$76,344,942

TENNESSEE PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE - TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE APPLICATION ABSTRACTS ABSTRACT THE UNITED STATES’ PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE, WORKFORCE, AND DATA SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN GREATLY IMPACTED BY THE ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC. AS RESULT, THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (TDH), LIKE OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES, HAVE DEVELOPED THE NEED FOR INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMMING AIMED AT IMPROVING THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE, REBUILDING THEIR WORKFORCE, AND EXPANDING THEIR DIGITAL CAPABILITIES THROUGH DATA MODERNIZATION METHODS. TO ADDRESS TDH’S NEEDS, THE AGENCY AND ITS LEADERSHIP HAVE DEVELOPED A PLETHORA OF TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES, INITIATIVES, AND PROGRAMMING THAT HAVE A FOCUS ON EQUITY, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND DATA EXPANSION. TDH WILL USE SURVEY DATA FROM ITS 2022 WORKFORCE SURVEY TO GUIDE THE PLANNED INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMMING THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED WITHIN THIS PROPOSAL. TDH INTENDS TO PERFORM THE DESCRIBED ACTIVITIES THROUGH COLLABORATING WITH LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, TENNESSEE SCHOOLS OF PUBLIC HEALTH, LOCAL NONPROFITS, AND PROFESSIONAL CERTIFYING BODIES. IT IS THE GOAL OF TDH TO IMPROVE STATE EFFORTS IN ADVANCING THE HEALTH OF ALL TENNESSEANS AND TDH BELIEVES THAT THE BEST WAY TO ACHIEVE THIS IS TO START WITH STRENGTHENING ITS CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE, WORKFORCE, AND DATA SYSTEMS. STRATEGY A1 ABSTRACT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC EXPOSED THE NEED TO STRENGTHEN THE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE. THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (TDH) CANNOT TRULY FULFILL ITS MISSION TO “PROTECT, PROMOTE, AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND PROSPERITY OF PEOPLE IN IN TENNESSEE”, WITHOUT INVESTING IN A COMPETENT PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE. TDH HAS PROPOSED WORKFORCE STRATEGIES AND INITIATIVES FOCUSED ON EXPANSION AND RETENTION, SUPPORTING EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING, AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES TO ENSURE OUR PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE EFFECTIVELY SERVES TENNESSEANS. THE TDH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR WILL GUIDE PROPOSED EFFORTS WITH A HEALTH EQUITY LENS TO ADDRESS HISTORICALLY EXCLUDED GROUPS INCLUDING RURAL AND RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITY POPULATIONS. TDH AIMS TO INCREASE HIRING OF DIVERSE STAFF, INCREASE SIZE AND CAPABILITIES OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE, INCREASE REACH OF PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, ACCELERATED PREVENTION, PREPAREDNESS, AND RESPONSE TO EMERGING THREATS, AND IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH OUTCOMES. TDH WILL FACILITATE THESE EFFORTS IN COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, TENNESSEE SCHOOLS OF PUBLIC HEALTH, MINORITY SERVING ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS (EX: HBCUS, HACUS), LOCAL NONPROFITS, AND OTHER EXTERNAL PARTNERS. STRATEGY A2 ABSTRACT THE PURPOSE OF THESE STRATEGIES IS TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY IN OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS, INCREASE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, AND PURSUE ACCREDITATION. THOUGH MORE FUNDING IS NOW ALLOCATED TO PUBLIC HEALTH EFFORTS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THE INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WAS LACKING IN THE STAFF AND WORKFLOW TO HANDLE SUCH A LARGE VOLUME OF FUNDS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS. A COMMON ISSUE WITH FUNDING HAS BEEN THAT BY THE TIME WE ARE ABLE TO PROCESS CONTRACTS AND PROPER PROCUREMENT DOCUMENTS FOR GOODS AND SERVICES RELATED TO GRANT WORK, MUCH OF THE TIME TO SPEND THE GRANT MONEY HAS PASSED. THERE IS A NEED TO QUICKLY ACQUIRE NEEDED GOODS AND SERVICES WITH GRANT FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE DEPARTMENT SO THAT THE MONEY DOES NOT GO TO WASTE. THUS, MANY OF THE ACTIVITIES IN THIS SECTION FOCUS ON STRENGTHENING PROCUREMENT ABILITY AND EFFICIENCY. WE INTEND TO HIRE MORE GRANT ANALYSTS AND A LEGAL REVIEWER TO ELIMINATE SOME BOTTLENECKS IN THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS. WE ALSO INTEND TO HIRE A CONTRACT ANALYST FOR OUR DIVISION WITH THE HIGHEST VOLUME OF CONTRACTS, COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES (CHS). TO ENSURE THAT OUR INCREASED EFFICIENCY IS SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT TO CHANGES IN STAFF CAPACITY, WE WILL ALSO CONTRACT OUT A PROFESSIONAL TO DIRECT AND LEAD MODERNIZATION EFFORTS THAT WILL CREATE STREAMLINED, STANDARDIZED PROCESSES FOR PROCUREMENT IN OUR DEPARTMENT AND CREATE A TRANSPARENT WORKFLOW THAT CAN

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

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• 2026-03-20EPIDEMIOLOGY AND LABORATORY CAPACITY FOR PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES (ELC) - BUILDING AND STRENGTHENING EPIDEMIOLOGY, LABORATORY AND HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEMS CAPACITY$737.0M
• 2026-04-06PLEASE SEE ATTACHMENT. - PROJECT SUMMARY THE STATE OF TENNESSEE WILL LEVERAGE THE RURAL HEALTH TRANSFORMATION FUND (RHTF) TO BUILD A COMPREHENSIVE, OUTCOMES-DRIVEN, SUSTAINABLE CARE DELIVERY SYSTEM IN ITS RURAL COMMUNITIES—ANCHORED IN PREVENTION, INNOVATION, WORKFORCE CAPACITY, AND VALUE-BASED TRANSFORMATION. UNDER THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE OF “BETTER CARE, CLOSER TO HOME,” TENNESSEE’S PLAN ADVANCES EACH STRATEGIC GOAL AND USE OF FUNDS SUGGESTED BY CMS, CENTERED ON FIVE GOALS. GOAL 1 – RURAL HEALTHCARE TRANSFORMATION INCENTIVIZING TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE IN RURAL HEALTH BY RIGHT-SIZING RURAL FACILITIES AND INVESTING IN OUTCOMES-BASED PAYMENT MODELS THAT ENHANCE AND SUSTAIN ACCESS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES. GOAL 2 – MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH GENERATIONAL INVESTMENTS TO ENSURE STRONG STARTS FOR EVERY RURAL FAMILY GOAL 3 – MAKE RURAL TENNESSEE HEALTHY AGAIN EMBEDDING PREVENTION INTO HEALTH AND HEALTHCARE DELIVERY BY ADDRESSING LOCALLY IDENTIFIED CONCERNS, EXPANDING EARLY DETECTION, AND IMPROVING NUTRITION SECURITY GOAL 4 - TECHNOLOGICAL INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTING IN HEALTH-TECH SOLUTIONS THAT ENHANCE OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE, ALLOW FOR INNOVATIVE CARE SOLUTIONS, MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCIES, AND CUT ADMINISTRATIVE WASTE. GOAL 5 – WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT STRENGTHENING A COMPREHENSIVE HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE PIPELINE, TRAINING AND RETAINING LOCAL TALENT LEVERAGING ITS PROVEN STATEWIDE INFRASTRUCTURE (INCLUDING THE GOVERNOR’S RURAL HEALTH TASKFORCE, RURAL HEALTH RESILIENCY PROGRAM AND COUNTY HEALTH COUNCILS), THE STATE IS PREPARED TO DEPLOY $200–500 MILLION ANNUALLY TOWARD HIGH-IMPACT RURAL TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVES THROUGH FY 2031 AND BEYOND. SUB-AWARDS WILL BE SELECTED THROUGH COMPETITIVE PROCESSES, DETAILED BELOW. GOVERNOR LEE HAS MADE RURAL HEALTH A TOP PRIORITY SINCE HIS FIRST EXECUTIVE ORDER, AND TENNESSEE’S STRATEGY IS BUILT ON YEARS OF COLLABORATION, A STRONG EVIDENCE BASE, AND KNOWING WHAT WORKS: TENNESSEE’S COMPETITIVE GRANT MODEL (HEALTHCARE RESILIENCY PROGRAM) AND TENNCARE SHARED SAVINGS FRAMEWORK WILL DRIVE INNOVATION, MEASURABLE OUTCOMES AND SCALABILITY ACROSS ALL RURAL COUNTIES. TO MATCH THIS OPPORTUNITY, IN ADDITION TO RHTF FUNDS, TENNESSEE WILL LEVERAGE AN ADDITIONAL $125M SHARED SAVINGS FOR CAPITAL INVESTMENTS IN RURAL HEALTH FACILITIES. WE WILL EMPOWER RURAL COMMUNITIES TO INVEST IN HEALTH-TECH, ENGAGE NEW CARE PATHWAYS, AND BENEFIT FROM COORDINATED, VALUE-BASED CARE CLOSE TO HOME. FOR FEDERAL PARTNERS VALUING URGENCY, IMPACT AND ACCOUNTABILITY, RURAL TENNESSEE PRESENTS A COMPELLING OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE HOW STATE-LED, DATA-DRIVEN TRANSFORMATION CAN REDEFINE RURAL HEALTH ACCESS AND OUTCOMES NATIONWIDE. WITH RHTF SUPPORT, TENNESSEE IS POSITIONED TO BECOME THE ARCHETYPAL MODEL IN THE NATION FOR HOW RURAL SYSTEMS CAN SUSTAINABLY DELIVER HIGH-QUALITY, ACCESSIBLE CARE—ANCHORED IN PREVENTION, TECHNOLOGY, AND VALUE.$206.9M
• 2026-04-20CDC-RFA-IP19-1901 IMMUNIZATION AND VACCINES FOR CHILDREN$187.9M
• 2026-04-20RYAN WHITE CARE ACT TITLE II$139.1M
• 2026-04-17WIC FOOD EXPENSE$120.0M