Delta Rural Integrated Health Network Program - The Delta Health Transformation Council, Inc. (DHTC) is requesting funding under the HRSA Delta Rural Integrated Health Network Program, Track 2 – Strengthening an Existing Rural Integrated Health Network, to build the organizational capacity, governance, and strategic infrastructure necessary to strengthen an existing regional healthcare collaborative serving the Mississippi Delta. Formed in 2026, DHTC is a nonprofit rural health network comprised of nine participating healthcare organizations, including five rural hospitals and four federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), serving residents across the Mississippi Delta. Together, these organizations provide primary care, specialty care, emergency services, behavioral health, preventive care, and chronic disease management to communities experiencing persistent poverty, healthcare workforce shortages, transportation barriers, and disproportionately high rates of chronic disease. Although the Council has established a formal governance structure and demonstrated strong collaboration among its members, it currently operates as a volunteer-led organization without dedicated executive leadership or the organizational infrastructure needed to sustain long-term regional planning and healthcare transformation. This project will transition DHTC into a professionally managed rural health network by recruiting and hiring its first full-time Executive Director and implementing a comprehensive planning initiative that strengthens governance, expands operational capacity, and positions the network for future implementation projects. Major project activities include strengthening organizational operations and governance; developing a Regional Strategic Plan; creating a regional Data Use and Sharing Agreement; conducting organizational capacity and sustainability assessments; completing a comprehensive Population Health Assessment; developing a Regional Systems of Care Plan; assessing network readiness for value-based care; and convening healthcare providers, community organizations, public health agencies, and other stakeholders to identify shared priorities and strengthen regional collaboration. Specialized consultants will provide expertise in strategic planning, organizational development, population health, clinical integration, legal services, and value-based care. The project directly advances the Making America Healthy Again (MAHA) priorities identified in the Notice of Funding Opportunity by improving access to primary care, behavioral health, preventive services, and developmental services while preparing participating organizations for value-based care. Through enhanced governance, coordinated planning, and shared data infrastructure, DHTC will create the foundation for improved care coordination, stronger referral relationships, reduced fragmentation of care, and more effective regional responses to the healthcare needs of rural residents. By the end of the 24-month project period, DHTC will have established a professionally managed regional healthcare network with strengthened governance, an adopted Regional Strategic Plan, an executed Data Use and Sharing Agreement, completed organizational and sustainability assessments, a Population Health Assessment, a Regional Systems of Care Plan, and a Value-Based Care Readiness Roadmap. These deliverables will position the Council and its member organizations to pursue future implementation funding, improve healthcare access and coordination, enhance financial sustainability, and strengthen the capacity of rural healthcare providers to improve health outcomes across the Mississippi Delta.
