Home / Health / Rural Wisconsin Health Care Gets $40M Boost
Rural Wisconsin Health Care Gets $40M Boost
16 Jun
Summary
- Wisconsin hospitals and clinics can apply for $40 million in federal grant funding.
- The funding targets rural community health worker training and dental technology upgrades.
- The state has a tight deadline of October 30 to obligate the first year's funds.
Hospitals, clinics, and other health care providers in Wisconsin are eligible for approximately $40 million in grant funding. This initiative is part of the federal Rural Health Transformation Program, which awarded Wisconsin $203.7 million for its first year. The funding aims to address bipartisan concerns about Medicaid cuts and their impact on rural healthcare.
The $40 million will be distributed through three distinct grants. One grant focuses on training and hiring community health workers to improve access to services. Another supports dental providers in upgrading technology to enhance efficiency and patient capacity. The final grant will fund care coordination efforts and partnerships between rural healthcare providers, such as collaborations for expanded school-based counseling.
Wisconsin has broadly defined "rural," excluding only Milwaukee County from its definition. Organizations based in urban areas but serving rural communities may also apply. Officials are operating under a tight deadline, with the federal funds needing to be obligated by October 30. Wisconsin seeks $1 billion over the program's five-year duration and anticipates receiving another $200 million in the second year.
