# Mississippi — Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP)

The Mississippi Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) is actively implemented under leadership of the Governor’s Office and state agencies, with grant management facilitated by a designated third-party administrator. The program’s ongoing focus areas emphasize workforce expansion, telehealth connectivity, EMS and psychiatric emergency services, and health technology modernization—including current initiatives such as the Innovative Pilot Program Grant, EHR Replacement Program, CRIS Initiative, and a statewide Health Information Exchange RFP. Compliance, procurement, and progress tracking protocols remain established and current. Current structured plan tracks 6 key initiatives and 15 strategic goals.

## At a glance

- Federal awards to date: $410,584,410.13 (Year 1 $205.9M + Year 2 $204.7M)
- Implementation phase (RCJ): IMPLEMENTING
- Funding opportunities tracked: 15 (3 open or announced, 12 closed)
- Awards recorded: $136.9M to 135 recipients
- Critical Access Hospitals: 34
- Rural population share: 51%

## Current progress

Mississippi remains in the implementation phase of the Rural Health Transformation Program, having committed about two-thirds ($136.7 million) of its $205.9 million first-year budget through 227 sub-awards. Recent rounds expanded workforce recruitment, psychiatric emergency services, and modernization of rural health infrastructure. Additional workforce and psychiatric emergency awards have been announced, with further health IT and rural care modernization solicitations planned. The program is within the first year of a five-year transformation effort, progressing through ongoing state-led grantmaking to local providers. State opportunities: 3 active (1 open, 1 upcoming, 1 closing soon, 9 past/closed), $48.4M listed funding. Key opportunities: Small Rural Health Provider EHR Replacement Grant Program; Mississippi RHTP Innovative Pilot Program; Coordinated Regional Integrated Systems (CRIS) Initiative. Strategy alignment: supports telehealth, workforce, ems priorities.

## CMS published status (State Data Maps)

- State Policy Action commitments: 2 of 19
- Initiatives (6), current CMS stage of each:
  - Building Rural Infrastructure for Delivery, Growth, and Efficiency (BRIDGE) Initiative — Stage 2
  - Coordinated Regional Integrated Systems (CRIS) Initiative — Stage 2
  - Health Technology Advancement and Modernization (HTAM) Initiative — Stage 2
  - Statewide Rural Health Assessment — Stage 2
  - Telehealth Adoption and Provider Support (TAPS) Initiative — Stage 2
  - Workforce Expansion Initiative (WEI) — Stage 1
- CMS data captured 2026-11-11, last confirmed 2026-11-11

## Open and announced opportunities

- [Mississippi RHTP Innovative Pilot Program](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/mississippi-rhtp-innovative-pilot-program--a86fbe997e) — GRANT; Closing soon; due 2026-11-16; $2.0M
- [Small Rural Health Provider EHR Replacement Grant Program](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/small-rural-health-provider-ehr-replacement-grant-program--e7b30eba88) — GRANT; Closing soon; due 2026-11-23; $9.5M
- [Coordinated Regional Integrated Systems (CRIS) Initiative](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/coordinated-regional-integrated-systems-cris-initiative--fc1b0d20c4) — RFA; Announced, not yet open

## Closed opportunities (12, most recent first)

- [Statewide Health Information Exchange / Health Data Utility (HIE/HDU) RFP 3120003410](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/statewide-health-information-exchange-health-data-utility-hie-hdu-rfp-3120003410--118267f705) — RFP; Closed; due 2026-11-03
- [Mississippi RHTP: Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) – EmPATH Units Grant Opportunity](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/mississippi-rhtp-psychiatric-emergency-services-pes-empath-units-grant-opportuni--508d5b26f6) — NOFO; Closed; due 2026-08-17; $14.0M
- [Workforce Retention and Sustainable Ecosystem Development Initiative (WEI/RHTP)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/workforce-retention-and-sustainable-ecosystem-development-initiative-wei-rhtp--60f1c821ce) — GRANT; Closed; due 2026-08-17; $16.8M
- [EMS Capacity Assessment – Mississippi State Department of Health (RFP 3120003390)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/ems-capacity-assessment-mississippi-state-department-of-health-rfp-3120003390--a6d502ef02) — RFP; Closed; due 2026-07-24
- [2026 Rural Capital Project Care Gap Closure Grant Program (RCGC)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/2026-rural-capital-project-care-gap-closure-grant-program-rcgc--40e1abdb2c) — NOFO; Closed; due 2026-07-15
- [2026 Rural Provider Technology Grant Program (RTG)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/2026-rural-provider-technology-grant-program-rtg--bb6561f39e) — NOFO; Closed; due 2026-07-15; $100,000 – $400,000
- [2026 Telehealth Hub Connectivity, Equipment & Education Grant Program (TCE)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/2026-telehealth-hub-connectivity-equipment-education-grant-program-tce--206e6dee50) — NOFO; Closed; due 2026-07-15; $5.7M
- [Comprehensive State Health Plan](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/comprehensive-state-health-plan--25f4d871cf) — RFP; Closed; due 2026-06-04
- [Statewide Rural Healthcare Assessment](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/statewide-rural-healthcare-assessment--155fa7c1f8) — RFP; Closed; due 2026-06-04
- [Mississippi Federal RHTP Award: Year 1 (FY 2026)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/mississippi-federal-rhtp-award-year-1-fy-2026--040a722118) — AWARD; Closed; $205.9M
- [Mississippi Federal RHTP Award: Year 2 (FY 2027)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/mississippi-federal-rhtp-award-year-2-fy-2027--1c7c75a6eb) — AWARD; Closed; $204.7M
- [Mississippi RHTP Year 1 Subrecipient Awards — 167 Projects](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/mississippi-rhtp-year-1-subrecipient-awards-167-projects--3f77e13517) — AWARD; Closed

## Largest recorded awards

- Memorial Health System — $15.3M (FY2026)
- South Central Regional Medical Center — $9.4M (FY2026)
- Merit Health Central/Jackson MHA, LLC — $4.5M (FY2026)
- Memorial Hospital at Gulfport — $4.5M (FY2026)
- University of Mississippi Medical Center Greenwood Hospital — $4.3M (FY2026)
- Progressive Health of Houston — $4.2M (FY2026)
- Winston County Medical Foundation — $3.8M (FY2026)
- Delta Health Transformation Council, Inc. — $3.3M (FY2026)
- Merit Health River Region — $3.3M (FY2026)
- Delta Health Center — $3.0M (FY2026)
- Independent Healthcare Management, Inc. — $3.0M (FY2026)
- Ochsner MS — $3.0M (FY2026)
- University of Mississippi Medical Center Greenwood — $3.0M (FY2026)
- Magee Benevolent Association — $3.0M (FY2026)
- Central Mississippi Civic Improvement Association Inc — $2.9M (FY2026)

## Official sources RCJ monitors

- [MS RHTP Primary](https://medicaid.ms.gov/rural-health-transformation-program/)
- [MS RHTP Official Site](https://mississippirhtp.com)
- [MS RHTP Events](https://mississippirhtp.com/events/)
- [MS RHTP HTAM](https://mississippirhtp.com/htam/)
- [MS RHTP WEI](https://mississippirhtp.com/wei/)
- [MS DOM Procurement](https://medicaid.ms.gov/resources/procurement/)
- [MS RHTP TAPS](https://mississippirhtp.com/taps/)
- [MS Release / Application 8](https://governorreeves.ms.gov/governor-reeves-unveils-mississippis-rural-health-transformation-program-plan)
- [NRHA linked funding/procurement page](https://mississippirhtp.com/resources/)
- [MS RHTP BRIDGE](https://mississippirhtp.com/bridge/)

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