CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) – Governor Patrick Morrisey announced nearly $4 million in new investments under West Virginia’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) to strengthen healthcare workforce recruitment efforts and expand training and mentorship opportunities for rural providers across the state. The latest rollout brings total funding opportunities announced through the RHTP to more than $62 million.
“Strengthening our healthcare system requires investment in the people who deliver care every day,” said Governor Morrisey. “These initiatives are designed to attract new healthcare professionals to West Virginia, support practicing clinicians by expanding access to training, professional development, and tools so we can improve healthcare outcomes and help more West Virginians return to the job.”
The announced funding supports two targeted initiatives under the Mountain State Care Force (MSCF), reflecting a coordinated approach to addressing persistent healthcare workforce shortages – particularly in rural and underserved communities – by combining statewide recruitment and marketing efforts with ongoing clinical education and professional support for providers. The initiatives are designed to strengthen care delivery, improve healthcare outcomes, and build a more sustainable rural healthcare workforce across West Virginia.
Administered through the West Virginia Department of Health (DH), a portion of the funding will support a statewide healthcare recruitment and marketing campaign, which will be awarded as a non-competitive, direct award. The campaign is intended to promote healthcare careers in West Virginia, attract new providers to the state, and connect incoming professionals with concierge-style relocation assistance and incentive support to improve long-term retention and workforce stability.
Additional funding will support a competitive opportunity focused on rural provider upskilling and mentorship. This initiative is designed to expand access to virtual education, peer learning, and subject-matter expertise, helping rural clinicians enhance clinical skills, strengthen professional support networks, and improve retention and care delivery in medically underserved areas.
“By pairing workforce recruitment with ongoing training and mentorship, we are taking a comprehensive approach to strengthening healthcare delivery across West Virginia,” said Secretary of Health Dr. Arvin Singh. “These investments will help ensure our providers are supported, well-trained, and better equipped to meet the needs of the communities they serve.”
Eligible applicants may apply for these funding opportunities through the state’s procurement and grants management system at wvOASIS.gov. Organizations are encouraged to review the full application materials for eligibility requirements, submission instructions, and key deadlines. Additional details will be shared during an upcoming Announcement of Funding Availability (AFA) release webinar.
This press release is supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of the financial assistance award totaling $199,476,098.72 with 100% funded by CMS HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor endorsement, by CMS/HS, or the U.S. Government.
