HHS Region 8 · Utah DHHS — Rural Health Transformation
Program Overview
Utah's Rural Health Transformation Program is in early implementation, led by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services with an initial $195.7 million CMS award and ongoing annual funding anticipated through 2030. Competitive and targeted agreements span 25 rural counties, with agency and community partner engagement underway and a major focus on workforce development, telehealth, infrastructure modernization, population health, and provider financial stability. The program operates according to a structured plan tracking multiple key initiatives and strategic goals, emphasizing stakeholder engagement and measurable progress. Current structured plan tracks several key initiatives supporting infrastructure, workforce recruitment, behavioral health integration, and value-based care. Current structured plan tracks 10 key initiatives and 5 strategic goals.
Updated
County-level estimates averaged across Utah — % of adults 18+ unless noted. Delta vs US county average shown in red/green.
pp = percentage points vs US county average
County Drilldown (29)
| County | Pop | Poverty | Uninsured |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake County | 1,196,523 | 8.1% | 5.2% |
| Utah County | 705,400 | 8.7% | 5.6% |
| Davis County | 370,924 | 6.4% | 5.2% |
| Weber County | 269,648 | 8.1% | 5.8% |
| Washington County | 196,431 | 9.8% | 6.4% |
| Cache County | 140,046 | 12.0% | 6.7% |
| Tooele County | 79,347 | 5.2% | 3.2% |
| Iron County | 62,252 | 13.8% | 9.0% |
| Box Elder County | 61,246 | 8.4% | 5.5% |
| Summit County | 42,970 | 4.9% | 3.2% |
| Uintah County | 37,056 | 11.8% | 9.1% |
| Wasatch County | 36,642 | 4.7% | 3.1% |
AI source: UT - 2024 - LIFT 5.1: Scalable Telehealth Projects
AI auto-updated Aug 11, 2026
API refreshed May 7, 2026
Key signals are summarized here. Open the source for the supporting detail.
Grouped files
3 related documents
UT - 2026 - Utah RHTP (Rural-Health-Transformation-Program-–-One-Pager-12.2025)
Auto-grouped context match (38%)
391,865 rural residents
Utah has active competitive RHTP funding opportunities, including open RFGAs for behavioral health integration (PATH 1.5), scalable telehealth projects (LIFT 5.1), and clinical workforce recruitment and retention (RISE 2.5). State-level solicitations have published application deadlines and are accepting submissions, with ongoing outreach, Q&A, and review processes. Program start dates, award notifications, and subrecipient contracting are scheduled for late summer 2026. Direct awards to public agencies for food, EMS, GME, and infrastructure have been obligated, while additional opportunities for community providers are under development. State opportunities: 9 active (5 open, 4 closing soon, 6 past/closed), $153.7M listed funding. Key opportunities: SPRINT Consortium (Sustainable Provider Revenue, Infrastructure, and Network Technology); LIFT 5.1: Scalable Telehealth Projects; RISE 2.5: Recruit and Retain Workforce-Incentive Grant. Strategy alignment: supports telehealth, workforce, care access priorities.
Utah’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), led by the Department of Health and Human Services, utilizes time-limited, 100% federal CMS funding to deliver seven coordinated initiatives in rural prevention, workforce, infrastructure, payment, technology, and data interoperability. The program operates through competitive and public award mechanisms, uses well-defined milestones and reporting requirements, and maintains strict fiscal discipline aligned with federal guidance. No ongoing state funding obligation is incurred, with annual reviews informing continuous improvement.
Model
Regionally coordinated transformation, organizing seven cross-sector initiatives under four pillars: prevention/health, workforce, innovation/access, and technology. The model funds statewide and local activities through competitive and public sub-awards, explicit milestones, annual oversight, and rigorous performance evaluation for sustainable systems change.
Key Initiatives
Timeline: FY2026–2030; CMS notice of award December 2025, annual implementation cycle with both competitive and public sub-awards, milestone-driven reporting, annual progress reviews, and no ongoing state funding obligation
Initiative aims to foster lifelong wellness in rural Utah communities through integrated supports and improved access.
Efforts focus on building, recruiting, and retaining a strong rural healthcare workforce to address shortages and improve care quality.
Key initiatives promote scalable telehealth strategies and data infrastructure improvements to modernize rural healthcare delivery.
UT - 2025 - Utah Rural Hospitals And RHTP 2026 Guidance
Auto-grouped context match (53%)
UT - 2025 - Utah RHTP Situation 2025 Guidance
Auto-grouped context match (40%)
Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF)
Due Sep 1, 2026
1 related document
UT - 2026 - 2026 Utah Food Security Grant Program Request for Applications
Request for Applications (RFA)
Due Aug 17, 2026
1 related document
UT - 2026 - PATH 1.4: Community Care Hub – Request for Grant Application (RFGA)
Request for Grant Applications (RFGA)
Utah Department of Health and Human Services
Due Aug 14, 2026
No related documents
No linked documents found.
| FY↓ | Awardee↕ | Amount↕ | Activity↕ | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Utah Health Information Network This award supports strengthening interoperability and the Health Information Exchange as part of the Rural Health Transformation Program's LINCS Initiative. | $3.0M | Health IT | |
| 2025-2027 | Utah Health Information Network (UHIN) UHIN will conduct a comprehensive interoperability needs assessment for rural and frontier providers in Utah, address technical and workflow barriers to electronic health information exchange, administer non-competitive sub-grants and technical assistance, and facilitate EHR optimization and HL7® FHIR® API-enabled data networks to improve rural clinical data exchange and care coordination. | $3.0M | Health IT |
This newsletter announces opportunities to join the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) Steering Committee, provides updates on ongoing rural health initiatives, and highlights the focus on community-driven healthcare innovation in rural Utah. It names suicide prevention and maternity care as key program priorities. Applications for the RHTP Steering Committee are open to rural healthcare providers and community representatives until August 14, 2026. Key contacts: ruralht@utah.gov Event schedule: - Steering Committee Application Deadline - 08/14/2026 - Rural and Job-Related Suicide Prevention Webinar - 06/24/2026 - Webinar
Event Schedule
Contacts
Core Initiatives
The Utah Medical Education Council is announcing the opening of applications for its Fiscal Year 2026 Residency Grant Program. $1.5 million is available to expand residency programs and workforce slots, with a focus on underserved, rural, and workforce shortage areas. Eligible programs must be ACGME-approved or be planning to establish such programs within Utah during the grant term. Key contacts: Kendyl Brockman kbrockman@utah.gov
Utah is soliciting one grantee to develop and pilot the state’s first Community Care Hub for rural settings under the RHTP’s PATH 1.4 initiative. The Hub will serve as an anchor for rural healthcare and community organizations, integrating clinical, social, and behavioral health efforts, with explicit emphasis on technology, workforce, and care coordination. Total funding for year 1 may be up to $2,000,000; potential five-year funding could reach $18,000,000, subject to federal and state determinations. Key contacts: ruralht@utah.gov Event schedule: - Application deadline - 08/17/2026 - 5:00 PM MT - Final question deadline - 08/13/2026 - 5:00 PM MT - Final Q&A document posted by - 08/14/2026 - 5:00 PM MT - https://dhhs.utah.gov/ruralhealth/funding-opportunities/ - Anticipated award decision notification - 2026-09-04
Event Schedule
Contacts
Core Initiatives
This document is a supporting file for the Utah LIFT 5.1 scalable telehealth projects solicitation under the Rural Health Transformation Program. It supports telehealth expansion aiming to improve rural health outcomes.
Core Initiatives
This notice announces Utah's intent to award a contract related to the Rural Health Transformation Program without using a standard competitive procurement process, based on sole source or exigent circumstances. No award or budget amount is specified in the notice.
Event Schedule
Utah received a $195.7 million Year 1 award through the Rural Health Transformation Program, investing in rural workforce, infrastructure, technology, population health, and financial reform. Competitive and state partner agreements are underway across seven strategic initiatives and more than 24 activities. Nearly 60% of Year 1 funding is dedicated to competitive community grants, with significant allocations to public entities and evaluation efforts. Key contacts: Krisann Humphreys; Christine Espinel; Jackie Patel; Michelle Geller Event schedule: - First annual progress report and Year 2 application due to CMS - 08/30/2026 - End of Budget Period 1 and deadline for obligation of funds - 10/30/2026 - CMS site visit - July 16, 2026 - CMS site visit - July 17, 2026
Event Schedule
Contacts
Core Initiatives
Utah Health Information Network received a $3,000,000 award under the Rural Health Transformation Program to strengthen interoperability and rural health information exchange. The LINCS Initiative aims to improve coordination and data flow for rural providers. The project is slated to operate from July 2026 through September 2028. Key contacts: ar@uhin.org Event schedule: - Award period start - 07/20/2026 - Award period end - 09/30/2028
Event Schedule
Contacts
Core Initiatives
The document describes Utah Flex and SHIP programs funded by HRSA to support rural hospitals in Utah, focusing on financial, operational, and quality improvements. Utah Flex ensures high quality healthcare is available in rural communities, while SHIP provides purchasing assistance and quality improvement support for small rural and critical access hospitals.
This scope of work describes how the Utah Health Information Network will implement RHTP-funded activities to strengthen rural provider connectivity, data quality, and usage of the State Health Information Exchange. The initiative includes technical needs assessments, non-competitive technical assistance, and a focus on both high-needs and tribal populations in rural Utah. Progress and sustainability will be tracked via reporting on key interoperability and training outcomes. Event schedule: - Project Start Date - 07/20/2026 - MT - n/a - Project End Date - 09/30/2028 - MT - n/a - Final Report Due - 10/30/2028 - MT - n/a
Event Schedule
Core Initiatives
This document outlines contractual terms and operational requirements for RHTP subrecipients in Utah, including reporting, invoicing, insurance, confidentiality, and compliance with federal and state laws. It defines subrecipient responsibilities for expenditure reporting, audit compliance, and data privacy, supporting the state's multi-year RHTP efforts. No specific awardees or funding allocations are identified. Key contacts: dhhsfinancialreports@utah.gov
This document is a portal listing of Utah public entities and divisions potentially eligible for procurement under state programs. It does not announce any RHTP awards, application opportunities, or deadlines, nor contain any explicit budget information.
The program includes the Utah Primary Care Grants Program, Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (Utah Flex), Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP), and various loan repayment and workforce support programs. It is administered by the State Office of Rural Health and collaborates with multiple entities to enhance rural health workforce, primary care, and hospital sustainability.
Core Initiatives
10/30/2026
End of Budget Period 1 / Funds obligation deadline
↳ UT - 2025 - Utah RHTP Year 1 Status and Strategic Update
08/30/2026
Year 2 application due to CMS
↳ UT - 2025 - Utah RHTP Year 1 Status and Strategic Update
07/17/2026
CMS site visit
↳ UT - 2025 - Utah RHTP Year 1 Status and Strategic Update
07/16/2026
CMS site visit
↳ UT - 2025 - Utah RHTP Year 1 Status and Strategic Update
UT RHTP site updated — 1 new doc(s)
UT - 2026 - Rural Health Connect Improving the health of rural communities In this issue: August 5, 2026
Aug 5, 2026 12:04
·EmailUT RHTP site updated — 8 new doc(s)
UT RHTP site updated — 1 new doc(s)
UT RHTP site updated — 2 new doc(s)
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This Utah DHHS Primary Care & Rural Health newsletter highlights new grant opportunities from FORHP to support rural hospitals with finance, workforce, and access to care. Utah is recognized for leadership in oral health integration, and a local clinic manager is honored for rural service. The newsletter shares workforce certification initiatives and SUD-focused events to strengthen rural provider capacity. Event schedule: - Carrying the Work Forward: A SUD Training and Quick Reference for Rural Clinic Teams - 07/17/2026 - 12:00 PM MST - University of Utah, Project ECHO webinar (registration link provided)
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Core Initiatives
Utah Department of Health and Human Services is offering a $20M RFGA for rural health organizations to implement structured recruitment and retention incentives, including incentives for clinical workforce tied to a mandatory 5-year rural service commitment. Eligible entities can apply to serve five organizational tiers, including hospitals, FQHCs, rural health clinics, nursing homes/SNFs, and independent billing providers. Funding includes special tribal rider allocations for I/T/U organizations. Key contacts: Christine Espinel ruralht@utah.gov; Marc Watterson ruralht@utah.gov Event schedule: - Application Deadline - 08/04/2026 - 5:00 p.m. MT - Deadline to submit questions - 07/31/2026 - 5:00 p.m. MT - Final Q&A page update - 08/03/2026 - 5:00 p.m. MT - Anticipated Award Notification - 08/13/2026 - Agreement Period Start - 09/14/2026 - Agreement Period End - 09/30/2027
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Core Initiatives
Utah will award a $3 million sole source contract to the Utah Health Information Network to lead a comprehensive rural interoperability initiative under the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). UHIN will assess rural EHR and health information exchange needs, administer technical assistance, and help onboard rural providers to modern clinical data networks. The project aims to improve rural care coordination and measurement using advanced information-sharing infrastructure.
Core Initiatives
This is a notice of intent to award a contract for the Utah Health Information Network - Rural Health Transformation Program without a standard procurement process. The announcement states that the Division of Purchasing may issue an award if it determines only one source exists. Supporting documentation (Scope of Work, T&Cs, etc.) is provided for contesting vendors. Event schedule: - Open Date - Jul 30th 2026 - 4:00 PM MDT - Online Portal - Questions Due Date - Jul 31st 2026 - 4:00 PM MDT - Online Portal - Close Date - Aug 6th 2026 - 4:00 PM MDT - Online Portal
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UT - 2026 - Request and Justification of Out of State Travel Form1
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UT - 2026 - Utah Landing Page (updated: July 21, 2026)
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UT - 2024 - Final 2024 Strategic Plan Booklet with appendix 1
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DHHS26117 Attachment F Score Sheet
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DHHS26117 Attachment G Cost Proposal Sheet
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UT - 2026 - Financial Resource Disclosure For AmpliFund
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UT - 2026 - CESF Funding Disclosure Form
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DHHS26117 Attachment C (a) Conflict of Interest Form
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DHHS26117 Attachment C (b) Conflict of Interest Certification UGE
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