Phase 2 investments support rural hospitals, workforce development, care coordination, and healthcare innovation—bringing total amount of funds committed to more than $43 million 

ATLANTA (July 16, 2026) –– Following June’s announcement of the first GREAT Health awards, the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) has awarded an additional $30.6 million to 26 organizations through Phase 2 of the Georgia Rural Enhancement and Transformation of Health, also known as the GREAT Health Program. Today’s announcement brings the total amount of funds committed to $43.3 million. The awards support projects aligned with four of the program’s five initiatives and include investments in rural hospitals, healthcare workforce development, school-based health infrastructure, behavioral health services, telemedicine, and healthcare innovation.

GREAT Health is Georgia’s Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program, the federal-state partnership to strengthen rural communities by improving healthcare access, quality, and outcomes. Beginning in 2026 and over a five-year period, GREAT Health will provide funding to support projects that align with RHT Program goals. 

“These investments represent another important step in Georgia’s effort to transform rural healthcare,” said Stuart Portman, executive director of the Medical Assistance Division at DCH. “Through GREAT Health, we are supporting rural hospitals, expanding access to care, strengthening the healthcare workforce, and investing in innovative solutions that help rural communities thrive. We look forward to continuing this work alongside our partners across the state.” 

  • Strengthening the Continuum of Care in Rural Georgia (Initiative 2) – $4.6 million: Awards in this initiative support projects designed to improve care coordination and strengthen connections between healthcare, behavioral health, public health, and education partners. Awardees include: 
    • Georgia Health Information Network (GaHIN)
    • Morehouse School of Medicine
    • Georgia State University
    • Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD)
    • Georgia Department of Education 

Projects include school-based health infrastructure development, transportation-to-treatment services for individuals experiencing mental health crises, and other initiatives designed to improve access to coordinated care across rural Georgia. 

  • Connecting to Care to Improve Healthcare Access in Rural Georgia (Initiative 3) – $6.5 million: Awards in this initiative support healthcare access initiatives, including specialty care expansion, diagnostic and clinical service enhancements, healthcare infrastructure improvements, and other efforts to strengthen access to care for rural communities. These awards include 17 Rural Stabilization Grant awards to rural hospitals across Georgia and a separate award to DBHDD.
    Rural hospital awardees: 
    • Appling Healthcare 
    • Clinch County Hospital Authority 
    • Colquitt Regional Medical Center 
    • Crisp Regional Hospital 
    • Dodge County Hospital 
    • Donalsonville Hospital, Inc. 
    • Effingham Hospital, Inc. 
    • Elbert Memorial Hospital 
    • Hospital Authority of Jefferson County and the City of Louisville 
    • Jasper Health Services, Inc. 
    • Liberty Regional Medical Center 
    • Memorial Hospital and Manor 
    • Miller County Hospital 
    • Monroe County Hospital 
    • Putnam General Hospital 
    • South Georgia Medical Center, Inc. 
    • Wills Memorial Hospital 

The award to DBHDD will support deployment of a mobile dental clinic.

  • Growing a Highly Skilled Healthcare Workforce in Rural Georgia (Initiative 4) – $12.5 million: Awards in this initiative support healthcare workforce development and training. Awardees include: 
    • Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce
    • University System of Georgia
    • Alzheimer’s Association

Projects will expand graduate medical education opportunities, strengthen nursing education pathways, support simulation-based clinical training, and establish dementia care workforce development programs, all of which are designed to recruit, train, and retain healthcare professionals in rural communities. 

  • Leveraging Technology for Healthcare Innovations in Rural Georgia (Initiative 5) –$7 million: Awards in this initiative support technology-enabled healthcare innovation. Awardees include: 
    • Georgia Cyber Innovation & Training Center at Augusta University
    • Georgia Association of Emergency Medical Services

Funding will support cybersecurity enhancements for rural hospitals and implementation of an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Treat-versus-Transport model that leverages telehealth and technology to improve care delivery, reduce unnecessary emergency department utilization, and strengthen emergency response capabilities in rural communities. 

The GREAT Health Program is organized around five initiatives and 29 strategies designed to improve healthcare access, outcomes, workforce capacity, innovation, and long-term sustainability across rural Georgia. These Phase 2 investments build upon earlier GREAT Health awards and represent another step toward advancing rural health transformation across the state. 

GREAT Health’s Year 1 plan includes four application phases. The application period for Phase 4, the final phase for Year 1, opened June 15, 2026, and closes July 15, 2026. Eligible applicants for the current Phase 4 funding opportunities include rural hospitals, healthcare providers, and community organizations. Eligibility requirements vary by funding opportunity. Applicants should review the funding opportunities guidelines available at greathealth.georgia.gov/find-funding-opportunities for complete eligibility criteria.

The GREAT Health website at greathealth.georgia.gov serves as the central source for all future Requests for Grant Applications (RFGAs), program updates, and related materials. Sign up for the GREAT Health Program Updates Distribution List to receive future announcements and program updates. 

About the Georgia Department of Community Health 

DCH serves as the lead agency for Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids®, which, combined, cover more than two million Georgians annually. The agency also oversees the State Health Benefit Plan, Healthcare Facility Regulation Division, and the State Office of Rural Health, among other divisions, accounting for an annual budget of more than $20 billion. Through effective planning, purchasing and oversight, DCH provides access to affordable, quality health care to some of the state’s most vulnerable and underserved populations. To learn more about DCH and its commitment to Shaping the Future of a Healthy Georgia, visit the Georgia Department of Community Health website.

**The GREAT Health Program is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of the Rural Health Transformation Program, a financial assistance award totaling $218,862,169.63 with 100% funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of DCH and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.