New Jersey Rural Health Transformation Program Launches New Website and Announces Year Two Outlook Webinar

New Online Resource Provides Central Hub for Program Information as New Jersey Prepares for the Second-Year of its Five-Year Rural Health Transformation Program

(TRENTON) -The New Jersey Department of Human Services and the New Jersey Department of Health today announced the launch of a new website for the New Jersey Rural Health Transformation Program, providing communities, health care providers, partners and residents with a central resource to learn about the program, its investments and its progress. The departments also announced an upcoming webinar to provide an overview of plans, priorities and opportunities for the program's second year.

The New Jersey Rural Health Transformation Program website is available here.

The website provides information about what qualifies as rural in New Jersey, who is eligible for the program, and the initiatives and investments supporting rural health transformation. Visitors can also track the program's progress throughout its five-year funding period, find answers to frequently asked questions and connect with the Rural Health Transformation Program team.

The website also provides an at-a-glance look at the scope of the program:

• This year's award: $147.25 million in Year One funding secured
• 2025 to 2030 five-year program period
• 11 counties identified as rural health areas
• 1,026,026 rural residents across New Jersey

"Every New Jerseyan deserves access to quality and affordable health care, no matter where they live," Human Services Commissioner Dr. Stephen Cha said. "The Rural Health Transformation Program represents an important opportunity to strengthen the health care workforce, expand access to services and make strategic investments that respond to the unique needs of rural communities. This new website will help ensure that residents, providers, community organizations and other partners can follow our progress and stay connected as we continue building on the transformative work already underway."

"New Jersey has a significant opportunity to strengthen health care in rural communities, and the public deserves to see how this funding is being used," said Health Commissioner Dr. Raynard E. Washington. "By tracking the program's investments and progress in one place, this Administration is delivering on its commitment to transparency and accountability."

As the program enters its second year, the departments will host New Jersey Rural Health Transformation Program: Year Two Outlook, a public webinar providing an overview of priorities, plans and opportunities for continued engagement.

Date: Monday, August 24, 2026
Time: 4-5 PM
Registration: Webinar Registration - Zoom

During the webinar, participants will hear about:

• Plans and priorities for Year Two;
• Progress and lessons learned during the program's first year;
• How New Jersey is building on its initial investments;
• What communities, providers and partners can expect in the year ahead; and
• Opportunities for continued engagement with the Rural Health Transformation Program.

New Jersey residents, health care providers, community organizations and other stakeholders are encouraged to explore the new website, learn more about the program's first-year investments and register for the upcoming Year Two Outlook webinar.

The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services provides funding for the Rural Health Transformation Program.

The launch of the website and the Year Two Outlook webinar build on significant progress during the program's first year.

New Jersey recently announced the first round of Rural Health Transformation grant awards, totaling $83 million and supporting 103 projects across the state. The investments focus on key areas including the health care workforce, infrastructure, technology, prevention and chronic disease.

"These 103 projects reach communities across rural New Jersey, and each one responds to a critical need identified by the people who live and work in these communities," said Commissioner Washington. "As these projects get up and running, we'll gain new insights into what works best to serve our rural communities, and be able to apply lessons learned to future projects."

"These investments are about more than individual projects," Commissioner Cha said. "Together, they represent a foundation for long-term transformation and a stronger, more connected, more affordable health care system for New Jersey's rural communities."