Governor Ivey Announces First Grants in Major New Rural Healthcare Program Totaling More than $144 Million

MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey on Monday announced the awarding of 138 grants worth a total of more than $144 million to healthcare providers and institutions throughout the state as part of the Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program (ARHTP). The funds awarded today will support projects covering rural areas in each Alabama county to improve healthcare access, quality and outcomes.

“Alabama is serious about creating systematic changes through the ARHTP to ensure every citizen has access to quality care. This program is enabling institutions covering every part of the state to improve healthcare for Alabamians through projects that are both innovative and sustainable,” said Governor Ivey. “From the federal policymakers and state administrators to our professional healthcare leaders, I commend all the thoughtful work dedicated to ensuring the success of this program.”

The ARHTP plan was developed by a team that included members from the Governor’s Office, the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA), the Alabama Department of Finance, the Alabama Medicaid Agency and the Alabama State Health Planning and Development Agency. ADECA administers the ARHTP, which includes 11 initiatives. During this initial round of grant funding, five of those initiatives are being funded, including Rural Health, Rural Workforce, Mental Health, Rural Health Practice and Collaborative Electronic Health Record (EHR), IT and Cybersecurity. Grant awards for additional initiatives are in process and will be announced at a later date.

These projects are supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $203,404,326.54 with 100 percent funding by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

“The Trump Administration’s Rural Health Transformation Program is based on one simple idea: your access to quality health care shouldn’t depend on your ZIP code,” said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “Funding new approaches to expand access to both primary and specialty care is a critical step toward achieving that vision for Alabamians, and I look forward to seeing RHTP investments drive equally transformative innovations for rural communities nationwide.”

“To say that there is great interest in improving rural healthcare in Alabama is an understatement. This announcement comes at the end of a process that included six packed-house informational meetings in different locations throughout the state, five grant application workshops and hundreds of grant applications,” said ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell. “I appreciate the confidence that Gov. Ivey and the Legislature have in ADECA’s ability to administer this important program, and we are excited to now see so many projects moving forward.”

Below are the healthcare providers and institutions receiving grants for projects under each of the five initiatives being funded, with grant amounts and the counties served.

Collaborative Electronic Health Record (EHR), IT and Cybersecurity Initiative

Alabama Primary Health Care Association – $867,102 to establish a shared rural health technology and care coordination framework to strengthen collaboration among participating health centers, rural clinics, hospitals and community mental health providers in 43 counties (Baldwin, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, Cleburne, Coffee, Conecuh, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dale, Dallas, DeKalb, Escambia, Greene, Henry, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lowndes, Macon, Madison, Marengo, Marshall, Mobile, Monroe, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Randolph, Sumter, Talladega, Walker, Washington, Wilcox, Winston).
AltaPointe Health Systems Inc. – $457,073 to enhance cybersecurity protections across its rural behavioral health network to protect patient information and maintain reliable access to care in seven counties (Baldwin, Clay, Coosa, Mobile, Randolph, Talladega, Washington).
Auburn University – $6.38 million to establish a shared digital health and cybersecurity network to improve access to care, information sharing and technology support for rural healthcare providers in 12 counties (Barbour, Bullock, Chambers, Covington, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Macon, Monroe, Pike, Tallapoosa, Washington).
Birmingham Obstetrics Gynecology PC – $17,500 to connect its electronic health record system to Alabama’s statewide health information exchange to improve continuity and coordination of maternity care for rural patients statewide.
Cahaba Medical Care Foundation – $212,180 to strengthen cybersecurity protections across its rural health center network to protect patient information and maintain reliable access to care in six counties (Bibb, Chilton, Dallas, Marengo, Perry, Wilcox).
The City of York Health Care Authority DBA Hill Hospital of Sumter County – $344,269 to strengthen its health information technology, cybersecurity and electronic health record systems to improve care coordination and protect patient information in three counties (Choctaw, Pickens, Sumter).
Clay County Healthcare Authority – $814,941 to upgrade its clinical, operational and cybersecurity technology infrastructure to improve connectivity, information sharing and reliable access to care in Clay County.
Gadsden Regional Medical Center LLC – $1.4 million to modernize hospital security and emergency communication systems to strengthen patient safety, protect sensitive information and maintain reliable operations during disruptions in Etowah County.
Haynes Ambulance of Alabama Inc. – $283,314 to strengthen cybersecurity and information technology systems across its rural emergency medical service stations to protect patient information and improve operational reliability in eight counties (Bullock, Covington, Crenshaw, Elmore, Lowndes, Macon, Pike, Tallapoosa).
HH Health System – Athens Limestone LLC – $886,464 to expand its shared electronic health record system to Athens-Limestone Hospital to improve care coordination, information sharing and cybersecurity in Limestone County.
HH Health System – Jackson LLC – $1.89 million to modernize Highlands Medical Center’s electronic health record system and related technology infrastructure to improve patient care, cybersecurity and operational reliability in Jackson County.
Infirmary Health System Inc. – $3.5 million to establish a regional referral and technology network to improve secure information sharing, care coordination and cybersecurity for rural hospitals and clinics in three counties (Clarke, Mobile, Washington).
Ivy Creek Healthcare LLC – $530,600 to upgrade its electronic health record and cybersecurity systems to improve information sharing, streamline care and protect patient data in Elmore and Tallapoosa counties.
Mental Health Board of Chilton and Shelby Counties Inc. DBA Central Alabama Wellness – $43,580 to upgrade its electronic health record system to improve care coordination, patient access and information sharing across behavioral health and other healthcare providers in Chilton and Shelby counties.
NorthStar EMS Inc. – $169,501 to upgrade the technology and cybersecurity infrastructure supporting its 911 dispatch hub to improve reliability and maintain emergency response during cyber incidents, equipment failures or other disruptions in four counties (Fayette, Marion, Talladega, Tuscaloosa).
Regional Paramedical Services – This organization is receiving two grants from this initiative, including $43,260 to strengthen cybersecurity across its rural emergency medical service bases to protect patient information and support reliable emergency response operations in seven counties (Chilton, Jefferson, Marion, Shelby, St. Clair, Walker, Winston).

A second grant of $42,451 will upgrade network security at Regional Paramedical Services’ main operations base and failover dispatch center to protect critical emergency medical systems and maintain reliable response capabilities in seven counties (Chilton, Jefferson, Marion, Shelby, St. Clair, Walker, Winston).

The Russell Hospital Corporation – $839,753 to modernize its technology and cybersecurity infrastructure to strengthen patient care, protect health information and improve operational resilience in seven counties (Chambers, Clay, Coosa, Elmore, Lee, Talladega, Tallapoosa).
Clair Community Health Clinic Inc. – $1.17 million to upgrade its electronic health record, pharmacy, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure to improve care coordination, protect patient information and support more efficient care for uninsured rural adults in St. Clair County.
Sylacauga Healthcare Authority – $2.02 million to upgrade its information technology and cybersecurity infrastructure to improve system reliability, protect patient information and support safe clinical operations in three counties (Clay, Coosa, Talladega).
TLC Pediatrics & Family – $200,000 to enhance its information technology and cybersecurity systems to protect patient information and maintain reliable access to care in Limestone County.
UAB St. Vincent’s Blount – $839,753 to modernize its information technology, cybersecurity and electronic health record systems to strengthen patient care, protect health information and improve operational reliability in Blount County.
UAB St. Vincent’s Chilton LLC – $839,753 to strengthen its information technology, cybersecurity, and electronic health record systems to improve care coordination, protect patient information and support reliable hospital operations in five counties (Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Elmore, Perry).
UAB St. Vincent’s St. Clair – $839,753 to enhance its information technology, cybersecurity and electronic health record systems to improve care coordination, protect patient information and support reliable hospital operations serving six counties (Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Elmore, Perry, St. Clair).
The University of Alabama – $2.45 million to establish a shared support hub to help rural healthcare providers improve referral coordination, health information technology and cybersecurity readiness in 12 counties (Cullman, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lee, Marengo, Montgomery, Pickens, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa).
University of South Alabama – $1.51 million to establish a regional healthcare technology and interoperability network serving 10 rural hospitals across south Alabama through a coordinated hub-and-spoke model that combines shared technology services, enhanced interoperability, cybersecurity modernization and standardized operational platforms to improve provider sustainability and patient care in 17 counties (Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Dallas, Escambia, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Marengo, Monroe, Perry, Sumter, Washington, Wilcox).
The Washington County Health Care Authority, Inc. – $27,000 to strengthen its health information technology infrastructure and cybersecurity protections to improve system reliability and protect patient information in Washington County.
Whatley Health Services Inc. – $3.49 million to strengthen its electronic health record, cybersecurity and information technology systems across its rural clinic network to improve care coordination, protect patient information and support reliable healthcare operations in seven counties (Greene, Hale, Lamar, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa, Walker).
Wilcox Hospital Board DBA J. Paul Jones Rural Emergency Hospital – $839,753 to upgrade its information technology, cybersecurity and electronic health record systems to improve secure information sharing, protect patient data and support reliable healthcare operations in five counties (Chilton, Coosa, Elmore, Perry, Wilcox).

Rural Health Initiative

Alabama Vascular Specialists – $241,894 to expand vascular specialty services at its Selma satellite clinic by purchasing ultrasound, circulation-testing, and accessible examination equipment. The new equipment will allow the clinic to increase diagnostic testing capacity, improve patient triage, and expand clinic frequency from one to two days per week. (Bibb, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, Washington, Wilcox).
Andalusia Health – This hospital has received two grants under this initiative, including $625,257 to replace an obsolete CT scanner with a modern imaging system to accommodate a wider range of patients and help emergency teams diagnose heart and stroke conditions more quickly so more care can remain close to home (Covington).

A second grant for $176,980 will purchase and operationalize a dedicated non-emergency transportation vehicle to provide safe, reliable transport for discharged patients who live in six counties (Butler, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Escambia).

The Arc of Madison County, Inc. – $1.34 million to expand the Physician-Assisted Autism Diagnostic Pathways program through virtual occupational therapy, speech therapy and coordinated support for young children after a diagnosis of developmental delay or autism (Madison, Shelby, Walker).
Auburn University – $4 million to create a network of local healthcare access sites connected to a central virtual clinic to expand preventive and primary care in rural communities. The project will use virtual visits and remote health monitoring to connect residents with routine care, specialty services, chronic condition management, mental health support and coordinated care while reducing travel and strengthening rural providers (Barbour, Bibb, Bullock, Chambers, Clay, Conecuh, Covington, Dale, Franklin, Geneva, Henry, Macon, Marion, Pike, Tallapoosa, Washington).
TTC LLC DBA BHG Cullman Treatment Center – $339,580 to implement technology to strengthen access to opioid treatment services, medication management and treatment continuity at the Cullman treatment center (Cullman).
Cahaba Medical Care Foundation – This healthcare institution has received two grants under this initiative, including one for $106,500 to establish a two-tier telehealth and specialty consultation program across six rural clinics to expand access to dermatology services closer to home (Bibb, Chilton, Perry, Wilcox).

A second grant for $2.28 million will help establish a centralized rural shared-services hub and expand clinical capacity to support new and expanded primary care and behavioral health services across Alabama’s Black Belt (Bibb, Dallas, Marengo, Perry, Wilcox).

Capstone Health – $260,060 to establish the Capstone Health Access and Mentorship Partnership to expand local Hepatitis C screening, treatment and care coordination in rural communities in two counties (Walker, Winston).
City of Jackson Healthcare Authority DBA Jackson Medical Center – $98,300 to establish The Bridge Project, a dedicated non-emergency medical transportation program for mobility-impaired residents and behavioral health patients who need reliable access to healthcare services (Clarke, Washington).
Clay County Healthcare Authority – $1.54 million to expand primary and specialty care by converting existing office and surgical space into a rural health clinic staffed by a primary care physician (Clay).
Crenshaw County Healthcare Authority – $1.08 million to establish a tele-psychiatry program to expand access to behavioral health care for rural patients and reduce unnecessary travel, transfers and delays in psychiatric evaluation (Crenshaw).
Dale Medical Center – $305,775 to replace aging mammography equipment with a modern 3D imaging system to preserve local breast cancer screening and support earlier detection (Coffee, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Pike).
The DCH Health Care Authority – $2 million to establish a dedicated non-emergency medical transportation program to improve access to healthcare services and support patient movement across west Alabama (Fayette, Pickens, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Perry, Sumter, Marengo, Choctaw, Bibb).
The East Alabama Health Care Authority – This healthcare institution has received two grants under this initiative, including one for $6.77 million to establish a Regional Shared Services Hub to strengthen the operations and sustainability of rural partner hospitals across the region (Barbour, Bullock, Chambers, Clay, Elmore, Lee).

A second grant for $1.29 million will be used to acquire a mobile outreach bus, replicating a current bus model, connecting residents in underserved rural communities to primary care resources and preventative health screenings (Chambers, Macon, Tallapoosa).

Evergreen Nephrology LLC – $891,588 to operate the Evergreen Rural Connected Care program to provide virtual care management and at-home health monitoring for rural residents with chronic kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart failure and related conditions (Blount, Calhoun, Chilton, Cullman, Etowah, Fayette, Jackson, Lauderdale, Limestone, Marion, Marshall, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega, Walker).
Faulkner University – $2.08 million to establish the Eagle Care Mobile Health Network using two mobile healthcare units, virtual visits, remote health monitoring and care coordination to bring ongoing services directly to underserved rural communities (Bullock, Butler, Dallas, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Perry, Wilcox).
Floyd Cherokee Medical Center – $500,000 to replace aging radiography equipment with a modern digital imaging system to maintain reliable access to diagnostic services and reduce delays in diagnosis and treatment (Etowah).
Floyd Healthcare Management DBA Atrium Health Floyd EMS – $604,470 to expand the healthcare provider’s existing non-emergency medical transportation program by adding a dedicated transport ambulance and a wheelchair-accessible vehicle to improve access to medically necessary care (Calhoun, Cherokee).
Franklin Primary Health Center Inc. – $574,091 to establish the Franklin Rural Behavioral Health Telehealth and Teleconsult Initiative to expand access to behavioral health services through a hybrid in-person and telehealth model (Baldwin, Choctaw, Conecuh, Escambia, Monroe).
Gadsden Regional Medical Center – $150,000 to establish a non-emergency transportation service by purchasing a wheelchair-accessible van and hiring a full-time driver (Cherokee, Etowah).
Affinity Hospital DBA Grandview Medical Center – $451,350 to establish a virtual specialty care network and dedicated referral phone line connecting rural patients and providers with heart, lung and kidney specialists (Clay, Coosa).
Hale County Hospital – $2.41 million to upgrade equipment and infrastructure to strengthen emergency and maternal care, expand diagnostic services and improve the reliability of essential hospital operations (Hale).
Healthcare Authority of the City of Greenville – L.V. Stabler Hospital – $4.17 million to establish a telehealth intensive care program and expand general surgery services at Regional Medical Center of Central Alabama to strengthen access to critical and specialty care close to home (Butler).
Huntsville Hospital Health System – $2.80 million to establish the North Alabama Rural Specialty Access Network to expand access to specialty care and help rural patients receive more services closer to home (DeKalb, Jackson, Limestone, Madison, Marshall).
City of York Health Care Authority DBA Hill Hospital of Sumter County – $1.53 million to expand access to healthcare services by combining telehealth technology with transportation resources for rural and medically underserved residents of West Alabama (Choctaw, Jefferson, Sumter, Pickens, Tuscaloosa).
Infirmary Health System Inc. – This nonprofit health system based in Mobile and Baldwin counties has received two grants under this initiative, including one for $386,000 to establish the Rural Women’s Health Hub of Southwest Alabama to expand access to women’s health, maternal health and specialty care closer to home (Clarke, Washington).

A second grant for $1.12 million will allow Infirmary Health to implement the Women’s Access to Care Close to Home Initiative to expand preventive, prenatal, postpartum and specialty-connected care for women in rural communities (Baldwin, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia).

Ivy Creek Healthcare – $1.66 million to expand and modernize rural healthcare services by strengthening diagnostic imaging, establishing emergency telepsychiatry and telemedicine services, creating an in-house microbiology laboratory and supporting non-emergency medical transportation (Elmore, Tallapoosa).
Lakeland Community Hospital Inc. – $490,800 to implement telehealth technology and establish a non-emergency transportation program to improve access to healthcare services for rural patients (Winston).
RCHP-Florence LLC DBA North Alabama Shoals Hospital – The hospital has received two grants under this initiative, including one for $179,607 to implement an artificial intelligence-enabled patient monitoring system to improve fall prevention and patient safety in its geriatric psychiatry and inpatient rehabilitation units (Colbert).

A second grant for $123,000 will help establish a coordinated telecardiology program to expand access to specialized cardiac care for rural patients (Franklin, Lauderdale).

NorthStar EMS Inc. – $987,906 to replace outdated emergency transport equipment with modern heart monitors, airway equipment, ventilators and automated CPR devices (Fayette, Marion, Talladega).
Poarch Band of Creek Indians – $242,112 to modernize its dental clinic to expand access to restorative and pediatric dental care and improve the efficiency of services provided locally (Escambia).
QHG of Enterprise Inc. – $2.77 million to modernize the medical center’s diagnostic imaging services by upgrading its existing MRI unit and replacing its only CT scanner (Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Geneva, Pike).
Regional Air Medical Services – $56,109 to purchase and implement transport ventilators and related equipment to strengthen emergency air medical care for critically ill and injured patients (Jefferson, Marion, Shelby, St. Clair, Walker, Winston).
Regional Paramedical Services – This emergency medical services provider has received two grants, including one for $112,423 to install a battery backup system to keep emergency dispatch services operating during power outages and grid disruptions (Chilton, Jefferson, Marion, Shelby, St. Clair, Walker, Winston).

A second grant for $211,029 will help equip emergency response units with modern ventilators and related equipment to provide advanced breathing support during medical emergencies (Chilton, Jefferson, Marion, Shelby, St. Clair, Walker, Winston).

The Russell Hospital Corporation – This healthcare institution has received two grants under this initiative, including one for $1.25 million to implement an inpatient virtual care and tele-specialty program to expand access to clinical support for rural patients and strengthen bedside care (Tallapoosa).

A second grant for $439,720 will allow Russell Medical to modernize its cardiovascular technology to strengthen access to advanced heart care and improve coordination for rural patients (Tallapoosa).

Russellville Hospital – $1.29 million to implement a coordinated rural health access and care management initiative to help Franklin County residents receive timely specialty, behavioral health and follow-up care closer to home (Franklin).
Clair Community Health Clinic – $1.41 million to expand telehealth, remote patient monitoring, home-based support and onsite diagnostic services to improve access to care for rural residents (St. Clair).
UAB St. Vincent’s Chilton – $1.21 million to install secure video connections in every hospital room to expand virtual care services. The technology will support remote nursing and patient observation and connect local patients with heart and hormone specialists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, reducing unnecessary travel and transfers (Chilton).
Sylacauga Healthcare Authority DBA Coosa Valley Medical Center – The authority has received two grants under this initiative, including one for $5,680 to improve an existing non-emergency transportation program by adding technology for scheduling, route planning and ride coordination (Coosa, Talladega).

A second grant for $84,278 will allow the medical center to expand inpatient mental health care for older adults by increasing beds and adding beds equipped for patients with mobility limitations or other medical needs (Clay, Coosa, Shelby, Talladega, Tallapoosa).

Tanner Medical Center Alabama Inc. – $289,921 to expand rural healthcare capacity by adding clinical support staff, telehealth access and reliable broadband connectivity across four clinical sites (Randolph).
TLC Pediatrics & Family – This medical clinic has received two grants under this initiative, including one for $174,117 to establish the Rural Maternal-Infant Wellness and Lactation Access Program by hiring a full-time certified breastfeeding specialist and creating a dedicated space for breastfeeding and family support (Limestone).

A second grant for $33,508 will help establish the Rural Newborn Screening and Early Childhood Development Initiative to provide in-clinic newborn jaundice screening and standardized developmental and social-emotional screenings during routine pediatric visits (Limestone).

Touchstone Residential Services DBA Touchstone Transport – $1.12 million to establish a non-emergency medical transportation program using wheelchair-accessible electric vehicles (Cullman, Lawrence, Limestone, Morgan).
The Troy Hospital Health Care Authority – $623,000 to renovate an intensive care unit that is more than 30 years old to improve patient safety and support hospital staff (Barbour, Coffee, Crenshaw, Montgomery, Pike).
Wiregrass Medical Center – $391,000 to establish an in-house microbiology laboratory to provide faster diagnostic testing for patients and healthcare providers in rural southeast Alabama (Geneva).
UAB Montgomery – $2.09 million to implement the Lowndes County “Street MAP” Clinic to expand access to healthcare services for underserved residents in Lowndes County (Lowndes).
University of Alabama – $1.46 million to establish the Brain Health Rural Integrated Delivery and Guidance Exchange to connect services for brain injuries, mental health, substance use and social needs (Statewide).
Vaughan Regional Medical Center – $780,332 to replace its outdated nurse call system with a modern facility-wide communication system to improve patient safety, clinical response and care coordination (Dallas).
Tombigbee Healthcare Authority DBA Whitfield Regional Hospital – $259,011 to expand community wellness events that provide health screenings, education, referral assistance and access to virtual primary and specialty care (Dallas, Greene, Marengo, Sumter, Wilcox).
Wilcox Hospital Board DBA J. Paul Jones Rural Emergency Hospital – $116,880 to implement a two-part technology upgrade to reduce provider documentation burden and strengthen time-sensitive tele-neurology and stroke care across rural Alabama (Chilton, Coosa, Elmore, Perry, Wilcox).

Rural Workforce Initiative

Alabama Community College System – The system received two grants from this initiative, including $464,000 to establish a statewide training network that awards college credit for qualifying military training and creates accelerated pathways for veterans to complete healthcare credentials.

A second grant totaling $319,540 will establish a registered earn-and-learn apprenticeship to expand the nursing faculty workforce and increase nursing education capacity in 21 counties (Baldwin, Coffee, Colbert, Conecuh, Covington, Cullman, Dallas, DeKalb, Etowah, Houston, Jefferson, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, Mobile, Montgomery, Randolph, Russell, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker).

Alabama Fire College – $756,559 to expand emergency medical services education across rural Alabama by providing scholarship-supported training for volunteer firefighters, rescue squad members, career firefighters, ambulance service employees and community members seeking emergency medical services credentials in rural communities statewide.
Auburn University – $5 million to establish a multidisciplinary Rural Workforce Academy to strengthen the pipeline of healthcare professionals in 12 counties (Barbour, Bullock, Chambers, Covington, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Macon, Monroe, Pike, Tallapoosa, Washington).
Cahaba Medical Care Foundation – The foundation received two grants from this initiative, including $100,127 to provide recruitment incentives to fourth-year medical students who enter the Cahaba+UAB Family Medicine Residency rural or frontier track and commit to at least five years of rural service in three counties (Bibb, Perry, Wilcox).

A second grant totaling $430,304 will establish rural obstetric training capacity at four Alabama hospitals to strengthen the pipeline of physicians prepared to provide maternity care in four counties (Bibb, Coffee, Dallas, Talladega).

Clay County Healthcare Authority – $293,000 to strengthen its local healthcare workforce by supporting credential advancement for existing employees, sustaining a high school healthcare education pipeline and recruiting the county’s first employed primary care physician at its rural emergency hospital (Clay).
Cullman Regional Medical Center Inc. – $3.8 million to establish a family medicine residency training program with a focused obstetrics track to strengthen the pipeline of physicians prepared to provide maternity care in seven counties (Blount, Cullman, Lawrence, Marshall, Morgan, Walker, Winston).
The DCH Health Care Authority – $3 million to recruit and retain two interventional cardiologists, one heart rhythm specialist and two advanced practice providers to strengthen access to cardiovascular care in several west Alabama counties (Tuscaloosa, Fayette, Pickens, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Perry, Sumter, Marengo, Choctaw, Bibb).
East Alabama Health Care Authority – $1.5 million to establish a new rural family medicine residency program to train and retain more primary care physicians to serve nine counties (Barbour, Bullock, Chambers, Clay, Elmore, Lee, Randolph, Talladega, Tallapoosa).
Faulkner University – $975,000 to establish a rural healthcare workforce program that provides tuition assistance to eligible health profession students who commit to five years of employment in rural Alabama and support housing, travel and related costs for students completing rural clinical rotations in 58 counties (Baldwin, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Butler, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, Cleburne, Coffee, Conecuh, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dale, Dallas, DeKalb, Elmore, Escambia, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Geneva, Greene, Hale, Henry, Jackson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Marion, Marshall, Mobile, Monroe, Morgan, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Randolph, Shelby, St. Clair, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Walker, Washington, Wilcox, Winston).
Franklin Primary Health Center Inc. – $1.1 million to expand its accredited family medicine residency program by developing a rural training track to strengthen the pipeline of primary care physicians prepared to practice in rural communities in Baldwin County.
Gadsden Regional Medical Center LLC – $550,000 to strengthen its nursing workforce by recruiting 20 registered nurses who commit to five years of rural service and expanding training opportunities for its existing nursing staff in Cherokee and Etowah counties.
HH Health System – Marshall LLC – $935,000 to establish the training and operational infrastructure needed to launch a new rural family medicine residency program in Marshall County.
Infirmary Health System Inc. – $342,147 to establish structured rural clinical rotations for internal medicine residents to strengthen the physician workforce pipeline and expand supervised clinical capacity in five counties (Baldwin, Clarke, Escambia, Mobile, Washington).
Professional Medical Associates PC – $800,000 to provide recruitment and retention incentives for clinicians, onboarding support, technology modernization, and expanded patient access to address clinician shortages, large provider panel sizes, and chronic disease burden (Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Geneva).
Regional Training Institute – $1.38 million to purchase and equip two mobile training units to bring hands-on emergency medical services training to rural residents who may have difficulty traveling to a training location. The project will serve 36 counties (Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dallas, DeKalb, Elmore, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lawrence, Limestone, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Perry, Pickens, Randolph, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega, Walker, Winston).
Clair Community Health Clinic Inc. – $1.35 million to expand rural clinical training opportunities to strengthen the workforce providing diagnostic, chronic disease and community-based care in St. Clair County.
Sylacauga Healthcare Authority – $600,000 to provide recruitment incentives to hire two psychiatrists who will practice primarily in Talladega County and help establish a rural psychiatry training and workforce program.
Triad of Alabama DBA Flowers Hospital – $727,000 to expand the hospital’s surgical technology training program, increasing access to high-quality workforce training opportunities for individuals pursuing allied health careers and deploying recruitment and retention strategies for specialized nurses and allied health professions through service-based initiatives (Houston).
Troy University – $118,070 to establish an interprofessional training program that brings nursing and emergency medical services students together through virtual clinical simulations to strengthen communication and coordination during patient handoffs in Coffee and Pike counties.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham – The university received two grants from this initiative, including $7 million to strengthen Alabama’s rural primary care workforce by expanding the pipeline for recruiting, training and retaining physicians for rural practice to serve 35 counties (Baldwin, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chilton, Coffee, Cullman, Dallas, DeKalb, Elmore, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Madison, Marengo, Marion, Marshall, Mobile, Montgomery, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Winston).

A second grant totaling $887,616 will establish a youth workforce development program to introduce high school students to careers in emergency medical services, emergency preparedness and public health response in five counties (Jefferson, Mobile, Sumter, Tuscaloosa, Wilcox).

The University of Alabama in Huntsville – $1.47 million to establish the Rural Alabama Nursing Scholars Program to strengthen the nursing workforce in nine north Alabama counties (Cullman, DeKalb, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Marshall, Morgan).
The University of South Alabama – $1.25 million to strengthen the rural healthcare workforce by expanding physician residency training in rural settings and developing training and support for community health workers, telehealth implementation and healthcare revenue-cycle staff in 17 counties (Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Dallas, Escambia, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Marengo, Monroe, Perry, Sumter, Washington, Wilcox).

Rural Health Practice Initiative

AltaPointe Health Systems – $2.21 million to establish two integrated primary and behavioral health care access points in Ashland and Sylacauga to improve access to coordinated care for rural residents (Clay, Talladega).
Anderson Family Care – $177,961 to establish weekend clinic hours in Demopolis to give rural patients access to non-emergency care within their existing medical practice instead of relying on emergency departments or urgent care (Greene, Hale, Marengo, Perry, Sumter).
Cahaba Medical Care Foundation – The foundation has received two grants under this initiative, including one for $69,159 to replace Cahaba Medical Care’s current telehealth platform with a more user-friendly system to improve reliable access to virtual primary care and behavioral health services for rural patients (Bibb, Chilton, Marengo, Perry, Wilcox).

A second grant for $280,579 will allow the Foundation to establish a new Federally Qualified Health Center service site in Selma by completing targeted renovations and purchasing equipment for existing medical office space (Dallas).

Capstone Health – $250,000 to expand access to primary care by implementing routine weekend clinic operations at an existing health center in Jasper, giving rural residents more opportunities to receive care outside traditional weekday hours (Walker).
City of Jackson Healthcare Authority DBA Jackson Medical Center – $158,215 to modernize aging clinical and office equipment at Family Medical of Jackson to maintain reliable access to primary care in rural communities (Clarke, Washington).
Neil Rasmussen MD PC – $243,000 for Headland Family Medicine to expand primary and preventive care capacity in rural Henry County by recruiting and onboarding a full-time primary care physician and adding women’s health services, including annual screenings and family planning (Henry).
East Alabama Health Care Authority – $731,055 for an integrated school-based and mobile healthcare initiative to expand access to primary, preventative, behavioral health and chronic disease services for students, workers and underserved residents in Bullock County in partnership with Auburn University College of Nursing (Bullock).
Franklin Primary Health Center – $881,190 to expand clinic-based behavioral health services across the health center’s rural primary care network to improve access to counseling, care coordination and follow-up support closer to home (Baldwin, Choctaw, Conecuh, Escambia, Monroe).
City of York Health Care Authority DBA Hill Hospital of Sumter County – $677,120 to establish the Sumter County Pediatric Clinic on the Hill Hospital campus to expand access to pediatric primary care for children and adolescents in a rural area without a practicing pediatrician (Sumter, Tuscaloosa).
Regional Air Medical Services – $13,765 to purchase clinical simulation and training equipment to strengthen the skills of flight paramedics and flight nurses who provide emergency care and air transport in rural Alabama (Jefferson, Marion, Shelby, St. Clair, Walker, Winston).
Troy University – $60,000 for the School of Nursing to establish TROY COMPASS, a peer mentorship and rural workforce development program that will support nursing students throughout Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and strengthen the pipeline of nurses prepared to serve rural communities (Pike).
The University of Alabama at Birmingham – $974,084 for Selma Family Medicine to modernize its technology and care coordination systems to strengthen rural primary care and prepare the clinic for expanded specialty access through telehealth (Dallas).
Weiss Family Care – $1.06 million to expand clinic and telehealth capacity in rural Leesburg to improve access to primary care, urgent care and sexual health services closer to home (Cherokee).

Mental Health Initiative

AltaPointe Health Systems – $935,895 to establish the Alabama School Mental Health Network to expand school-based mental health crisis services through a coordinated telehealth model, helping students in rural communities receive timely support during a behavioral health crisis (Autauga, Baldwin, Bibb, Blount, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Choctaw, Clay, Coosa, Dallas, DeKalb, Elmore, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Lowndes, Marengo, Marion, Marshall, Mobile, Montgomery, Morgan, Perry, Pickens, Randolph, Shelby, St. Clair, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Washington, Wilcox).
Cahaba Medical Care Foundation – $958,307 to expand school-based behavioral health services in Bibb County and establish new services in Perry County to improve students’ access to mental health care (Bibb, Perry).
Montgomery Area Mental Health Authority DBA Carastar Health – $1.04 million to expand behavioral health services and strengthen operational infrastructure to support Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic certification and improve access to coordinated care in rural communities (Elmore, Lowndes).
Southwest Alabama Behavioral Health Care Systems DBA CarePath Behavioral Health – $865,600 to expand access to mental health and substance abuse disorder services and strengthen five rural locations as they transition to the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic model (Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Monroe).
Mental Health Board of Chilton and Shelby Counties Inc. DBA Central Alabama Wellness – $589,096 to establish a 24/7 mobile crisis service to provide in-person behavioral health crisis response and support its transition to the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic model (Chilton, Shelby).
Floyd Cherokee Medical Center LLC – $31,152 to expand virtual school-based mental health therapy services to improve students’ access to behavioral health care (Cherokee).
HARTT Inc. DBA HARTT Counseling and Wellness – $222,347 to expand school-based behavioral health services to improve access to mental health care for students in rural communities (Walker, Winston).
East Alabama Mental Health-Mental Retardation Board, Inc. DBA Integrea Community Mental Health System – $867,545 to expand and strengthen behavioral health services as it transitions to the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic model, improving access to coordinated mental health and substance use disorder care (Chambers, Tallapoosa).
Jefferson-Blount-St. Clair Mental Health Authority – $542,965 to develop the infrastructure needed to transition from a community mental health center to the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic model (Blount, Jefferson, St. Clair).
Northwest Alabama Mental Health Center – $480,408 to strengthen staffing and care delivery infrastructure to support the health center’s conversion to a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic and expand access to comprehensive mental health and substance use disorder services (Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker, Winston).
River Region Psychiatry Associates LLC – $600,550 to establish a mobile school-based behavioral health program to improve access to mental health services for students in rural schools in Marengo County (Marengo).
Rural Health Medical Program Inc. – $660,527 to establish school-based behavioral health services to improve access to mental health care for students in rural communities in six west Alabama counties (Clarke, Dallas, Marengo, Monroe, Perry, Wilcox).
WellStone Inc. – $86,660 for the Cullman County School-Based Mental Health project to expand access to school-based mental health care by providing specialized tablets in every Cullman County school for immediate telehealth connections to local WellStone mental health therapists when in-person therapists are unavailable (Cullman).

###

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.