Montgomery, AL – Gov. Kay Ivey announced Monday that 138 grants totaling more than $144 million have been awarded to healthcare providers and institutions through the Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program, with several funded projects serving Calhoun County and surrounding communities.
The grants are part of a statewide effort aimed at improving healthcare access, quality and outcomes in rural areas. According to the Governor’s Office, projects receiving funding in the initial round collectively cover rural areas in all 67 Alabama counties.
Among the recipients is Evergreen Nephrology LLC, which was awarded $891,588 for its Evergreen Rural Connected Care program. The project will 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.
Calhoun County is among 15 counties included in the Evergreen project, along with Blount, Chilton, Cullman, Etowah, Fayette, Jackson, Lauderdale, Limestone, Marion, Marshall, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega and Walker counties.
Floyd Healthcare Management, doing business as Atrium Health Floyd EMS, was awarded $604,470 for a project serving Calhoun and Cherokee counties. The funding will expand the provider’s existing non-emergency medical transportation program through the addition of a dedicated transport ambulance and a wheelchair-accessible vehicle. The project is intended to improve access to medically necessary healthcare for residents who face transportation barriers.
In neighboring Etowah County, Gadsden Regional Medical Center LLC received $1.4 million to modernize hospital security and emergency communication systems. According to the grant announcement, the improvements are designed to strengthen patient safety, protect sensitive information and help maintain reliable hospital operations during disruptions.
“Alabama is serious about creating systematic changes through the ARHTP to ensure every citizen has access to quality care,” Ivey said. “This program is enabling institutions covering every part of the state to improve healthcare for Alabamians through projects that are both innovative and sustainable.”
The Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program was developed through a collaborative effort involving the Governor’s Office, Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, Alabama Department of Finance, Alabama Medicaid Agency and Alabama State Health Planning and Development Agency.
ADECA administers the program, which includes 11 initiatives. Five are receiving funding during the initial grant round: Rural Health, Rural Workforce, Mental Health, Rural Health Practice and Collaborative Electronic Health Record, IT and Cybersecurity. Awards associated with additional initiatives remain in process and are expected to be announced later.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said the federal Rural Health Transformation Program is intended to reduce disparities in access to healthcare based on where patients live.
“Your access to quality health care shouldn’t depend on your ZIP code,” Oz said. “Funding new approaches to expand access to both primary and specialty care is a critical step toward achieving that vision for Alabamians.”
ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said the grant process generated significant interest across Alabama, including six informational meetings, five grant application workshops and hundreds of applications.
“To say that there is great interest in improving rural healthcare in Alabama is an understatement,” Boswell said.
The projects are supported through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Alabama’s financial assistance award totals approximately $203.4 million and is funded entirely by CMS/HHS.
Additional Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program grant awards are expected to be announced as funding for the program’s remaining initiatives is finalized.
