Dimension 1 of 6
RHTP Readiness Assessment
Where does your program stand?
More than 40 states included mobile health in their RHTP applications. Whether you are preparing to apply, already approved, or planning your implementation — this assessment produces a specific, actionable readiness profile across the six dimensions that matter most.
Rate your program honestly. It takes about six minutes.
About the RHTP
Public Law 119-21 created the Rural Health Transformation Program, appropriating $10 billion annually for fiscal years 2026–2030 — $50 billion total. All 50 states received FY2026 awards averaging approximately $200 million, ranging from $147 million to $281 million. Programs that align with their state's RHTP strategy are positioned to access the largest sustained federal investment in rural health access in decades.
- $50B
- Total RHTP funding FY2026–2030
- 40+
- States naming mobile health
- $200M
- Average state FY2026 award
- 5 yrs
- Program funding window
Dimension 1 of 6
Program Infrastructure
Rate the operational foundation your program has in place — vehicle, services, EHR, billing, and deployment history.
Why this matters for RHTP: RHTP reviewers look for programs with demonstrated operational capacity. A vehicle acquisition plan is not enough — they want to see a functioning program with documented deployment history and clinical infrastructure.
RHTP context: RHTP expects operational programs, not startup proposals.
1 = Vehicle not yet acquired · 5 = Vehicle in active operation with documented deployment history
RHTP context: Rural connectivity gaps are a documented RHTP concern in nearly every state plan.
1 = Paper-only or fully cloud-dependent · 5 = Offline-capable EHR with data sync
RHTP context: Financial sustainability is a core RHTP requirement — programs must demonstrate a path beyond grant dependency.
1 = No payer enrollment · 5 = Active enrollment and billing with multiple payers
RHTP context: Outcomes documentation over time is the primary evidence of program viability for RHTP reviewers.
1 = Less than 3 months operating · 5 = 2+ years of documented operations
Dimension 2 of 6
Community Need Documentation
Rate how well your program has documented the community need it addresses — CHNA, HPSA designations, population data, and gap analysis.
Why this matters for RHTP: RHTP requires programs to demonstrate that they are addressing a documented, unmet need in a rural or underserved community. A formal CHNA connected to your deployment strategy is essential.
RHTP context: RHTP applications must demonstrate need documentation. A CHNA is the standard of evidence.
1 = No CHNA completed · 5 = Current CHNA completed within past 3 years, connected to deployment strategy
RHTP context: Shortage designations are among the strongest evidence of unmet need for RHTP reviewers.
1 = No designations in service area · 5 = Multiple HPSA/MUA designations documented
RHTP context: RHTP state plans name specific high-need populations — your documentation should mirror their language.
1 = No population data collected · 5 = Detailed population profile with demographic and clinical data
RHTP context: States that included mobile health in RHTP plans did so because existing infrastructure was insufficient. Documenting that gap is critical.
1 = No gap analysis conducted · 5 = Formal gap analysis with geographic and service-type mapping
Dimension 3 of 6
Financial Sustainability Plan
Rate the maturity of your revenue strategy — billing infrastructure, payer relationships, revenue diversification, and path beyond grant dependency.
Why this matters for RHTP: RHTP is not a perpetual grant program. States are required to demonstrate that funded programs can sustain themselves after the five-year window. Programs without a credible sustainability plan are at high risk of non-renewal.
RHTP context: RHTP state plans explicitly require sustainability planning. Programs without one will struggle in renewal conversations.
1 = No sustainability plan · 5 = Written plan with revenue projections, payer strategy, and break-even timeline
RHTP context: Grant dependency is the primary financial risk RHTP reviewers identify. Diversification is the evidence of sustainability.
1 = 100% grant-dependent · 5 = Diversified revenue across 3+ sources
RHTP context: Value-based payer relationships are the long-term mechanism most RHTP states are building toward.
1 = No payer relationships · 5 = Multiple active contracts generating consistent revenue
RHTP context: Financial modeling demonstrates business sophistication that RHTP reviewers and state administrators respond to.
1 = No financial modeling done · 5 = Full break-even model with sensitivity analysis
Dimension 4 of 6
Workforce Readiness
Rate your program's ability to staff, train, and retain the mobile health workforce RHTP-scale operations require.
Why this matters for RHTP: Workforce shortage is named explicitly in most state RHTP plans — 65% of community health centers report primary care shortages, 70% nurse shortages, 77% mental health provider shortages. Programs must show they can staff a sustainable operation, not just hire for a grant period.
RHTP context: RHTP programs serve the hardest-to-reach populations in the most challenging environments. Workforce resilience is non-negotiable.
1 = No mobile-specific staffing model · 5 = Documented model with role definitions and cross-training pathways
RHTP context: CHW integration is explicitly named in many state RHTP plans as a strategy for reaching high-need populations.
1 = No CHW in program · 5 = CHWs fully integrated with defined scope, training, and performance metrics
RHTP context: Operational reliability at scale requires scheduling infrastructure — not workarounds.
1 = Spreadsheet / informal system · 5 = Dedicated scheduling system with conflict detection and mobile staff management
RHTP context: Programs that can't retain staff can't deliver consistent care — a critical RHTP concern for five-year commitments.
1 = No retention strategy, high turnover · 5 = Formal retention program with documented low turnover rate
Dimension 5 of 6
Outcomes & Reporting Capacity
Rate your program's ability to measure, document, and report the outcomes RHTP requires — not just activity counts, but verified clinical results.
Why this matters for RHTP: RHTP is a performance-based program. States are required to report outcomes to CMS. Programs that cannot produce verified outcomes data — referral completion, clinical improvement, ED visit reduction — will not survive the RHTP performance cycle.
RHTP context: Documentation that supports billing and outcomes reporting simultaneously is the foundation of RHTP accountability.
1 = Paper only / no billing documentation · 5 = Full EHR documentation connected to HIE
RHTP context: Closed-loop referral tracking is the primary evidence of care continuity that RHTP performance reporting requires.
1 = We track referrals sent only · 5 = Closed-loop tracking of every referral to verified completion
RHTP context: CMS and state agencies will require regular outcomes reporting. Programs without reporting infrastructure will struggle to comply.
1 = No KPIs or reporting infrastructure · 5 = Monthly dashboard with outcomes reports shared with funders and partners
RHTP context: Clinical outcomes data — not just encounter counts — is what makes the case to CMS, state agencies, and payers simultaneously.
1 = Anecdotal only · 5 = Documented clinical outcomes with baseline, current, and target data
Dimension 6 of 6
State Plan Alignment
Rate how well your program aligns with your state's specific RHTP priorities — mobile health strategy, rural transformation goals, and value-based care direction.
Why this matters for RHTP: RHTP funding flows through states. Programs that mirror their state's RHTP language — mobile health deployment, CHW integration, value-based payment, RPM — are positioned as implementation partners, not just applicants. Programs that don't know their state's RHTP plan are at a significant disadvantage.
RHTP context: This is the most basic requirement for any RHTP conversation. The state abstracts are public at CMS.gov.
1 = Have not read the state plan · 5 = Deeply familiar, can map our program to specific plan priorities
RHTP context: Programs that address the exact gaps named in the state plan are positioned as solutions, not proposals.
1 = No alignment identified · 5 = Our program directly addresses 3+ specific state plan priorities
RHTP context: RHTP decisions happen inside state agencies. Relationships are as important as program quality.
1 = No state-level relationships · 5 = Active partnerships with multiple state agencies and associations
RHTP context: Programs that wait to be discovered are rarely funded. Proactive positioning with state RHTP contacts is essential.
1 = No outreach to state decision-makers · 5 = Active engagement with RHTP implementation contacts at the state level
RHTP Ready
Strong readiness — your program is positioned to engage in RHTP conversations now
Your program has the operational foundation, community documentation, financial sustainability plan, workforce capacity, outcomes infrastructure, and state alignment that RHTP requires. You are positioned to engage with your state RHTP contacts and payer partners as an implementation-ready program — not a proposal.
Nearly Ready — Gaps to Close
Solid foundation with targeted gaps — close them before your RHTP conversation
Your program has meaningful strengths but specific gaps that could weaken your RHTP position. The dimensions below tell you exactly where to focus. Most programs at this level can close critical gaps within 60–90 days with the right resources.
Significant Gaps — Foundation Building Needed
Foundation gaps present — focus here before pursuing RHTP funding
Your program has real promise but foundational gaps that make RHTP pursuit premature. Programs that approach RHTP conversations without the infrastructure RHTP requires rarely succeed — and often damage their credibility for future cycles. Use this assessment to build the foundation first.
Score by Dimension
Your Recommended RHTP Pathway
- Foundation
- Need Docs
- Financial Plan
- Payer Ready
- RHTP Ready
Dimension-by-Dimension Findings
- Program Infrastructure —
- Your operational foundation is strong. You have the vehicle, documentation history, billing infrastructure, and EHR capacity that RHTP reviewers expect to see. This is the baseline that makes every other conversation possible.
- Your infrastructure is partially in place but gaps remain. The most common issues at this stage are billing enrollment, offline EHR capability, and documented deployment history. Closing these gaps before your RHTP conversation will significantly strengthen your position.
- Infrastructure is your most critical gap. Without a functioning program — operational vehicle, active billing, offline-capable EHR, and 12+ months of deployment history — RHTP conversations will be premature. Focus here first.
- Community Need —
- Your community need documentation is solid. A current CHNA, HPSA designations, population data, and a coverage gap analysis give you the evidentiary foundation RHTP requires. You can speak the language of need that state reviewers respond to.
- Your need documentation is partially developed. The most common gap at this stage is a formal CHNA that connects to your deployment strategy. State RHTP plans are built around documented community need — your documentation needs to mirror their language.
- Community need documentation is a foundational gap. Without a CHNA, HPSA designations, population data, and a coverage gap analysis, you cannot make the evidence-based case that RHTP requires. Start with the CHNA Builder.
- Financial Sustainability —
- Your financial sustainability plan is mature. Revenue diversification, active payer relationships, and break-even modeling demonstrate the business sophistication that RHTP reviewers — and state administrators — respond to. This positions you as a long-term partner, not a grant recipient.
- Your financial foundation is developing but sustainability gaps remain. The most common issue at this stage is a written sustainability plan that explicitly addresses what happens after RHTP funding ends. Payer relationships and revenue diversification are the evidence that matters most.
- Financial sustainability is a high-risk gap for RHTP. Programs without a written sustainability plan, active payer relationships, and revenue diversification are unlikely to survive RHTP renewal conversations — regardless of clinical quality.
- Workforce Readiness —
- Your workforce infrastructure is a genuine strength. A documented staffing model, integrated CHWs, reliable scheduling, and a retention strategy demonstrate that your program can operate at scale over a five-year commitment. This is what sustainable programs look like.
- Your workforce model is functional but gaps in cross-training, scheduling infrastructure, or CHW integration are creating operational risk. RHTP programs must demonstrate workforce resilience for a five-year commitment — not just current capacity.
- Workforce is a critical operational gap for RHTP. Programs without a staffing model, integrated CHWs, reliable scheduling infrastructure, and a retention strategy will struggle to deliver consistent care over a five-year program commitment.
- Outcomes Capacity —
- Your outcomes and reporting infrastructure is strong. Closed-loop referral tracking, clinical outcomes data, and regular KPI reporting give you the evidence base that both CMS and state agencies require. This is the foundation of every payer contract and every RHTP performance review.
- Your outcomes infrastructure is developing. The most common gap at this stage is the difference between tracking activity (encounters, referrals made) and tracking verified outcomes (referral completion, A1C control, BP management). RHTP performance reporting requires the latter.
- Outcomes documentation is a foundational RHTP gap. Without verified clinical outcomes — not just encounter counts — you cannot satisfy RHTP performance reporting requirements, make a case to payers, or demonstrate impact to state agencies.
- State Plan Alignment —
- Your state plan alignment is strong. You know the state RHTP plan, can map your program to it, and have begun engaging state decision-makers. Programs at this level are positioned as implementation partners — not just applicants. That distinction matters enormously in RHTP conversations.
- Your state alignment is partially developed. The most common gap at this stage is knowing the state plan but not yet having active engagement with the state-level RHTP contacts who make implementation decisions. Relationships are as important as program quality in RHTP.
- State plan alignment is your most immediately addressable gap. The state RHTP project abstracts are public at CMS.gov — read yours today. Programs that don't know their state's RHTP priorities cannot position themselves as solutions to the problems the state is trying to solve.
Priority Actions Before Your RHTP Conversation
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Program Infrastructure: Complete your EHR offline capability, confirm payer enrollment, and document at least 12 months of deployment history before approaching any RHTP contact.
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Community Need: Complete a formal Community Health Needs Assessment and document HPSA/MUA designations in your service area. Use the CHNA Builder to produce a submission-ready document.
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Financial Sustainability: Write your financial sustainability plan — specifically, what does the program look like after RHTP funding ends? Build at least one payer relationship before your RHTP conversation.
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Workforce Readiness: Document your staffing model, formalize CHW integration with defined scope and metrics, and implement a scheduling system that eliminates conflicts and errors.
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Outcomes Capacity: Implement closed-loop referral tracking and begin documenting clinical outcomes — A1C, blood pressure, ED visits avoided — for your patient population. Encounter counts alone are not sufficient.
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State Plan Alignment: Read your state's RHTP project abstract at CMS.gov today. Identify 2–3 specific state priorities your program addresses. Request a meeting with your state primary care association or health department RHTP contact.
Member Resources — Targeted to Your Gaps
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Connect with the mobile health community
The Mobile Health Provider Network is free to join — no fees, no data sales. Access resources, post clinics, and connect with the community.
Maryland Partnership for Prevention — a nonprofit mobile health provider
immunizemaryland.org (opens in a new tab)
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Aligned with the Rural Health Transformation Program
Public Law 119-21 · Maryland Partnership for Prevention · 2026