Alaska

Alaska was awarded $272 million through the federal RHTP for distribution between January and October 2026. Funding will transform rural health care delivery, emphasizing improved care coordination, workforce expansion, and technology investments. Entities across Alaska—including hospitals, tribal organizations, and EMS—will be able to apply for project funds in competitive cycles beginning in 2026. Key contacts: Heidi Hedberg DOH.RHTF@alaska.gov; Emily Ricci DOH.RHTF@alaska.gov; Monique Martin DOH.RHTF@alaska.gov Event schedule: - RHTP application portal registration & letter of intent opens - 01/2026 - AKT - Alaska DOH website - First funding awards expected - Spring 2026 - AKT - Statewide - Community-led regional planning workshops - Spring/Summer 2026 - AKT - Regional - In-Person Convening (Annual, mark your calendars!) - January 2027 - AKT

Alaska Department of Health convened a statewide kickoff event to launch the RHTP implementation and provide early program direction. The event engaged diverse partners including Tribal and community organizations, emphasizing RHTP as a long-term systemic investment. Event schedule: - Year 1 Convening Day 1 - January 14, 2026 - Virtual - Year 1 Convening Day 2 - January 15, 2026 - In-person - Year 1 Convening Day 3 - January 16, 2026

Alaska has been awarded major federal funding under the Rural Health Transformation Program to support the permanent transformation of rural health care. The press release indicates significant federal investment and new programmatic activity is forthcoming. Event schedule: - Press Release announcing Alaska RHTP award - 12/29/2025 - Online

Alaska was awarded a five-year federal RHTP grant totaling approximately $1.36 billion to transform rural health care statewide. The program focuses on prevention, chronic disease management, EMS modernization, telehealth expansion, workforce development, and sustainable care models aiming to reduce disparities and improve health outcomes.

This document provides guidance for RHTP applicants and program stakeholders in Alaska, detailing the eligible populations, provider types, service categories, and funding limits for RHTP-supported projects. It explains a portfolio-level review process designed to balance awards across populations, geographies, initiatives, and service types, and outlines key federal budget limitations attached to award categories. The guidance defines concrete population health targets and eligible entity/service types for the Alaska RHTP portfolio.

This guidance outlines the criteria Alaska will use to evaluate RHTP project proposals, including clear demonstration of rural need, alignment with state RHTP goals, definition of measurable outcomes, and evidence of partnerships or sustainability strategies. Projects must show meaningful transformative impact for rural communities, be well-matched to the scope and baseline of target populations, and include robust plans for implementation and monitoring. Sustainability, partnership integration, and alignment with local and regional priorities are major review factors.

Alaska’s 2026 RHTP plan is built around six themed initiatives—including Healthy Beginnings, Health Care Access, Healthy Communities, Pay for Value, Strengthen Workforce, and Spark Technology—to modernize rural health delivery across the state. The document lays out detailed, allowable uses of RHTP funds for infrastructure, workforce, IT, prevention, delivery system, and payment reforms. The plan emphasizes locally led, culturally appropriate strategies, and strong attention to Alaska’s unique geography, Tribal partnerships, and workforce pipeline challenges. Event schedule: - Last Revised - 2026-02-19

Day 2 of Alaska’s RHTP convening emphasized the state’s leadership in program implementation, technology-enabled transformation, and stakeholder partnerships. Sessions featured perspectives from state government, tribal health, and technology experts, highlighting the goals of system-level change, sustainable outcomes, and workforce innovation. Discussion focused on practical, scalable health IT solutions and the importance of local readiness, collaboration, and sustainability planning. Event schedule: - RHTP Day 2 Convening - Anchorage, Alaska

Alaska's RHTP application outlines systemic, multi-faceted rural health challenges—geographic isolation, severe workforce shortages, pronounced health disparities, and outdated infrastructure. It proposes six major cross-cutting initiatives focused on maternal/child health, care access, healthy communities, fiscal sustainability, workforce development, and technology innovation. Key strategic goals include closing health outcome gaps, advancing payment reform for financial stability, and leveraging Alaska's history of telehealth and Tribal partnership innovation.

Alaska was awarded $272.2 million in federal grants to implement six statewide initiatives including maternal and child health, healthcare access, healthy communities, fiscal sustainability through pay-for-value models, workforce strengthening, and technology innovation. The Alaska Department of Health officially launched the program in January 2026 and is currently managing applicant progress with pathways for planning and implementation phases. Key contacts: RHTP@alaskacf.org Event schedule: - Statewide Kickoff Webinar - January 14-16, 2026 - Statewide webinar - LOI Outcomes Notification - May 22, 2026

This report summarizes the third day of the Alaska RHTP convening focused on vendor engagement, departmental staff interaction, and relationship-building to support rural health transformation. The Department emphasized transparency and partnership to guide future rural health initiatives. Continued engagement and information sharing were encouraged to support sustainable system changes. Key contacts: Heidi Hedberg; Emily Ricci; Lindsey Kato; Deb Etheridge

This is an agenda for a virtual advisory council meeting focusing on updates and planning related to the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). No awards or funding information is provided. Event schedule: - Advisory Council Meeting - 04/22/2026 - 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM - Teleconference