Delaware is seeking its piece of $50 billion in funding made available by the federal Rural Health Transformation Program.
Rural Delawareans make up about 26% of the state’s population, according to USDA data. And the state Division of Public Health reports the bulk of the state is considered medically underserved.
Gov. Matt Meyer said he wants $1 billion of those funds to go toward 15 projects aimed to help Delaware’s rural residents. His plan depends on the program’s application. If approved, some of the funding would go toward opening a four-year medical school.
Meyers said an in-state med school will build a more sustainable health care workforce in the First State.
“We're going to establish Delaware's first med school where we want to create a train here, stay here, pipeline for physicians…” Meyer said. “It's not possible for us to address the health care crisis impacting too many Delaware families unless we truly address that workforce shortage.”
Delaware is one of three states that does not have a medical school. And Becker’s Hospital Review names Delaware as the most in need of primary care professionals in 2023, with only 16% of needs met.
Delaware’s application also names one of its projects as establishing a network of mobile health units for rural Kent and Sussex Counties to address transportation barriers.
“We can truly make a transformational difference in lives across our state by deploying more mobile health units to schools, churches and community centers, offering screenings for chronic disease, maternal health care, behavioral health sciences and more,” Meyer said. “Medical professionals can diagnose early and improve healthy habits, ultimately saving lives before they need saving.”
The application also includes plans for new Hope Center locations in Kent and Sussex, modeled after the New Castle County location that provides housing, health care and social services. It also seeks funding for telehealth tools, school-based health centers and a Rural Diabetes Wellness Pilot Program.
Meyer called the Hope Center his “baby,” saying his time establishing the facility in New Castle County helped nearly 7 thousand Delawareans who have spent at least one night there. The Hope Center is located in a building that was previously a hotel and offers short-term stays to people experiencing homelessness.
“My one belief anytime people talk to me about homelessness or people's inability to find a safe, stable place to live is it needs to be comprehensive,” Meyer said. “You can't just give someone a house, or give someone a bus ticket, or give someone access to primary care. It's got to be sort of all hands on deck. These new centers will bring the same model of dignity, stability and opportunity to our rural communities, connecting people not just to a bed for the night, but to doctors, case managers and job support that can change lives.”
Meyer added the current health care landscape doesn’t equitably serve Americans, but he committed to make sure Delaware looks after its rural communities.
The RHTP funding will roll out to accepted states over the course of five years, with $10 billion available annually starting in fiscal year 2026.
The application deadline was Nov. 5, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will announce awardees by the end of the year.
