Michigan Rural Health Clinic Chronic Disease and Collaborative Care Fund

RHTP.MCRH@msu.edu

Funded by the Rural Health Transformation Program, this opportunity offers funding to help Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) build coordinated, sustainable approaches to chronic disease prevention and management based on clinic and community priorities. Projects may address diabetes, hypertension, behavioral health, preventive care, and other chronic conditions and patient needs across the lifespan.

All participating clinics will be expected to address each of the following core priority areas.

• Cross-sector partnerships: Establishing or strengthening connections with Michigan Hubs and other healthcare, behavioral health, social care, and community partners to support coordinated, community-driven care
• Foundational infrastructure and evaluation: Establishing baseline measures, identifying gaps in chronic disease tracking, and developing an evaluation and measurement approach to monitor progress and outcomes
• Community health worker (CHW) integration and sustainability: Recruiting, training, supporting, and incorporating CHWs into care teams and workflows to support patient outreach, education, navigation, referrals, and follow-up, while developing strategies for long-term sustainability
• Preventive care and chronic disease management: Implementing or strengthening evidence-based approaches based on clinic and community priorities, including diabetes, hypertension, preventive care, prenatal care, behavioral health needs connected to the proposed project, and other chronic disease prevention and management priorities
• Screening, monitoring, and referral coordination: Strengthening population health screening, routine assessment and risk-factor tracking, care coordination, and technology-supported closed-loop referrals and follow-up to connect patients with appropriate clinical and community services
• Sustainability: Developing workflows, partnerships, staffing and care team approaches, financing strategies, and other supports that can help successful activities continue beyond the grant period

Eligible and Ineligible Uses of Funds Guide

Certified Rural Health Clinics located in Michigan counties designated as fully rural or partially rural are eligible to apply. Priority will be given to applicants located in fully rural counties.

Applicants may request up to $300,000 per application, whether the application is for one eligible RHC or includes multiple eligible RHCs under a health system or organization. For an organization-level application, the $300,000 cap applies to the combined request for all participating clinics.

The grant period begins upon execution of the subgrant agreement and ends September 30, 2027.

Links to additional guidance, application instructions, and the application form are available on the program website.

Email completed applications to RHTP.MCRH@msu.edu.

Applicant webinar recording