The Rural Health Transformation Program

 

What is it?

The Colorado Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) is a major five-year initiative launched in early 2026, aimed at modernizing and stabilizing healthcare across the US, and in Colorado’s 52 rural and frontiercounties and identified with high rates of chronic disease.

Colorado was awarded $200 million for the 2026 fiscal year and expects to receive a total of $1.1 billion through 2030. This federal funding was established by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to strengthen rural systems as they face significant upcoming shifts in Medicaid funding.

Core Strategic Goals: To improve health outcomes and financial sustainability for rural providers. 

The Issue 
Sudden cardiac arrest stands as the leading preventable cause of death nationwide, but the risk is significantly magnified in rural communities. These areas face a "perfect storm" of challenges: extended EMS response times, a shortage of bystanders trained in CPR, and limited access to life-saving AEDs.  Providers apply for approval of programs addressingsolutions to specific rural health care issues via the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF). Starting Hearts helps with this process by creating a strategic plan to obtain RHTP funds, plan a comprehensive approach to improving outcomes for sudden cardiac arrest victims, and pursue a coordinated, collaborative implementation plan to meet defined objectives.

The Solution
Starting Hearts will employ targeted strategies with a comprehensive nine-point plan, helping your community meet it’s health outcome goals.

Service Commitment Recruitment funds must typically commit to serving their rural community for at least 5 years.

 

Starting Hearts Nine Point Plan

A partnership between Starting Hearts and your agency under the Rural Health Transformation Program is vital for improving sudden cardiac arrest outcomes in your county. By combining training, community engagement, and integrated resources, this collaboration offers promising advancements in rural healthcare related to sudden cardiac arrest. Our collective efforts can save lives and transform emergency cardiac care in for the entire population of the county, saving precious lives and preserving families.

 

  • 1. Coordination with Your Agency

    Working together in a strategic plan to obtain RHTP funds, plan a comprehensive approach to improving outcomes for sudden cardiac arrest victims, and pursue a coordinated, collaborative implementation plan to meet defined objectives.

  • 3. Partnership Building

    Engage key stakeholders including local government, police, fire, business, and other stakeholders to help sustain
    community resilience, ensuring ongoing support and resources for cardiac arrest prevention and response.

  • 2. Community Awareness

    Through marketing, advertising, social media, and community outreach events, raise public awareness and foster a culture of preparedness and rapid response to sudden cardiac arrest events.

  • 5. Defibrillator (AED) Placements

    Defibrillators save lives and widespread distribution within minutes of a cardiac event saves even more. Starting Hearts is an expert provider that will audit and recommend placements in highly-trafficked public locations.

  • 4. Education for All

    Starting Hearts provides its free Call.Push.Shock.™ one-hour class to all community members, utilizing an evidence-
    based curriculum that results in higher save rates, and will train local instructors to conduct Red Cross certification classes.