15.2M listed funding. Key opportunities: Rural Clinician Credit Bank: Recruitment & Retention Funding for Rural Louisiana Providers; Rural Health Facilities Capital Improvement Program; Telehealth Infrastructure for Rural Access Program. Strategy alignment: supports workforce, prevention, care access priorities.

## CMS published status (State Data Maps)

- State Policy Action commitments: 2 of 19
- Initiatives (6), current CMS stage of each:
  - Expand Physical Activity and Nutrition Interventions Through Community-Based Partnerships — Stage 2
  - Modernize Technology Infrastructure and Capacity for Efficiency and Care Coordination — Stage 2
  - Reinforce Innovative, Outcomes-Based Care Delivery in Rural Areas — Stage 2
  - Strengthen Access to Essential Health Services Through Capital Investments — Stage 1
  - Strengthen Care Integration for High-Needs Populations Through Coordinated, Multi-Modal Models — Stage 2
  - Strengthen Health and Emergency Systems through Workforce Expansion and Integration — Stage 2
- CMS data captured 2026-11-11, last confirmed 2026-11-11

## Open and announced opportunities

None open right now.

## Closed opportunities (11, most recent first)

- [Food is Medicine (FIM) Programs NOFO](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/food-is-medicine-fim-programs-nofo--92cfe9f615) — NOFO; Closed; due 2026-08-14
- [Louisiana RHTP: Regional Care Conveners and Navigation Networks Program](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/louisiana-rhtp-regional-care-conveners-and-navigation-networks-program--d953fa1351) — NOFO; Closed; due 2026-08-14
- [Rural Medicaid Alternative Payment Model Program (Initiative 3)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/rural-medicaid-alternative-payment-model-program-initiative-3--9149b04e6f) — NOFO; Closed; due 2026-08-07
- [Louisiana RHTP: Rural Collaborative Provider Models Program](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/louisiana-rhtp-rural-collaborative-provider-models-program--db9bd26a3c) — NOFO; Closed; due 2026-08-05
- [Request for Information (RFI): Implementation Partner Services for a State-Managed EHR](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/request-for-information-rfi-implementation-partner-services-for-a-state-managed--e15536631d) — RFI; Closed; due 2026-07-17
- [Rural Health Facilities Capital Improvement Program](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/rural-health-facilities-capital-improvement-program--f6255c9a48) — NOFO; Closed; due 2026-07-10; $100,000 – $2.0M
- [Telehealth Infrastructure for Rural Access Program](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/telehealth-infrastructure-for-rural-access-program--bdcfb25151) — NOFO; Closed; due 2026-07-10; $50,000 – $500,000
- [Rural Clinician Credit Bank: Recruitment & Retention Funding for Rural Louisiana Providers](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/rural-clinician-credit-bank-recruitment-retention-funding-for-rural-louisiana-pr--d2418aa880) — NOFO; Closed; due 2026-06-25; $10.0M – $12.7M
- [Louisiana Federal RHTP Award: Year 1 (FY 2026)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/louisiana-federal-rhtp-award-year-1-fy-2026--f561016db6) — AWARD; Closed; $208.4M
- [Louisiana Federal RHTP Award: Year 2 (FY 2027)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/louisiana-federal-rhtp-award-year-2-fy-2027--7e513a97e5) — AWARD; Closed; $211.9M
- [Louisiana Rural Tech Catalyst Fund (RTCF) Launch](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/louisiana-rural-tech-catalyst-fund-rtcf-launch--5101795468) — GRANT; Closed

## Largest recorded awards

- Epic, UL-Lafayette, McKinsey Group (state instance of Epic EMR) — $42.5M (FYFY2026-2027)
- Rural Facility Capital Improvement Program (59 recipients) — $41.6M (FY2026-2027)
- Innovative Care Models (18 recipients) — $26.7M (FY2026-2027)
- Rural Clinician Credit Bank (70 rural providers) — $13.4M (FY2026-2027)
- Rural HERO (4 public university/college systems) — $12.6M (FY2026-2027)
- UL-Lafayette, UL-Monroe, LSU-E, LSU-A, Northwestern (University Pathways) — $6.0M (FYFY2026-2027)
- Louisiana Community and Technical Colleges (Grow Your Own) — $5.0M (FYFY2026-2027)
- LSU AgCenter (Community Based Nutrition/Fitness) — $5.0M (FYFY2026-2027)
- Telehealth (20 recipients) — $4.6M (FY2026-2027)
- Thrive Mobile / Carahsoft (Digital Literacy) — $4.4M (FYFY2026-2027)
- Acadian Ambulance Service (Community Paramedicine) — $4.0M (FYFY2026-2027)
- Care Convener (5 recipients) — $3.5M (FY2026-2027)
- Food “Farm”acy (8 recipients) — $3.1M (FY2026-2027)
- Collaborative Provider Models (8 recipients) — $2.3M (FY2026-2027)
- McKinsey Group (Innovative Care model development) — $2.0M (FYFY2026-2027)

## Official sources RCJ monitors

- [LA Release / Application](https://ldh.la.gov/news/office-of-rural-health-transformation)
- [LDH RHTP Funding Opportunities](https://ldh.la.gov/page/rhtp-funding-opportunities)
- [LA: RHTLA Programs — RHTP funding opportunities & committed outcomes](https://rhtla.net/landing/?page=programs)
- [LA RHTP Primary](https://ldh.la.gov/page/rural-health-transformation-program)

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Source: Rural Care Journey (RCJ), https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/states/la — data as of 2026-11-11.
Cite the RCJ page for the summary and the linked official source for authoritative terms, deadlines, and amounts.