$137,332,999

STRENGTHENING OHIO'S PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE, WORKFORCE, AND DATA SYSTEMS - THE MISSION OF THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (ODH) IS ADVANCING THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF ALL OHIOANS AND WE ENVISION A ROBUST, WELL-TRAINED PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE ACROSS THE STATE, STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS (LHDS), AND MODERNIZED SYSTEMS THAT SUPPORT DATA-DRIVEN STRATEGIES AND DELIVERY OF QUALITY SERVICES. OHIO’S PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM IS COMPRISED OF 112 LHDS, ONE IN EACH OF THE 88 COUNTIES PLUS 24 CITY LEVEL AGENCIES, ALL OF WHOM HAVE HOME RULE JURISDICTION AND WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GUIDED DIRECTION FROM THE ODH. ACCREDITATION BY THE PUBLIC HEALTH ACCREDITATION BOARD (PHAB) IS LEGISLATIVELY REQUIRED FOR ALL OF OHIO’S PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES. THE REQUIREMENT WAS ENACTED TO ENSURE THAT OHIOANS, REGARDLESS OF LOCATION, HAVE ACCESS TO FOUNDATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES AND A PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT WITH THE CAPACITY TO DELIVER THE TEN ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES. AS PART ODH’S 21ST CENTURY PROJECT, AN ANNUAL ANALYSIS IDENTIFIES THE GAPS IN FUNDING NEEDED TO PROVIDE QUALITY ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES. THAT PROJECT AND THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THE NEED FOR AN EXPANDED PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE AND CAPTURING THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXIST TO LEVERAGE EXISTING RESOURCES INCLUDING WORKFORCE RETENTION, DATA MODERNIZATION, AND FOUNDATIONAL CAPACITY IN A MORE EFFICIENT WAY. OHIO’S PRIORITY PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE CDC-RFA-OE22-2203 GRANT WILL EXPAND THE STRATEGIES ODH IMPLEMENTED UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE CRISIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT IN 2021, ADDING. THESE NEW FUNDS WILL ADD WORKFORCE CAPACITY AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL, SUPPORT NEW DEVELOPMENT AND RETENTION ACTIVITIES, PROVIDE A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO ENSURING QUALITY DELIVERY OF ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, AND CONTRIBUTE TO OHIO’S DATA MODERNIZATION EFFORTS. KEY NEW WORKFORCE INCLUDES THE ADDITION OF A WORKFORCE DIRECTOR, EVALUATION TEAM, HEALTH EQUITY AND COMMUNICATIONS EMBEDDED IN HEALTH PROGRAMS TO FACILITATE BETTER INFORMED PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION, AMONG OTHER STRATEGICALLY CREATED POSITIONS THIS GRANT WILL ALSO ENHANCE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS BETWEEN ODH AND THE ASSOCIATION OF OHIO HEALTH COMMISSIONERS (AOHC) TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS OHIO-SPECIFIC NEEDS. THAT COLLABORATIVE APPROACH BRINGS TO BEAR RESOURCES NEEDED TO EXPAND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE OF OHIO’S CURRENT PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE, ADDRESS GAPS IN SPECIALTIES SUCH AS ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, AND ENGAGE STUDENTS IN MENTORSHIPS THAT WILL ASSIST IN SUSTAINING THE WORKFORCE INTO THE FUTURE. AS PART OF A COMMITMENT TO QUALITY, OHIO REQUIRES ALL PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS TO ACHIEVE ACCREDITATION BY PHAB. CURRENTLY, 89% OF ALL OHIOANS ARE SERVED BY AN ACCREDITED HEALTH DEPARTMENT. THE ODH IS ALSO AN ACCREDITED HEALTH DEPARTMENT. MOST LHDS WHO HAVE NOT YET BECOME FULLY ACCREDITED ARE TAKING MEANINGFUL STEPS TO COMPLETE REQUIREMENTS. THOSE WHO DO NOT OPT TO ENGAGE IN THE PHAB PROCESS CAN ALTERNATIVELY SEEK TO MERGE WITH AN LHD THAT HAS THE CAPACITIES TO DO SO. ODH HAS EMBARKED ON PROJECTS TO SUPPORT LHDS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE ACCREDITATION AND THIS NEW GRANT WILL PROVIDE INVESTMENTS TO EXPAND PROGRAMMING WHICH TRAINS AND COACHES LHDS ABOUT HOW TO INCREASE THE QUALITY OF THEIR OPERATIONS AND SERVICE DELIVERY TO THE LEVEL REQUIRED FOR ACCREDITATION AND PROVIDES FOUNDATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT. THE TIMING OF THESE FUNDS TO EXPAND SUPPORTS TO LHDS COMES AT A CRITICAL MOMENT WHEN THE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE HAS EXPERIENCED ATTRITION DUE TO RETIREMENTS AND OTHER EXITING THE WORKFORCE. IT IS NOW THAT THE LHDS NEED TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR NEW PERSONNEL TO MEET THE STANDARDS REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN ACCREDITATION FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE JURISDICTIONS. ODH IS COMMITTED TO THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES FOR THE DURATION OF THE GRANT: INCREASE HIRING OF DIVERSE STAFF; PROVIDE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING TO ENHANCE OUR FOCUS ON ADVANCING THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF OHIOANS B

Verbatim from USAspending.gov. Capitalization, abbreviations, and codes are unchanged.

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• 2026-05-05CK19-1904 EPIDEMIOLOGY AND LABORATORY CAPACITY FOR PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES (ELC)$1.0B
• 2026-04-20CDC-RFA-IP19-1901 IMMUNIZATION AND VACCINES FOR CHILDREN$294.4M
• 2026-04-06OHIO'S RURAL HEALTH TRANSFORMATION PROJECT WILL IMPLEMENT INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE HEALTH FOR RURAL OHIOANS THROUGH INNOVATION, HEALTHCARE ACCESS, AND PREVENTION. - THE OHIO RURAL HEALTH TRANSFORMATION PROGRAM (RHTP) PRESENTS THIS PLAN TO STRENGTHEN HEALTHCARE ACCESS, OUTCOMES, AND WORKFORCE CAPACITY ACROSS OHIO’S 73 NON-URBAN COUNTIES. THE 4.4 MILLION RESIDENTS LIVING IN THESE RURAL COMMUNITIES ARE IMPACTED BY LIMITED ACCESS TO CARE, HOSPITAL CLOSURES, WORKFORCE SHORTAGES, AND HIGH RATES OF CHRONIC AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. RURAL AND APPALACHIAN OHIOANS EXPERIENCE HIGHER RATES OF HEART DISEASE, DIABETES, COPD, CANCER, AND SUICIDE THAN STATE AVERAGES. THIRTEEN COUNTIES ARE MATERNITY CARE DESERTS, AND NEARLY ONE IN FIVE RURAL HOSPITALS IS AT RISK OF CLOSURE. PROVIDER SHORTAGES ARE WIDESPREAD: PRIMARY CARE AVAILABILITY IS NEARLY HALF THAT OF URBAN REGIONS, AND BEHAVIORAL AND ORAL HEALTH GAPS PERSIST. THESE CHALLENGES ARE COMPOUNDED BY LOWER EDUCATION LEVELS, HIGHER POVERTY, AND AN AGING POPULATION—ONE IN THREE RURAL OHIOANS IS OVER AGE 60. OHIO’S PLAN ALIGNS WITH FEDERAL PRIORITIES TO MAKE RURAL AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN THROUGH SUSTAINABLE ACCESS, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, INNOVATIVE CARE, AND TECH ADVANCEMENT. KEY INITIATIVES: RURAL HEALTH INNOVATION HUBS – ESTABLISH CLINICALLY INTEGRATED NETWORKS (CINS) AND REGIONAL CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE LINKING HOSPITALS, CLINICS, EMS, PHARMACISTS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO COORDINATE CARE, REDUCE COSTS, AND EXPAND CAPACITY. LEGISLATIVE REFORMS WILL ALLOW LOW-RISK BIRTHING CENTERS IN RURAL HOSPITALS. EMERGENCY CARE TRANSFORMATION – SCALE A SUCCESSFUL PILOT ENABLING EMS TO PROVIDE TREAT-IN-PLACE OR ALTERNATE-DESTINATION CARE, REDUCING UNNECESSARY EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT USE THROUGH TRAINING, SYSTEM UPGRADES, AND IMPROVED CONNECTIVITY. SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS – ESTABLISH CLINICS ON K–12 AND COLLEGE CAMPUSES OFFERING PRIMARY, BEHAVIORAL, DENTAL, AND TELEHEALTH SERVICES FOR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, SERVING ALSO AS RURAL CLINICAL TRAINING SITES. OH SEE – EXPAND STATEWIDE MOBILE VISION, HEARING, AND DENTAL CARE BASED ON A 13-COUNTY PILOT TO ENSURE EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT FOR CHILDREN. RURAL WORKFORCE PIPELINE – BUILD A CONTINUUM FROM HIGH SCHOOL THROUGH PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT, FEATURING UPSKILLING FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AND PHARMACISTS, FIVE-YEAR RURAL SERVICE COMMITMENTS, AND PARTNERSHIPS AMONG SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES, AND EMPLOYERS. CROSS-CUTTING STRATEGIES: RHTP EMBEDS TELEHEALTH, REMOTE MONITORING, AND INTEROPERABLE ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS ACROSS INITIATIVES. POLICY ACTIONS INCLUDE EXPANDING PHARMACIST SCOPE OF PRACTICE, ESTABLISHING RURAL BIRTHING CENTERS, REINSTATING THE PRESIDENTIAL FITNESS TEST, AND REQUIRING PHYSICIAN NUTRITION CME. MORE THAN 300 PARTNERS (HOSPITALS, FQHCS, UNIVERSITIES, EMS, ASSOCIATIONS) COLLABORATED ON THE PLAN. IMPLEMENTATION WILL OCCUR THROUGH LOCAL PARTNERS WITH STATE OVERSIGHT. SUSTAINABILITY: EACH PROJECT IS DESIGNED FOR LONG-TERM VIABILITY THROUGH BILLABLE SERVICE MODELS, SHARED-SERVICE EFFICIENCIES, AND ALIGNMENT WITH MEDICAID AND VALUE-BASED PAYMENT SYSTEMS. WORKFORCE INCENTIVES, TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION, AND LEGISLATIVE REFORMS WILL ENSURE CONTINUITY BEYOND THE GRANT PERIOD. EXPECTED OUTCOMES BY 2031: • ESTABLISH REGIONAL INTEGRATED NETWORKS ACROSS ALL RURAL COUNTIES. EXPANDED RURAL SBHCS. • REDUCE AVOIDABLE EMERGENCY VISITS THROUGH EMS INNOVATION. • IMPROVE DIABETES AND HYPERTENSION OUTCOMES STATEWIDE. • INCREASE THE RURAL HEALTH WORKFORCE BY AT LEAST 20%. • STRENGTHEN MATERNAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND PREVENTIVE CARE ACCESS. CONCLUSION: THIS REPRESENTS A BOLD, DATA-DRIVEN TRANSFORMATION OF RURAL HEALTHCARE IN OHIO. THROUGH TECHNOLOGY, POLICY INNOVATION, AND CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATION, THE PROGRAM WILL CREATE A SUSTAINABLE MODEL THAT IMPROVES CARE QUALITY, STRENGTHENS THE WORKFORCE, AND ENHANCES HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR RURAL OHIOANS.$202.0M
• 2026-04-20RYAN WHITE CARE ACT TITLE II$161.8M
• 2026-04-02WIC FOOD EXPENSE$139.2M