Juneau organizations submit letters of interest for rural health grant program

New cardiology clinic, improved training and more on the table; advisory council meeting set for this week 

Downtown Juneau is seen in January 2026. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Independent file)

By Ellie Ruel

Juneau Independent

Three Juneau organizations have initially applied for funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program, a $50 million federal fund approved by Congress to improve healthcare access in rural areas.

About $272 million of that will go to Alaska this year. The funds come from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the same bill that imposed new eligibility requirements for Medicaid.

According to the Alaska Department of Health website, grants will be disbursed this year “to support targeted, systemwide investments that improve access to care and strengthen the long-term stability of the state’s health care system.”

Nearly 1,800 letters of interest (LOIs) were submitted by the initial March 11 deadline, including 18 from three Juneau organizations.

Bartlett Regional Hospital applied for funds for a new cardiology clinic, computer replacement, secure communications expansion, molecular diagnostics, a data center conversion, electronic health records conversion, and clinical mobility and point of care infrastructure upgrades. 

“These eight projects were selected by hospital leadership for their (1) feasibility to implement in the condensed first-year funding timeframe, and for their (2) impacts on improving access, quality, and/or sustainability of rural healthcare delivery in Southeast Alaska,” wrote Erin Hardin, Bartlett Regional Hospital’s director of communications in an email. “These projects tackle needed technological infrastructure and equipment upgrades, trauma support for staff, and a gap in regional access to specialty care.”

The City and Borough of Juneau also submitted a handful of LOIs: the Parks and Recreation department proposed funding for a region-wide walking challenge and improving youth health through activities; Capital City Fire/Rescue proposed implementing an EMT/ETT instructor program and community billing and health data infrastructure, and the city manager's office proposed planning to increase the resiliency of Juneau’s emergency sheltering services.

Deputy City Manager Robert Barr said in an email the sheltering LOI was meant to be “a holistic look at planning for the future of emergency homeless sheltering.” Earlier this month, the Assembly approved an ordinance extending the operation of the emergency warming shelter in Thane until the end of the current fiscal year.

In an email to the Juneau Independent, Juneau Economic Development Council Executive Director Brian Holst said the organization applied for funds for five programs. They include an integrated elder care center, an initiative to establish statewide aging-in-place home modification infrastructure, a statewide care connection platform, and a Southeast Alaska child and provider support program.

JEDC also hopes to establish a rural healthcare workforce hub. About 7,950 new healthcare workers are needed annually in the state, and vacancy rates for registered nurses in Alaska hospitals can range as high as 21%, according to a 2023 workforce analysis.

“The program tackles chronic shortages of CNAs, MAs, PCAs, and other essential health workers, especially in rural and Alaska Native communities where geography, broadband, travel costs, and lack of clinical placements block access to training,” Holst wrote. “This program was selected because the Southeast Regional Eldercare Coalition identified workforce shortages as the single most critical barrier to eldercare, continuity of care, and rural health system stability.”

A bill sponsored by the Alaska House Health and Social Services Committee intended to express commitment to the program. HJR 32 is currently in the Senate Rules Committee.

The Alaska Community Foundation will conduct an initial review and categorization of submitted LOIs, which the Department of Health will use to “inform decisions about how LOIs will advance to the next stage.” The RHTP Advisory Council, intended to support program alignment, but not make any funding decisions, is set to meet virtually on Wednesday. 

• Contact Ellie Ruel at ellie.ruel@juneauindependent.com.