Rural healthcare providers and communities across Arkansas are receiving nearly $150 million in federal funding aimed at expanding services, improving technology and bringing more healthcare options closer to rural residents.
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced $149.3 million in the first round of Rural Health Transformation Program grants.
The funding is being awarded to 50 projects across Arkansas.
The Rural Health Transformation Program was established through President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill and is designed to improve rural healthcare infrastructure, telehealth, specialty care, preventive services and regional healthcare partnerships.
The first round of funding is divided between 2 major programs.
THRIVE FUNDING
The Telehealth, Health-Monitoring, and Response Innovation for Vital Expansion program, known as THRIVE, is receiving $55.7 million.
THRIVE focuses on telehealth, remote patient monitoring, digital healthcare technology, emergency response and improvements to healthcare connectivity.
PACT FUNDING
The Promoting Access Coordination and Transformation program, known as PACT, is receiving $93.6 million.
PACT focuses on specialty care, preventive screenings, maternal healthcare, hospital improvements, behavioral healthcare and collaboration between healthcare providers.
ARKANSAS PROJECTS RECEIVING THRIVE FUNDING
ARcare — $2,571,095
Funding will support remote patient monitoring and network infrastructure across 12 counties.
Arkansas Ambulance Association — $10,000,000
Funding will support ambulance replacements, telehealth communication and emergency medical technology statewide.
Arkansas Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries — $423,761
Funding will expand rural behavioral health services across 6 counties.
Arkansas Children’s Chronic Disease Program — $210,000
Funding will support remote health monitoring for rural children with chronic medical conditions.
Arkansas Children’s Newborn Alliance — $91,400
Funding will support neonatal education and diagnostic services.
Arkansas Rural Health Partnership Tele-Consultation Program — $2,245,031
Funding will equip rural hospitals and EMS providers with emergency tele-triage capabilities across 31 counties.
Arkansas Rural Health Partnership Chronic Care Program — $5,651,924
Funding will expand technology-enabled chronic disease management across 17 counties.
Baptist Health Cardiology Pilot — $1,139,512
Funding will support virtual cardiology rounds in 7 counties.
Baptist Health Magnolia Regional — $197,542
Funding will support virtual healthcare improvements in Columbia County.
Baptist Health South Arkansas Regional — $589,378
Funding will support virtual care services in Union County.
Baxter Health — $7,738,729
Funding will expand home-based and virtual healthcare services across 6 counties.
Carriage Hill Family Care, PLC — $150,000
Funding will support digital healthcare improvements in Greene County.
Community Health Centers of Arkansas Intelligence Platform — $1,911,394
Funding will create a shared healthcare technology platform involving 13 health centers across 64 counties.
Community Health Centers of Arkansas Clinical Support — $130,410
Funding will support diagnostic software and clinical technology across 64 counties.
Harbor House Inc. of Fort Smith — $37,230
Funding will expand tele-counseling services across 4 counties.
Johnson Regional Medical Center — $974,455
Funding will support network modernization and tele-cardiology services in Johnson County.
LilyLink & Perinatal Center — $871,736
Funding will support a technology-enabled maternal diabetes program.
Mercy Health Fort Smith Communities — $6,340,043
Funding will support rural digital healthcare projects across 5 counties.
Methodist Le Bonheur Community Outreach — $340,725
Funding will allow the Le Bonheur Jonesboro Outpatient Center to add Level 2 fetal ultrasounds, EEG epileptology screenings and pediatric subspecialty consultations.
St. Bernards Rural Care Connectivity Network — $5,000,000
Funding will expand telehealth, remote patient monitoring, smart-room technology and cybersecurity across 8 counties, including Craighead County.
University of Arkansas Older Adults Program — $176,847
Funding will support telehealth-readiness training.
University of Arkansas RADAR Platform — $777,351
Funding will support a statewide interactive rural healthcare dashboard.
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Virtu-RURAL — $2,337,402
Funding will support telehealth improvements across 6 counties.
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences SPARK — $5,438,244
Funding will expand virtual neurology and stroke services across 24 Delta communities.
Wolfe Street Foundation Inc. — $369,619
Funding will install tablet-based telehealth kiosks and provide peer recovery services in rural clinics and detention centers.
ARKANSAS PROJECTS RECEIVING PACT FUNDING
Arkansas Rural Health Partnership Emergency Power Program — $5,000,000
Funding will provide emergency generators and electrical improvements to hospitals in 9 counties.
Arkansas Rural Health Partnership Behavioral Health Program — $1,455,689
Funding will expand behavioral health crisis response and treatment services across 19 counties.
Arkansas Rural Health Partnership Specialty Care Program — $4,480,877
Funding will provide portable telemedicine systems across 39 counties.
Baptist Health South Arkansas Regional — $12,000,000
Funding will support hospital facility improvements and operational integration in Union County.
Baptist Health Magnolia Regional — $3,000,000
Funding will support infrastructure and technology improvements in Columbia County.
Baxter Health — $12,000,000
Funding will create a regional healthcare collaboration hub serving 11 counties.
Children’s Advocacy Centers of Arkansas — $1,374,505
Funding will expand trauma-focused mental healthcare for child-abuse victims and their families.
Conway Regional Health System — $795,960
Funding will support a maternal mobile healthcare unit serving 8 counties.
Deckmax / North Arkansas Rural Health Consortium — $1,000,000
Funding will support a regional healthcare hub and mobile specialty care in Baxter County.
Delta Memorial Hospital — $24,720
Funding will support home-health revenue cycle improvements in Desha County.
Doula Alliance of Arkansas — $860,500
Funding will expand maternal care coordination and doula services in rural communities.
Jefferson Hospital Association — $3,000,000
Funding will support installation of a healthcare-grade HVAC system in Jefferson County.
John Ed Chambers Memorial Hospital — $2,187,999
Funding will improve healthcare access and infrastructure in Yell County.
Mercy Health Fort Smith Communities — $12,716,206
Funding will preserve critical-access healthcare services and strengthen the Fort Smith regional healthcare hub.
Mississippi County Hospital System — $9,602,657
Funding will modernize services at hospitals in Blytheville and Osceola.
North Arkansas Regional Medical Center — $3,000,000
Funding will support emergency department improvements and specialty clinics in Boone County.
PACT Rural Care Network — $9,551,090
Funding will support healthcare facilities in Craighead, Cross, Randolph, Lawrence and Clay counties.
The project will use a digital visual-management platform across 6 facilities to standardize workflows, improve infection prevention and strengthen patient safety.
River Valley Medical Wellness — $3,500,000
Funding will support integrated primary care and maternal healthcare mobile systems across 5 counties.
Subiaco Abbey — $268,500
Funding will support facility, transportation and workforce investments in Logan County.
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences STAR — $1,228,624
Funding will create a telehealth hearing-care network across 17 counties.
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Pregnancy Care Connect — $2,986,934
Funding will support mobile healthcare teams and a 24/7 nurse-led pregnancy line serving 24 high-need counties.
White County Medical Center BRIDGE — $839,314
Funding will expand breast cancer screening and imaging services across 6 counties.
White County Medical Center CICAP — $600,000
Funding will support replacement of Unity Health Newport’s roof.
White County Medical Center WELL — $466,182
Funding will expand chronic care and preventive healthcare services through Unity Health Newport.
STATEWIDE IMPACT
The $149.3 million announced in the first round is part of approximately $209 million Arkansas expects to award through the Rural Health Transformation Program by this fall.
State officials anticipate Arkansas could ultimately receive around $1 billion in rural healthcare funding during the next 5 years.
The projects stretch across nearly every region of the state, including Northeast Arkansas, North Central Arkansas, the Arkansas River Valley, Southwest Arkansas, Southeast Arkansas and the Delta.
State officials say the overall goal is to strengthen rural hospitals, expand telehealth, increase access to specialists, improve maternal healthcare, support emergency medical services and give rural Arkansans greater access to healthcare closer to home.
Additional Rural Health Transformation Program funding announcements are expected.
Leave a Reply