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Funding

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The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) provides small grants to local community-based programs/services that prevent child abuse and neglect before an incident occurs. The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) Request for Application (RFA) was posted on eMarketplace today, January 5, 2026. The press release is being shared through DHS comms, PA Key comms, and a special announcement in the e-News.

RCPA, as part of several statewide work groups and task forces, wishes to share this with members, though you may receive this through other communications networks. The RFA is only available for 30 days, due no later than February 5, 2026.

If an applicant has any questions regarding this RFA, the applicant must submit those questions via email, with the subject line “25-RFA-13772 Question” to the RFA Issuing Officer named in Part 1, Section I-2 of this RFA. The Issuing Officer shall post all written answers to the questions submitted on the Department of General Services (DGS) website at eMarketplace as an addendum to this RFA.

You may view the Request for Application online at eMarketplace.

Press release from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services:

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that all 50 states will receive awards under the Rural Health Transformation Program, a $50 billion initiative established under President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts legislation (Public Law 119-21) to strengthen and modernize health care in rural communities across the country. In 2026, states will receive first-year awards from CMS averaging $200 million, within a range of $147 million to $281 million. This unprecedented federal investment will help states expand access to care in rural communities, strengthen the rural health workforce, modernize rural facilities and technology, and support innovative models that bring high-quality, dependable care closer to home.

Awardees and Funding Amounts

The Rural Health Transformation Program’s $50 billion in funds will be allocated to approved states over five years, with $10 billion available each year from 2026 through 2030. As directed by Public Law 119-21:

  • 50% of the funding is distributed equally among all approved states. This provides states with a strong foundation to begin implementing their Rural Health Transformation Plans; and
  • 50% is allocated based on a variety of factors. As described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, those factors include individual state metrics around rurality and a state’s rural health system, current or proposed state policy actions that enhance access and quality of care in rural communities, and application initiatives or activities that reflect the greatest potential for, and scale of, impact on the health of rural communities. All scoring factors are outlined further in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Read the full press release here.

Pennsylvania submitted their plan to CMS in November, and the plan is currently being evaluated. CMS made funding awards to all 50 states, with Pennsylvania receiving $193,294,054.

RCPA continues to work with the Department of Human Services (DHS) in answering questions from members as well as gaining an understanding on the implementation values for PA specific initiatives from both funding allocation pathways.

If you have any questions, please contact RCPA COO Jim Sharp.

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), in partnership with the WestEd Justice and Prevention Research Center (JPRC), has received funding from the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to develop a statewide Continuum of Care for Communities model for Pennsylvania. This initiative aims to provide actionable recommendations for diverting youth from the juvenile justice system toward community-based services and alternatives to detention.

To inform this statewide model, WestEd is seeking collaboration with Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice stakeholder groups to gather insights and evidence-based recommendations.

Their goal is to develop actionable recommendations for diverting youth from formal justice system involvement and to strengthen community-based services, drawing on the expertise and experience of local stakeholders. As someone involved in juvenile justice and juvenile justice-adjacent systems, your insights will be invaluable in shaping recommendations and identifying promising local practices.

What’s Involved: You are invited to join an engagement session to discuss:

  • Local prevention and diversion strategies, strengths, and gaps; and
  • Recommendations and best practices for serving youth and families across the continuum of care.

Session Details:

  • Duration: 90 minutes
  • Format: Virtual (calendar invite and Zoom link to be provided upon RSVP)

Session Options

  • Community Service Providers: January 8, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
    • Includes: Violence Intervention Programs, Restorative Justice organizations, Faith-based organizations, Foster Care Agencies, Housing and Homelessness Services, Workforce Development Agencies, Child and Family Advocacy – Rights and Policy Reform, Residential Placement staff, etc.
    • Register Here
  • Courts and Related Departments: January 9, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
    • Includes: Judges, Magistrates, District Attorneys, Public Defenders, Probation, Children and Youth, CASA, Youth Aid Panels, etc.
    • Register Here
  • Victims’ Services: January 23, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
  • Education: January 27, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
    • Includes: School and District-level Administration, Faculty, Psychologists, Counselors and Social Workers, Student Assistance Programs, and School Security Personnel
    • Register Here
  • Mental and Behavioral Health & Substance Use Treatment: January 30, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
    • Includes: Mental Health, Behavioral Health and Substance Use Treatment Providers, Residential or Community-based
    • Register Here
  • Law Enforcement & Crisis Response: February 4, 2026, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm EST
    • Includes: Police Officers, School Resource Officers, Detectives, Emergency Responders, Crisis Responders, Medical Personnel
    • Register Here
  • Families & Loved Ones with Experience Supporting Youth in the Juvenile Justice System (Past or Present): February 4, 2026, 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm EST
    • Includes: Family members, friends, caregivers, and loved ones with past or present experience supporting their youth navigate the juvenile justice system
    • Register Here
  • Youth with Lived Experience Navigating the Juvenile Justice System: February 11, 2026, 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm EST
    • Includes: Youth with juvenile justice or children and youth/foster care experience, ages 25 and under
    • Register Here

Your participation will not only contribute to improving outcomes for youth and families but also ensure that the report and recommendations reflect the needs and realities of your community.

If you are able to attend, please take 2–3 minutes to fill out the RSVP link connected to the session you wish to attend — please plan to attend one session. This will ensure you a spot and send you a calendar invite and Zoom link.  Please feel free to share this email and flyer within any of your networks as well.

Lastly, if you have any questions, please reach out via email.

From Pennsylvania Capital-Star “Pa.’s Rural Health Application Reveals Priorities in Federal Funding Request,” November 20, 2025:

Pennsylvania is hoping to secure its own slice of a $50 billion rural health fund in the face of federal Medicaid cuts, with a focus on bolstering a beleaguered workforce and expanding health access for more than two million people.

The Rural Health Transformation Fund was a last-minute addition to President Donald Trump’s summer budget bill that imposed Medicaid work requirements and cut upwards of $51 billion in funding to the commonwealth over the next decade. That new fund is worth roughly 37% of the estimated lost Medicaid funding in rural areas

The 67-page application requests up to $200 million in annual funding over the next five years, totaling $1 billion. Its six focuses include: technology and infrastructure, workforce, maternal health services, behavioral health services, aging and access, and emergency medical services and transportation.

The U.S. Department of Human Services is expected to award funding by the end of the year.

Key objective targets are:

  • Access to care: More than 85% of Pennsylvanians can get a routine primary care appointment within four weeks and urgent care appointments within one week.
  • Digital connectivity and telehealth: More than 85% of rural hospitals and clinics will have broadband and telehealth functionality. More than 50% of rural hospitals and clinics connected via Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources.
  • Workforce adequacy: Reduce rural hospital vacancy rates by 10% for key direct care roles. Add three new rural training programs.
  • System sustainability: More than 60% of systems partnered with rural Community Health Centers for specialty care.
  • Health outcomes: Reduce the number of pregnant women living in rural areas with inadequate prenatal care by 20%.

From the PA Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program Application:

Pennsylvania’s rural health transformation strategy is grounded in a balance of statewide coordination and regional leadership and collaboration. Pennsylvania’s “Health Hub” state agencies (Human Services, Health, Aging, Insurance, Drug and Alcohol Programs), and other partner agencies will establish clear strategic priorities focusing on access, workforce, maternal health, aging, behavioral health, EMS and infrastructure. Pennsylvania will leverage statewide technical expertise, evaluation, and financial oversight and support. Strong regional rural care collaborative will be composed of a roster of regional stakeholders that prioritize local needs, develop effective local sustainable solutions, and leverage existing resources and assets.

Pennsylvania will leverage established regional entities that coordinate regional economic development. These Partnerships for Regional Economic Performance (PREP) organizations are long-standing, quasi-governmental organizations that convene regional stakeholders, administer federal and state grants, collect local data, report outcomes, and catalyze public and private partnerships for regional economic development. They bring established governance structures, convening power, and a track record of successful cross-sector collaboration. PREPs (Figure 2) will convene regional stakeholders to create Rural Care Collaborative (RCCs) to align initiatives with regional economic planning and development – making the RHTP investments sustainable and promoting long-term partnerships.


If you have any questions, please contact RCPA COO and Mental Health Policy Director Jim Sharp.