# Washington — Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP)

The Washington Rural Health Transformation Program, led by the Health Care Authority, Department of Health, Department of Social and Health Services, and Governor's Office, implements six strategic initiatives focused on advancing rural health access, infrastructure, workforce, technology, and behavioral health. With all year one funds fully obligated, the program currently supports all 30 rural counties through program design, competitive awards, partnership engagement, and ongoing funding opportunities, tracked under a structured plan across these priority areas. Current structured plan tracks 6 key initiatives and 6 strategic goals.

## At a glance

- Federal awards to date: $358,317,727.10 (Year 1 $181.3M + Year 2 $177.1M)
- Implementation phase (RCJ): IMPLEMENTING
- Funding opportunities tracked: 12 (1 open or announced, 11 closed)
- Awards recorded: $187.7M to 107 recipients
- Critical Access Hospitals: 40
- Rural population share: 16%

## Current progress

Washington state has received its federal award and fully obligated RHTP funds, with $181 million deployed to all 30 rural counties. The state has completed 144 contracts across all six program initiatives, including competitive awards to 28 rural hospitals for maternal, emergency, and specialty services. All initiatives have named recipients, and state agencies continue to prepare and announce new procurement opportunities, such as the rural provider incentives planned for November. Federal and state updates confirm that program implementation and subgranting to local providers are well underway. State opportunities: 9 total (9 past/closed), $12.3M listed funding. Key opportunities: Washington RHTP Activity 1.4: Sustain and strengthen maternal, emergency, and specialty services at risk in rural areas; Washington RHTP OTP Workforce Incentive Program (2026HCA9); Washington RHTP OTP Workforce Incentive Program (2026HCA9) — Round 2. Strategy alignment: supports workforce priorities.

## CMS published status (State Data Maps)

- State Policy Action commitments: 0 of 19
- Initiatives (6), current CMS stage of each:
  - Adopt Technology and Data Solutions  to Enable Health Improvements — Stage 2
  - Develop Washington’s Rural Workforce to Support Rural Communities — Stage 2
  - Expand and Sustain Washington’s Rural Behavioral Health System — Stage 2
  - Ignite Innovation in Washington’s Rural Hospitals — Stage 2
  - Invest in the Health of Native Families — Stage 2
  - Prevent Disease and Manage Care in Community Settings — Stage 2
- CMS data captured 2026-11-11, last confirmed 2026-11-11

## Open and announced opportunities

- [Washington RHTP Rural Provider Incentives Grant Opportunity](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/washington-rhtp-rural-provider-incentives-grant-opportunity--a96efbd21f) — OTHER; Announced, not yet open

## Closed opportunities (11, most recent first)

- [Washington Rural Nursing Education Program (RNEP)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/washington-rural-nursing-education-program-rnep--55e2650b50) — GRANT; Closed; due 2026-10-02
- [Washington RHTP OTP Workforce Incentive Program (2026HCA9)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/washington-rhtp-otp-workforce-incentive-program-2026hca9--d5b4bf7835) — RFA; Closed; due 2026-09-08; $100,000 – $500,000
- [Washington RHTP OTP Workforce Incentive Program (2026HCA9) — Round 2](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/washington-rhtp-otp-workforce-incentive-program-2026hca9-round-2--622cc6800d) — RFA; Closed; due 2026-09-08; $100,000 – $500,000
- [Washington RHTP Activity 1.4: Sustain and strengthen maternal, emergency, and specialty services at risk in rural areas](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/washington-rhtp-activity-1-4-sustain-and-strengthen-maternal-emergency-and-speci--7ca6ec71b0) — RFA; Closed; due 2026-09-03; $200,000 – $10.7M
- [Washington RHTP Provider Technology Fund (2026HCA12)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/washington-rhtp-provider-technology-fund-2026hca12--313b520890) — RFA; Closed; due 2026-08-27; $10,000 – $500,000
- [Embedding Substance Use Disorder Support Services in Washington Emergency Departments](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/embedding-substance-use-disorder-support-services-in-washington-emergency-depart--41fd00988e) — RFP; Closed; due 2026-08-26; $75,000
- [Request For Quotes for Medical Executive Bootcamp tailored to rural hospitals in Washington State](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/request-for-quotes-for-medical-executive-bootcamp-tailored-to-rural-hospitals-in--faba7bca52) — RFP; Closed; due 2026-06-19
- [Request for Proposals: Revenue Cycle Assessment for The Rural Collaborative (WA Rural Health Transformation Program)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/request-for-proposals-revenue-cycle-assessment-for-the-rural-collaborative-wa-ru--69ebe74a11) — RFP; Closed; due 2026-05-07
- [Request for Proposals Hospital & Clinic Billing and Revenue Cycle Management Services](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/request-for-proposals-hospital-clinic-billing-and-revenue-cycle-management-servi--9704352028) — RFP; Closed; due 2026-04-17
- [Washington Federal RHTP Award: Year 1 (FY 2026)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/washington-federal-rhtp-award-year-1-fy-2026--428b1139b8) — AWARD; Closed; due 2025-11-05; $181.3M
- [Washington Federal RHTP Award: Year 2 (FY 2027)](https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/opportunities/washington-federal-rhtp-award-year-2-fy-2027--f4e2a1ac7c) — AWARD; Closed; $177.1M

## Largest recorded awards

- Washington State Hospital Association — $42.0M (FY2026)
- 29 Federally Recognized Tribes in Washington — $19.4M (FY2026)
- Provider technology upgrades — $17.0M (FY2026)
- Mobile crisis supports — $10.8M (FY2026)
- Grow-your-own training — $10.1M (FY2026)
- Rural workforce incentives — $9.9M (FY2026)
- Maternal, emergency, and specialty services (28 hospitals) — $9.7M (FY2026)
- University of Washington (WWAMI residency) — $5.5M (FY2026)
- UW - University of Washington — $5.5M (FY2025)
- Rural Collaborative — $5.4M (FY2026)
- TRC - The Rural Collaborative (30 member hospitals) — $5.4M (FY2025)
- Area Agencies on Aging vans, WA 211, community center refit — $5.3M (FY2026)
- Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction: youth in rural areas — $5.1M (FY2026)
- Long-term care workers — $4.3M (FY2026)
- University of Washington Project ECHO — $4.3M (FY2026)

## Official sources RCJ monitors

- [WA RHTP Primary](https://www.hca.wa.gov/about-hca/programs-and-initiatives/value-based-purchasing/rural-health-transformation-program)
- [WA DES Vendor Procurement Portal](https://pr-webs-vendor.des.wa.gov)
- [NRHA linked funding/procurement page](https://www.hca.wa.gov/about-hca/programs-and-initiatives/rural-health-transformation-program)
- [WA The Rural Collaborative (TRC) RHTP Page & Vendor Procurement](https://ruralcollaborative.com/rhtp/)
- [WA HCA Procurement and Contracting](https://www.hca.wa.gov/about-hca/bids-and-contracts)
- [WA HCA RHTP Project Narrative](https://www.hca.wa.gov/assets/program/rhtp-project-narrative.pdf)
- [WA HCA RHTP Letter of Intent](https://www.hca.wa.gov/assets/program/rhtp-letter-of-intent.pdf)

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