RHTP and Rural Health, Heart Health Month & Events You Can’t Miss

Will RHTP Technology Investments Strengthen or Undermine Rural Health?

Throughout our 40-year-plus history, the community health centers in North Dakota and South Dakota have had a core mission of protecting access to care for rural and frontier communities. We believe that rural people should have local access to high-quality primary care, behavioral health services, and dental care, and we have fought enormous headwinds to sustain that access, including overcoming barriers to recruiting, training, and retaining staff and dealing with the financial limitations that are inherent to providing care in a low-volume environment.

Now, Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funding is fanning out to rural communities across the country. After struggling to sustain services in a low-resource environment for years, this looks like a welcome opportunity to shore up systems that have become fragile and to invest in innovative ideas coming out of rural communities themselves.

Technology vendors are also fanning out across rural communities with a lot of high-cost ideas for transforming care. While we love technology and all of the ways it can support high quality care and greater efficiency, we will be asking ourselves: Does this technology strengthen or undermine the type of local care we are committed to protecting? Read More

RHTP Updates

Now that North Dakota and South Dakota legislatures have appropriated funds for the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), stakeholders across both states are eagerly awaiting news of the first round of subaward funding opportunities. CMS has until the end of February to review revised budgets from states. After that approval comes, states can begin releasing funding opportunities – likely in late February or early March.

Each state will post funding announcements on their RHTP webpages:

South Dakota RHTP Webpage

North Dakota RHTP Webpage and RHTP Listserv Sign-Up

Next week, CHAD will also host state-specific RHTP deep dive webinars for health center teams. North Dakota’s will take place February 24 at 12:30 pm CT, and South Dakota’s will be February 26 at 12:30 pm CT. Learn more and register

February is American Heart Month: Supporting Heart Health Across our Communities

This month, we recognize our health centers are making measurable progress against the nation’s leading cause of death. By prioritizing blood pressure control and data-driven care, the network surpassed its 2026 goal early, with 69% of patients with hypertension meeting control targets in 2024. It’s a strong reminder that focused, team-based care drives real results for heart health.

Get ready to connect, collaborate, and help shape the future of the Great Plains Clinically Integrated Network (GPCIN)!

Register today for the GPCIN Summit and Strategic Planning Conference, taking place April 28–30, 2026, at the DoubleTree by Hilton – Rapid City. This energizing, multi-day event will bring together leaders from across the network for meaningful learning, relationship-building, and hands-on strategic planning as we chart the path forward for our newly formed CIN.

The conference will kick off with a full-day Summit focused on learning from our peers who have launched CINs, followed by a day and a half of in-depth strategic planning designed to align priorities, strengthen collaboration, and position GPCIN for long-term success.

Leadership teams are strongly encouraged to attend, including C-suite leaders, management-level health center staff, GPCIN Board members, GPHDN Leadership Committee members, and operational/purchasing leads.

Agenda information, lodging information, and registration link are available on the conference website.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for the summit. Contact Darci Bultje for more information.

The 340B Drug Pricing Program is a lifeline for Community Health Centers (CHCs), helping them fund critical services and providing life-saving and life-changing affordable medications to patients who need them most.

The bipartisan Community Health Center Drug Pricing Protection Act (H.R. 7391), introduced by Reps. Jack Bergman (R-MI) and Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) would protect CHCs by ensuring they continue to receive 340B discounts upfront and are not forced into a harmful rebate-based model.

Take action now! Contact your members of Congress and urge them to support H.R. 7391 to protect 340B and safeguard care for CHC patients.

Community Health Service, Inc. (CHSI, Inc.) was selected for the 2026 Innovation Incubator Cohort by NACHC, sharing, “CHSI is honored to be selected by National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) for the Innovation Incubator Program. This opportunity will strengthen and transform our mobile health program while building the financial sustainability needed to ensure it continues to thrive for the communities we serve.”

Maternal Mental Health Series
Perinatal Mental Health in Every Setting: Practical Strategies for Screening, Treatment, and Coordinated Care
This three-part Maternal Mental Health series is designed to help health center teams strengthen perinatal mental health care across every setting. The series covers the full continuum of care, from early screening and identification to clinical response and treatment planning, and referral and community care coordination. Each session provides evidence-based tools and actionable strategies that can be immediately integrated into obstetric, midwifery, pediatric, and primary care workflows. Participants will leave better equipped to identify at-risk patients, respond appropriately to positive screens, and support continuity of care for pregnant and postpartum patients, including those in rural and underserved communities.

MAR 4: Screening Early Identification of Perinatal Depression & Anxiety
12:00 PM CT / 11:00 AM MT
Learn More

MAR 18: Clinical Response & Treatment Pathways for Positive Screens
12:00 PM CT / 11:00 AM MT
Learn More

MAY 27: Referral, Care Coordination, & Community Resource Integration
12:00 PM CT / 11:00 AM MT
Learn More

CHAMPS Spanish Language Skills for Healthcare Providers
Registration is open for CHAMPS’ Spanish Language Skills for Healthcare Providers, led by Ríos Associates. These online, intensive courses teach medical vocabulary and conversational skills through mock patient dialogues and daily practice, designed for clinicians and support staff who want to quickly apply Spanish in patient care. The five courses offered are:

Two-Day Spanish Language for Oral Health Providers (April 6-7)
Four-Day Medical Spanish Language for Providers (April 9-10 & April 16-17)
Two-Day Spanish Language for Behavioral Health Providers (April 13-14)
Two-Day Medical Spanish Language for Advanced Speakers (April 20-21)
Two-Day Medical Spanish Language for Medical Assistants (April 23-24)

Registration Deadline: March 13

Learn More Here

CHAMPS Next Level Skills for Health Center Supervisors and Managers
Registration is open for the CHAMPS Beyond CORE Competencies: Next Level Skills for health center supervisors and managers. This virtual program strengthens essential and advanced management skills, covering hiring, coaching, conflict resolution, decision-making, and change management. It is suitable for both graduates of CHAMPS CORE Competencies and those seeking to enhance higher-level management skills.

Program Dates: April 8 – May 6

Registration Deadline: March 9

Learn More Here

Telehealth Everywhere 2026 - Early-Bird Registration is Now Open
This conference is for executives, providers, managers, and staff engaged in the operational aspects of telehealth. It will focus on delivering information and experiences that will help drive organizations’ telehealth program forward into the future while also providing information for telehealth beginners.

April 7-9 | Hyatt Regency in Bloomington, MN

Dakota Conference on Rural Health
The Dakota Conference on Rural Health, which has been a mainstay in North Dakota for over 40 years, is being reimagined. This year, the conference will take a stronger look at leadership, workforce, and innovation happening throughout rural North Dakota communities.

June 3-4 | Alerus Center in Grand Forks, ND

RM-PHTC's Facilitation Foundations Course
Registration is open for the Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center’s winter run of Facilitation Foundations—a highly interactive, deep-dive course designed for those new to facilitation.

Over 10 weeks, you’ll build your capacity to facilitate meetings and coalitions that are efficient, effective, and lead to results. By the end, you’ll be equipped to help groups meet their goals and take ownership of the process.

Registration Deadline: April 14

Reporting Features and Functionality in Azara Care Connect - Care Coordination

New year, new functionality to learn and utilize in Azara Care Connect. Join Azara as they take a deep dive into the reporting capabilities within Azara Care Connect. This session is specifically related to Care Coordination workflows within the Coordination Activity Report and our new Network Coordination Activity Report. This webinar is recommended for CC users, managers, and population health leadership focused on actions of CC initiatives across a center or a network of centers.

Tuesday, February 24

12:00 pm CT/11:00 am MT

This publication is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1,561,267.00 with 0 percent financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov. CHAD makes available upon request its annual 990 report. Please make your request directly to the Director of Programs at 605-309-0873.