Governor DeWine Announces First Rural Health Transformation Program Award to Ohio University for $10 Million

Article presented by Pike County Career & Technology Center …

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today announced the first Rural Health Transformation Program award to Ohio University to strengthen the rural healthcare workforce. This is the first of many initiatives that will be funded through the $202 million awarded to Ohio from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which Governor DeWine announced in December 2025.

“We are excited to see the first of the funds going out to begin the important work of improving the health and well-being of Ohioans in our rural communities,” said Governor DeWine. “We remain grateful to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz for their support of Ohio’s proposal.”

Ohio will work to strengthen the rural healthcare workforce by connecting employers, schools, and community organizations to recruit, train, and retain health professionals in rural communities.

With this funding award, Ohio University will collaborate with numerous statewide partners to help rural communities address their healthcare workforce needs in several ways. Funding will expand healthcare exploration for Ohio students in 8th grade and high school through programs such as summer camps and career fairs, and by exposing college undergraduates and graduate students to opportunities in healthcare. Ohio University will also expand apprenticeships for high school students and recent graduates with paid positions in healthcare so they can enter the workforce upon graduation or while they obtain required education.

“Ohio University is honored to be selected by the Ohio Department of Health to help lead this transformational effort to strengthen rural health care across our state,” said Ohio University Vice President of Health Affairs and Senior Strategist for Health Partnerships Ken Johnson. “This investment recognizes Ohio University’s longstanding commitment to rural communities and also puts that experience to work in collaboration statewide to expand innovative workforce development programs, strengthen partnerships and improve access to quality care for Ohioans who need it most.”

Ohio’s Rural Health Transformation Program, administered by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) will build on existing state investments to expand access to care in rural communities, strengthen the rural health workforce, modernize rural facilities and technology, and support innovative models that bring high-quality, dependable care closer to home.

“We know how critical access to care is for Ohioans, and that there are shortages of providers in some areas of rural Ohio,” said ODH Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff. “Our department has been working on this issue for years, and this additional generous federal funding will be a huge boost to these efforts.”

Additional contracts will be awarded in the coming months.

According to the Ohio Department of Health’s (ODH) Ohio Chronic Disease Atlas 2025, Ohioans living in rural parts of the state experience higher rates of chronic disease, lower access to specialty care, and worse health outcomes. Frequently, Ohioans living in rural communities live far from care, making preventative and early intervention services difficult to access.

This project is 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 $10,000,000 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.