Arizona Rural Health Transformation Program Announces New Funding Opportunities

This RFGA is the fourth public solicitation of several competitive grants being released by AHCCCS under the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP).  

In accordance with A.R.S. § 41-2701 through 41-2702, competitive sealed Applications for the services specified will be received by AHCCCS online in the State of Arizona’s online Grant system, EUNA (formerly eCivis). Applications received by the due date and time will be opened. The name of each Applicant will be publicly available. Applications must be submitted in the online grant system on or prior to the date and time indicated. Late Applications will not be considered. It is the responsibility of the Applicant to routinely check the online grant system for Solicitation/Grant Amendments. Additional instructions for preparing an application are included with this solicitation. No extension or grace period will be given for delays or incomplete proposals caused by internet connectivity problems, file uploading difficulties, or misunderstanding of the submission requirements. 

With seventy-two (72) hours prior notice, persons with disabilities may request special accommodations such as interpreters, alternative formats, or assistance with physical accessibility. Such requests must be addressed to the assigned Procurement Officer Named below. 

APPLICANTS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO CAREFULLY READ THE ENTIRE RFGA. 

The Arizona RHTP is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as a part of a financial assistance award totaling $166,988,955.92 with 100% by CMS/HHS. The contents of this RFGA are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government. 

Rural Health Innovative Care Pilot Program 

OVERVIEW 

The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) hereby issues this Request for Grant Applications (RFGA) for the support of the Rural Health Innovative Care Pilot Program, under the Arizona RHTP. 

This competitive grant opportunity is funded through the CMS RHTP and is intended to increase long-term access points to rural health care for preventive, specialty, and primary care services by piloting innovative care models and technologies, and alternative payment approaches across rural and rural Tribal communities in Arizona.

Funded projects will support: 

• Innovative and alternative care models, including community health worker programs, diversion models, in-home services, and traditional healing supports  

These investments are intended to increase long-term rural health access points, strengthen the sustainability of healthcare delivery across rural and rural Tribal communities in Arizona, and support measurable improvements in access to care, service utilization, and population health outcomes.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Program Background 

The Arizona RHTP is intended to strengthen healthcare access, workforce capacity, provider sustainability, and population health outcomes across rural communities throughout Arizona. The Arizona RHTP targets approximately 800,000 rural Arizonans, representing ~11% of the State’s population, through coordinated initiatives addressing rural health workforce capacity, health care access, provider sustainability, and priority chronic disease management and prevention. 

This statewide initiative is a five-year, federally funded program designed to improve healthcare access and outcomes across rural and rural Tribal communities. Continuation funding across the five-year Period of Performance is contingent upon annual CMS review and approval of a Non-Competing Continuation (NCC) application, including applicable rescoring or continuation award recalculation conducted by CMS.    

Purpose of Rural Health Innovative Care Pilot Program 

Within the Making Rural Healthcare Accessible Initiative, the Rural Health Innovative Care Pilot Program includes the piloting of innovative care models, technologies, and alternative payment approaches designed to expand access to preventive, specialty, and primary care services in rural Arizona. For purposes of this funding opportunity, innovation refers to the implementation, testing, expansion, or evaluation of a new or significantly enhanced care delivery approach, service model, workforce strategy, partnership structure, operational model, or payment methodology that differs meaningfully from current practice and has the potential to improve access, quality, coordination, efficiency, sustainability, or health outcomes. 

The Rural Health Innovative Care Pilot Program initiative aims to increase long-term rural health access points by funding locally driven, community-informed projects that test, evaluate, and scale sustainable approaches to care delivery, with an emphasis on reaching communities that face the greatest geographic and systemic barriers to care. 

Specifically, this initiative aims to: 

• Pilot and scale community health worker programs, diversion models, in-home services, and traditional healing supports tailored to rural and Tribal populations 

Funded activities are expected to expand access to preventive, specialty, and primary care in geographically isolated communities, pilot and evaluate innovative care delivery models suited to rural and rural Tribal populations, support sustainable payment approaches for patients facing barriers of distance and provider scarcity, and demonstrate measurable improvements in access, utilization, care coordination, health outcomes, healthcare system performance, or other indicators relevant to the population served.

Period of Performance 

The anticipated period of performance under this RFGA is from the award date through October 30, 2026, corresponding to Budget Period 1 of the Arizona RHTP.

Please see the full RFGA for more information regarding the period of performance and budget years.