Investments will expand access to care and strengthen West Virginia’s rural healthcare workforce
SUTTON, W.Va. – Governor Patrick Morrisey today announced more than $1.1 million in West Virginia Rural Health Transformation Program (WV RHTP) awards to Community Care of West Virginia (CCWV) to expand access to healthcare in rural communities and build a stronger healthcare workforce across the state.
“Better healthcare outcomes and a stronger workforce go hand in hand,” Governor Morrisey said. “These investments will bring care closer to people who need it while creating new pathways for West Virginians to build careers in healthcare. By improving access to care and strengthening our healthcare workforce, we can help more West Virginians get healthy, return to work, and contribute to stronger communities across our state.”
The four awards span the Connected Care Grid (CCG) and Mountain State Care Force (MSCF) initiatives and will expand telehealth and mobile healthcare services while creating new career advancement and apprenticeship opportunities for healthcare workers:
- $92,736 to expand virtual access to care by upgrading telehealth technology and infrastructure supporting behavioral health, addiction medicine, maternal health, school-based health, and medical weight management services.
- $574,082 to deploy a mobile healthcare unit serving Braxton, Clay, and Pocahontas counties. The unit will provide primary care, preventive services, behavioral health, addiction medicine, and care coordination. CCWV projects approximately 560 patient encounters during its first year.
- $82,432 to help current healthcare employees advance their careers through certifications, licensure programs, specialized training, and educational opportunities. Approximately 26 employees are expected to participate during the first year.
- $354,364 to establish a statewide rural healthcare apprenticeship program combining paid employment with classroom instruction and hands-on clinical training. Approximately 20 apprentices are expected to participate during the first year in career pathways including medical assistants, community health workers, pharmacy technicians, case managers, and certified nursing assistants.
Community Care of West Virginia is a West Virginia-based Federally Qualified Health Center operating more than 60 service delivery sites and 10 pharmacies, serving approximately 54,500 patients annually and employing more than 600 healthcare professionals and support staff.
“These awards demonstrate how investments in healthcare access and workforce development can work together to strengthen rural communities,” Secretary of Health Dr. Arvin Singh said. “By combining telehealth expansion, mobile healthcare services, workforce advancement, and apprenticeship opportunities, these projects create a comprehensive approach to improving healthcare access, strengthening workforce pipelines, and supporting healthier communities across West Virginia.”
“The Trump Administration’s Rural Health Transformation Program is equipping states with the resources they need to deliver lasting improvements for rural communities,” said Alina Czekai, Director of CMS’ Office of Rural Health Transformation. “We’re proud to partner with states on practical, community-driven solutions that expand access to care and build stronger, more sustainable rural health systems.”
Additional awards will be announced as West Virginia continues implementing its Rural Health Transformation Program to improve healthcare outcomes, expand access to care, strengthen the healthcare workforce, and help more West Virginians get healthy and return to work.
