Substance Use & Recovery · Readiness · 4 min read
What's the first step for substance use and recovery programs to access RHTP funding?
The first step for substance use and recovery programs is to identify the state agency holding the RHTP award and monitor its solicitations, then map an existing or planned program to the right allowable-use categories. SUD providers usually participate as sub-recipients of a state behavioral health or rural health agency, often partnering with hospitals for warm handoffs.
Start with your state
Because states apply and are accountable; sub-recipients (providers, plans, vendors) deliver, your entry point is your state's mechanism, not CMS. Find the agency, read its plan, and watch for RFAs and grants.
Then map your program
Pick a program you can run well: for substance use and recovery programs, something like medication-assisted treatment (MAT) expansion in rural clinics, and align it to evidence-based prevention and chronic-disease management, and consumer-facing, technology-driven solutions with a measurement plan around treatment initiation and engagement rates.
Frequently asked questions
- Where do I find my state's RHTP activity?
- The RHTP Tracker aggregates state and federal RHTP documents and opportunities so you can monitor each state's solicitations in one place.
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.