STRIDE Community Health Center Awarded $223,697 Through Colorado Rural Health Transformation Program
Funding will support efforts to strengthen healthcare access and outcomes for rural Colorado communities
DENVER, Colo. – September 28, 2026 - STRIDE Community Health Center has been
awarded $223,697 through Colorado’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) to support efforts to strengthen healthcare access and services in Park County, Colorado. STRIDE’s award will support work across three RHTP program areas: whole person health and support for alternative care models, strengthening and expanding rural health workforce, and support for telehealth participation.
The funding is part of nearly $170 million in RHTP grants directed by the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) to rural healthcare providers across Colorado. Funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), these investments will help protect access to care and support better health outcomes in Colorado’s rural and frontier communities.
Strengthening Access to Care in Park County
Through this investment, STRIDE will focus on strengthening the healthcare infrastructure available to people in Park County, Colorado. The project will support strategies designed to expand access to whole person care, strengthen the rural healthcare workforce, and increase opportunities for patients to participate in care through telehealth.
“Access to high-quality healthcare should not depend on where someone lives,” said Santos Vera, President and CEO of STRIDE Community Health Center. “This investment gives STRIDE an opportunity to build on our commitment to meeting people where they are and removing barriers to care. We are grateful to the State of Colorado for investing in solutions that strengthen communities and help ensure more Coloradans have access to the care they need.”
Colorado Rural Health Transformation Program
Colorado is directing $169,587,181 in RHTP grants to rural healthcare providers across the state. Through a highly competitive application process, 91 applicants and approximately 250 projects were selected to receive funding across 52 rural or frontier counties and three rural census tract counties.
A complete list of Colorado Rural Health Transformation Program awardees and additional information about RHTP is available on the RHTP website.
About STRIDE Community Health Center
STRIDE Community Health Center is a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center providing comprehensive, integrated healthcare services to individuals and families throughout the Denver metro area. STRIDE provides medical care for adults, pediatrics, and seniors, women’s healthcare, specialty care, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy and other supportive services, with a focus on ensuring access to high-quality care regardless of a patient’s ability to pay.
About the Rural Health Transformation Program
The Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) is a five-year federal initiative administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) designed to strengthen healthcare access and improve health outcomes in rural and frontier communities. The program supports investments in workforce development, innovative care models, technology-enabled services, and health system sustainability. The program was authorized under Section 71401 of H.R. 1 (Public Law 119-21) to provide grants totaling $50 billion in federal funding nationwide from Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2026 through FFY 2030.
From the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Colorado’s award totals $200,105,604.17 for the first year of the program to support rural health transformation efforts across the state and is 100% funded by CMS. The contents of this release are those of STRIDE Community Health Center and the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CMS/HHS or the U.S. Government.
Media Contact
Allison Draayer
Vice President of Public Affairs and Business Development
STRIDE Community Health Center
720-334-9924
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