Nebraska Initiatieve - Click to view an accessible PDF.
HHS Region 7 · Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Program Overview
The Nebraska Rural Health Transformation Program is in its initial implementation stage, launching statewide initiatives beginning in Spring 2026 with rolling funding opportunities for rural providers each year. Primary focus areas remain food as medicine, emergency and behavioral health, workforce acceleration, eHealth, and facility modernization, under active oversight by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services with structured input from newly established Health Care Advisory Regions. The program emphasizes technology-enabled solutions, regional care coordination, and targeted rural workforce and access improvements. Current structured plan tracks 14 key initiatives and 22 strategic goals.
Updated
County-level estimates averaged across Nebraska — % of adults 18+ unless noted. Delta vs US county average shown in red/green.
pp = percentage points vs US county average
County Drilldown (93)
| County | Pop | Poverty | Uninsured |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County | 590,736 | 11.8% | 7.7% |
| Lancaster County | 326,696 | 11.9% | 6.9% |
| Sarpy County | 197,389 | 5.6% | 4.0% |
| Hall County | 62,536 | 14.1% | 12.1% |
| Buffalo County | 50,579 | 9.9% | 5.3% |
| Dodge County | 37,351 | 11.0% | 7.9% |
| Scotts Bluff County | 35,843 | 12.9% | 8.9% |
| Madison County | 35,532 | 13.1% | 7.7% |
| Platte County | 34,716 | 9.8% | 8.1% |
| Lincoln County | 33,802 | 12.4% | 7.0% |
| Adams County | 31,052 | 12.7% | 8.5% |
| Cass County | 27,161 | 5.2% | 3.1% |
AI source: NE - 2026 - Example Goals And Objectives For Development Plan
AI auto-updated Sep 4, 2026
API refreshed May 7, 2026
Key signals are summarized here. Open the source for the supporting detail.
Federal RHTP award total (state override)
Detailed federal award opportunity rows are not linked yet for this state, but an approved federal award total is set.
677,796 rural residents
Nebraska continues active implementation of the Rural Health Transformation Program, issuing multiple RFAs and soliciting applications for school kitchen modernization, farm-to-school, and facility modification grants. Awards have been made under RHTP Initiative 5.3 to rural healthcare providers for facility modifications supporting mental health crisis services, and numerous procurement rounds remain open or recently closed. Key state opportunities total over $3.5M in listed funding, supporting workforce, care access, and telehealth priorities. Regional advisory groups continue to support provider engagement and program alignment. State opportunities: 2 active (2 open, 20 past/closed), $9.1M listed funding. Key opportunities: RHTP 1.3 Farm-to-School Procurement and Policy Technical Assistance Grant; Critical Access Hospitals to Rural Emergency Hospitals Conversion Grants; Nebraska RHTP Initiative 5.3: Modification of Existing Clinical Facilities for Mental Health Crisis. Strategy alignment: supports care access, telehealth priorities.
Nebraska’s RHTP maintains a regionally coordinated, technology-enabled framework for rural health transformation that emphasizes workforce acceleration, infrastructure modernization, integrated care, and prevention-first initiatives. Competitive RFAs administered by DHHS, robust oversight, and public reporting via the RHTP Dashboard ensure transparency and adaptive, region-informed implementation. The program continues to expand and target funding for school kitchen and farm-to-school initiatives, behavioral health crisis stabilization, facility modernization, including updates for mental health crisis care, with prioritized support for rural, tribal, and food desert communities. Enhanced technical assistance and compliance requirements support applicants and ensure rigorous program and procurement reporting.
Model
Statewide, regionally coordinated, prevention-first rural health transformation—integrating technology, workforce development, transparent data, and cross-sector partnerships to close rural care, equity, and outcome gaps.
Key Initiatives (14)
Timeline: Five-year RHTP award cycle with initial RFAs beginning March 2026, first grant funding in Spring 2026, and annual application rounds each program year.
Given the rural population distribution, workforce development is critical to sustaining local health services.
Initiatives to keep care local and leverage consumer-facing technology aim to improve access in rural and frontier counties.
Significant efforts are underway to build and sustain the rural health workforce to address current gaps.
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Due Jul 31, 2027
1 related document
NE - 2027 - RHTP RFA – Initiative 2.5: Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) to Rural Emergency Hospitals (REH) Conversion
Primary source
Nebraska Department of Education (NDE)
Due Sep 1, 2026
6 related documents
NE - 2026 - School Kitchen Modernization Grants Informational/Question and Answer Session Announcement
Informational Q&A Session Announcement
NE - 2026 - RHTP RFA – Initiative 1.1 School Kitchen Modernization Grants
Superseded RFA (pre-8/26/2026 update)
Nebraska DHHS Division of Behavioral Health
Due Aug 31, 2026
3 related documents
NE - 2026 - RHTP RFA 5.3 – Modification of Existing Clinical Facilities for Mental Health Crisis (Nebraska DHHS)
NE - 2026 - Request for Applications
| FY↓ | Awardee↕ | Amount↕ | Activity↕ | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Lutheran Family Service of Nebraska Inc Funding to support modification of clinical facilities to enhance mental health crisis services in rural Nebraska. | $2.4M | Quality Improvement | |
| 2026 | Mary Lanning Healthcare Mary Lanning Healthcare received four grants totaling $1.5 million from the Rural Health Transformation Program. | $1.5M | Other | |
| 2026 | The Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital Association DBA Mary Lanning Memorial Healthcare Funding to support modification of clinical facilities to enhance mental health crisis services in rural Nebraska. | $1.0M | Quality Improvement | |
| 2026 | Valley Hope Association DBA Valley Hope of O’Neill Funding to support modification of clinical facilities to enhance mental health crisis services in rural Nebraska. | $418K | Quality Improvement | |
| 2026 | Central Wyoming Counseling Center DBA Nebraska Panhandle Counseling Center Funding to support modification of clinical facilities to enhance mental health crisis services in rural Nebraska. | $349K | Quality Improvement | |
| 2026 | Boone County Health Center Selected for award under Nebraska RHTP Initiative 4.4a (Chronic Disease Navigation and Education), following the Request for Application that closed March 27, 2026. | $340K | Population Health | |
| 2026 | Morrill County Community Hospital Selected for award under Nebraska RHTP Initiative 4.4a (Chronic Disease Navigation and Education), following the Request for Application that closed March 27, 2026. | $340K | Population Health | |
| 2026 | Niobrara Valley Hospital Selected for award under Nebraska RHTP Initiative 4.4a (Chronic Disease Navigation and Education), following the Request for Application that closed March 27, 2026. | $340K | Population Health | |
| 2026 | Memorial Health Care System Selected for award under Nebraska RHTP Initiative 4.4a (Chronic Disease Navigation and Education), following the Request for Application that closed March 27, 2026. | $340K | Population Health | |
| 2026 | Pawnee County Memorial Hospital Selected for award under Nebraska RHTP Initiative 4.4a (Chronic Disease Navigation and Education), following the Request for Application that closed March 27, 2026. | $340K | Population Health |
Nebraska DHHS has announced a new RHTP dashboard to inform the public throughout the Rural Health Transformation Program effort.
Nebraska DHHS announced awards for its RHTP Initiative 5.3 to modify existing clinical facilities to better address mental health crises in rural areas. Thirteen recipients received federal funding totaling approximately $5.78 million for this purpose. Key contacts: Unknown DHHS.DBHPrevention@nebraska.gov Event schedule: - RFA Closure Date - 08/31/2026 - Award Announcement Date - 09/01/2026
Event Schedule
Contacts
Core Initiatives
Mary Lanning Healthcare secured four RHTP grants totaling $1.5 million in 2026, supporting rural health improvements in Nebraska.
Nebraska has awarded roughly half of the $218 million allocated for the first year of the Rural Health Transformation Program, signaling important progress in distributing funds to bolster rural health services in the state.
This addendum amends the RHTP 1.3 Farm-to-School RFA to clarify that there is no maximum award amount per applicant, with awards up to $150,000 available on a rolling basis. Eligible expenses focus on equipment and supply purchases that increase school access to local, minimally processed foods, prioritizing rural, frontier, tribal, and food desert communities. Administrative costs, food, and construction are not allowed; all expenditures require NDE approval and reporting.
Core Initiatives
This announcement shares an upcoming informational and Q&A session for the RHTP 1.3 grant program, expanding allowable costs and eligible funding items to broaden applicant eligibility. Key contacts: Kayte Partch kayte.partch@nebraska.gov Event schedule: - Informational/Question and Answer Session - 08/27/2026 - 1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. CT/MT - Zoom webinar https://educationne.zoom.us/j/95921874794
Event Schedule
Contacts
Nebraska’s RHTP strategy aims to strengthen rural healthcare by expanding local access, supporting a certified CHW workforce, improving care coordination, and offering modernization grants to assisted living facilities. Initiatives include perinatal regionalization, technology-assisted pharmacy, crisis stabilization, memory care incentives, and veteran health record integration. These efforts will promote quality, timely care for rural residents and foster sustainable, locally connected health services.
Core Initiatives
Nebraska's RHTP aims to address rural workforce shortages by developing new certification pathways for Community Health Workers, launching monetary incentives for multi-year rural service, and building pipeline programs from school-age students to health professionals. The program also invests in telehealth-enabled simulation training, dental workforce expansion, and 24/7 crisis services for rural law enforcement, combining recruiting, training, and technology to improve rural healthcare.
HCARs play an official advisory role in Nebraska's RHTP, providing regionally specific recommendations for program design and implementation but do not directly control RHTP funds. The minutes summarize both the current opportunities timeline and the processes by which HCAR recommendations are made, documented, and responded to by RHTP's Operating Committee. Key issues under consideration include optimizing funding eligibility and technical assistance to rural providers. Event schedule: - End of Budget Period 1 - 10/30/2026 - Application Deadline for Opportunity 1.1 - 08/31/2026 - Application Deadline for Opportunity 1.3 - 08/31/2026 - Application Deadline for Opportunity 3.2 - 07/24/2026 - Anticipated Notice of BP2 Funding Level
Event Schedule
Core Initiatives
Nebraska received a $218.5 million award as part of the federal Rural Health Transformation Program's initial funding year, aimed at improving rural healthcare access and services.
Nebraska announced a Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) Dashboard to improve rural health monitoring and transformation efforts.
This FAQ provides updated guidance on funding eligibility, equipment definitions, program income, and minor alterations for RHTP Initiative 1.3 in Nebraska. It clarifies allowable costs, program income distinctions, and removes the prior maximum grant request ceiling. The document specifically addresses common applicant questions regarding procurement, renovations, and farm-to-school supply chains.
Core Initiatives
Reference: Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) Dashboard which will provide Link: https://ruralradio.com/khyy/video/dhhs-announces-nebraska-rhtp-dashboard/
Mary Lanning Healthcare in Nebraska was successful in securing RHTP grant applications. No specific award amounts or program details were provided in the source.
Nebraska Initiatieve - Click to view an accessible PDF.
NE RHTP site updated — 1 new, 2 existing source(s) refreshed
NE - 2024 - Mary Lanning RHT Grants
NE RHTP site updated — 3 new, 3 existing source(s) refreshed
NE - 2026 - Mary Lanning Healthcare Successful in Rhtp Grant Applications
NE RHTP site updated — 4 new, 2 existing source(s) refreshed
Spreadsheets, data exports, and reference documents — available for download but excluded from the main activity feed. Showing the 40 most recent of 292.
NE - 2026 - Form 8 – References
DOCX
NE - 2001 - List of Respondents
NE - 2001 - List of Respondents
NE - 2026 - RHTP Initiative 1.1 School Kitchen Modernization Grants Request for Application
Original RFA (pre-7/6/2026 update)
NE - 2026 - Informational/Question and Answer Session Announcement for RHTP 1.1 School Kitchen Modernization Grants
Auto-linked process guidance fallback (10%)
NE - 2026 - RHTP Initiative 1.1 School Kitchen Modernization Grants Frequently Asked Questions
Auto-linked by identifier
NE - 2026 - RHTP Initiative 1.1 School Kitchen Modernization Grants Request for Applications
RFA (updated 8/26/2026)
NE - 2026 - Form 1 – RHTP Initiative Cover Sheet
NE - 2026 - RFA RHTP 5.3 FORM 1
NE - 2026 - RHTP Initiative 5.3 Awards - Intent to Award for Modification of Existing Clinical Facilities for Mental Health Crisis
RHTP Initiative 5.3 Public Notice of Award (09/01/2026) -- 13 awardees, $5,549,692.25 total
Nebraska DHHS announced an intent to award a rural health workforce incentive and sustainability grant to The Well NE under RHTP Initiative 3.3. Several applicants did not meet eligibility criteria. No financial details are provided in this announcement. Key contacts: dhhs.snapeandtprovider@nebraska.gov Event schedule: - Intent to Award Notification - 6/15/2026
Event Schedule
Contacts
Core Initiatives
Nebraska Department of Education is soliciting applications under RHTP Initiative 1.3 to support food production, aggregation, processing, and distribution infrastructure that expands access to local, minimally processed foods in Nebraska schools. Priority is given to projects serving rural, frontier, tribal, and food desert communities. Approximately $8.34 million in federal funds is available, with a focus on equipment, supplies, and operational costs supporting procurement and kitchen readiness. Key contacts: Kayte Partch Kayte.Partch@nebraska.gov Event schedule: - RFA opens - 06/12/2026 - RFA release date - 06/15/2026 - Application due date - 08/31/2026 - Period of Performance - 06/01/2026 - 06/30/2027
Event Schedule
Contacts
Core Initiatives
Nebraska's RHTP Initiative 1.1 will provide up to $2.23 million in federal funds through competitive grants to rural and frontier schools for kitchen modernization. Eligible schools must submit menus, budget documentation, and equipment quotes when applying; grant purchases must support increased scratch-cooking and more nutritious meals. The program targets improved nutrition and participation rates in school meal programs by supporting the purchase of new kitchen equipment and menu reforms. Key contacts: Kayte Partch Kayte.Partch@nebraska.gov Event schedule: - RFA Release Date - 05/28/2026 - Application Due Date - 08/31/2026 - Period of Performance Start - 06/01/2026 - Period of Performance End / Liquidation Date - 06/30/2027 - Annual Report Due - 06/30/2027
Event Schedule
Contacts
Core Initiatives
Nebraska's RHTP 1.1 School Kitchen Modernization Grants program announces a final Q&A informational session on August 26, 2026, offering applicants a last chance to clarify application and funding details. The program has expanded allowable costs, improving accessibility and benefit for a wider range of applicants. Key contacts: Kayte Partch kayte.partch@nebraska.gov Event schedule: - Informational Q&A Session - 08/26/2026 - 1:30 – 2:15 PM CT - https://educationne.zoom.us/j/99887571792
Event Schedule
Contacts
This checklist provides Nebraska RHTP applicants with a comprehensive list of required documents to ensure a complete application submission, including organizational charts, good standing certificates, indirect cost agreements, letters of support, quality of care evidence, and W9 forms. It details documentation to demonstrate licensure, quality compliance, and support commitments. The checklist is intended to help applicants meet all compliance requirements.
This work plan outlines a subaward from Nebraska's Chronic Disease Prevention Program to train Community Health Workers in rural areas. The main goal is to provide specialized education through community colleges. The plan includes objectives, performance measures, evaluation criteria, and identifies key partners.
Core Initiatives
Core Initiatives
The FAQ clarifies eligible expenses for RHTP Initiative 1.1 grants, including equipment, installation, minor alterations, and supplies, while excluding major renovations and pre-award purchases. There are no minimum allowable costs for supplies, and kitchen modernization grants can be requested for all school locations within a district. Purchases must occur after award execution.
Core Initiatives
NE - 2013 - Attachment 13 - Reporting Requirements
NE - 2010 - Attachment 10 - Liquidated Damages
NE - 2023 - Attachment 23 - Expansion RC and Non-Exp HIPP RC Calculation Examples
XLSX
NE - 2015 - MS Word Format
DOCX
NE - 2026 - Healthy Blue Proposal
NE - 2026 - Attachment 4 Rating Regions
DOCX
NE - 2022 - Attachment 22 - Fiscal Year 2022 Nebraska Dental Rate Development Summary
XLSX
15_hypertension_ambulatory.pdf
14-_medication_adherence.pdf
NE - 2022 - Attachment 9 - 2022 Health Care Acquired Conditions
NE - 2026 - MS Excel Format
XLSX
NE - 2016 - Attachment 16 - Example Base Data Model - Physical and Behavioral
NE - 2012 - Attachment 12 - Example Capitation Rates
NE - 2013 - spo 007
XLSX
NE - 2026 - Attachment 1 to Work Order 2
XLSX
NE - 2026 - Attachment 2 - Nebraska Counties Classified by Urban, Rural, & Frontier Status
NE - 2022 - Attachment 20 - Heritage Health Calendar Year 2022 Capitation Rate Certification Exhibits
XLSX
NE - 2026 - UnitedHealthcare of the Midlands Proposal
NE - 2026 - Medica Proposal
NE - 2026 - Nebraska Total Care Proposal - Part 2
NE - 2026 - Nebraska RHTP Health Care Advisory Regions Map
2020_WhatisHBPMedicine.pdf
NE - 2010 - Molina Response Exhibit to Healthy Blue Protest
NE - 2026 - VendorApplication 12 14 20 (1)
XLSX
NE - 2026 - Attachment 3 - Financial Workbook
XLSX
NE - 2021 - Attachment 21 - Risk Corridor
XLSX
NE - 2014 - MS Word Format
DOCX
NE - 2016 - Nebraska Landing Page (updated: May 31, 2026)
XLSX
NE - 2015 - Attachment 15 - High Cost Drug Pool Risk Corridor
NE - 2026 - Molina Proposal
2018-Procurement-Manual-Updated-09132018.pdf
NE - 2011 - MS Excel Format
XLSX
NE - 2011 - Attachment 11 - Data Exhibits Dental
NE - 2010 - MS Word Format
DOCX
NE - 2013 - MS Word Format
DOCX
NE - 2014 - Attachment 14 - Access Standards
NE - 2003 - List of Respondents