Substance Use & Recovery · Eligibility · 4 min read
Are substance use and recovery programs eligible for RHTP funding?
substance use and recovery programs are not direct CMS grantees, states hold the cooperative agreement. But substance use and recovery programs are eligible to participate as sub-recipients or partners through state solicitations, which is how the funding actually reaches them.
The eligibility reality
States apply and are accountable; sub-recipients (providers, plans, vendors) deliver So the question for substance use and recovery programs is not "can we apply to CMS" but "how do we qualify for our state's mechanism."
SUD providers usually participate as sub-recipients of a state behavioral health or rural health agency, often partnering with hospitals for warm handoffs.
How to qualify
Align your program (such as medication-assisted treatment (MAT) expansion in rural clinics) to the state's plan and the evidence-based prevention and chronic-disease management, and consumer-facing, technology-driven solutions categories, and be ready to show treatment initiation and engagement rates.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a federal application for providers?
- No. Providers and partners work through their state's process, not directly with CMS.
- Does rural location matter for eligibility?
- Yes. RHTP targets rural access, so programs serving rural populations are the focus of state solicitations.
Figures reflect the CMS Rural Health Transformation Program NOFO and the December 2025 award announcement. RHTP Tracker is an independent resource by Moodr Health and is not affiliated with CMS.