Delaware Applies for $1 Billion in Rural Health Transformation Program Funding

Governor Matt Meyer announced that Delaware has applied for up to $1 billion from the Rural Health Transformation Program to expand healthcare access, lower costs, and strengthen the workforce in rural Kent and Sussex counties, home to nearly 40% of the state’s population. The proposal includes establishing a four-year medical school, two Hope Center-style integrated care facilities, mobile health units, and expanded telehealth services, while prioritizing workforce development, preventative care, and innovative healthcare delivery. If approved, Delaware would receive part of the program’s $50 billion in federal funding, providing what Governor Meyer refers to as a generational plan and opportunity to improve health outcomes and build a sustainable rural healthcare system.

Additional Information from the Office of Governor Meyer:

• Delaware Medical School: Funds the selection of a partner to establish Delaware’s first four-year medical school, creating a pipeline of doctors to serve our rural communities.

• Rural “Hope Center” Initiative: Creates new Hope Centers in both Kent County and Sussex County. Modeled after the successful New Castle County center, offering integrated services for housing, healthcare, and employment support.

• Rural Community Health Hubs: Establishes a network of mobile health units and health pods to deploy throughout rural Kent County and Sussex County, eliminating transportation barriers to healthcare by providing convenient care at schools, churches, and town centers.

• Catalyst Fund for Telehealth and Remote Monitoring: Supports tech companies developing remote monitoring tools and wearable health devices for rural residents.

• School-Based Health Centers Expansion Initiative: Expands school-based health centers in southern Delaware to improve children’s access to care, mental health support, and learning outcomes.

• Food is Medicine Infrastructure Initiative: Builds the systems needed to expand Food is Medicine programs, including access to prescriptions, tailored groceries, and nutrition education.

• Medical School Rural Workforce Development Program: Offers financial awards to Delaware medical students who commit to practicing in rural areas after graduation.

• Rural Libraries Health Access Initiative: Extends health and telehealth services at nine rural libraries, providing nearby access to care, internet, and trained professionals.

• Rural Provider and FQHC Value-Based Care Readiness Initiative: Helps rural healthcare providers shift to value-based care through new technology, collaboration, and sustainable payment models.

• Rural Diabetes Wellness Pilot Program: Launches a three-year pilot using care management and continuous glucose monitoring to reduce diabetes costs and improve outcomes.

• Rural Medical Residency Recruitment Program: Provides financial awards and transition support to medical school graduates who train and stay in rural Delaware.

• Training Programs for Clinical Support Roles in Rural Areas: Fund training for nurses, dental professionals, community health workers, and other allied health professionals, and expand rural clinical capacity.

• Rural Health Workforce Education Program: Provides financial awards to healthcare trainees who pledge to serve in rural Delaware communities.

• Healthcare Workforce Data Collection Initiative: Creates a data collection mechanism to track and report on healthcare workforce trends, shortages, and disparities across the state.
   
• Statewide Health Information Technology Infrastructure for Real-Time Insurance Verification and Prior Authorizations: Builds digital systems linking rural providers, payers, and hospitals to speed up insurance verification and prior authorizations. It will also help to realize the Pre-Authorization Reform Act’s full potential, enacted in Delaware this summer.