09/16/2026
NORTHEAST NEWSREEL - (Hartford & Putnam CT)
CT GOV NED LAMONT PRESS RELEASE
Governor Lamont Announces Connecticut’s Rural Health Transformation Program Invests $50 Million in Rural Hospital Right‑Sizing and Infrastructure
9/16/2026
Four Rural Hospitals and the Connecticut Department of Social Services Execute Grant Agreements, Launching Major Transformation Work
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) has finalized $50 million in Rural Health Transformation Project (RHTP) grant agreements, including $46 million going to four critical rural hospital systems and $4 million awarded to a technical assistance vendor to support hospitals. This provides substantial resources to modernize facilities, expand service capacity, and stabilize essential healthcare infrastructure serving rural Connecticut communities.
The four rural hospitals will deploy Year 1 funding to launch immediate transformation initiatives addressing longstanding operational and infrastructure challenges. This includes $20.23 million for Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam; $13.12 million for Sharon Hospital in Sharon; and $12.65 million for Hartford HealthCare’s Windham Hospital in Willimantic and Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington. As part of this effort, Mathematica was awarded $3.98 million to provide technical assistance support to the rural hospitals. Over the five-year program, continued investments will support sustained progress on facility upgrades, workforce stabilization, and service expansion.
“The Trump administration’s Rural Health Transformation Program is helping states like Connecticut develop innovative, locally driven solutions to improve rural Americans’ access to high-quality care,” Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said. “These grant awards demonstrate how this historic investment is empowering rural communities to strengthen their health systems, put patients first, and bring better care closer to home.”
“Connecticut’s rural hospitals are essential to their communities and they have unique challenges in ensuring that people who live in these areas can access the healthcare they need,” Governor Lamont said. “These investments will help ensure that every resident—no matter where they live—can get connected to high-quality care. This is about ensuring that every corner of Connecticut has the opportunity to thrive.”
Rural hospitals face longstanding challenges, including limited staffing, aging infrastructure, and financial strain due to low patient volumes and high reliance on public payers. Over the past several months, DSS worked closely with leadership from each hospital, conducted on‑site visits, and collaborated on robust transformation proposals. The finalized agreements allow hospitals to begin work on projects that address access to care, operational efficiency, service line restructuring, and new strategies to deliver high‑quality care close to home.
“This funding represents a critical commitment to rural Connecticut residents and the hospitals that serve them,” DSS Commissioner Andrea Barton Reeves said. “By investing directly in facility modernization and workforce stability, we’re strengthening the foundation of rural healthcare today while building long-term sustainability for the future.”
Through RHTP, hospitals will receive targeted support to upgrade equipment, renovate facilities, expand digital and telehealth capacity, enhance behavioral health and maternal services, and implement workforce stabilization efforts. Year 1 funding will help each facility launch projects immediately, with continued investments planned through the five‑year program. The initiatives are designed to align hospital services with community needs, reduce gaps in access, and ensure rural residents can receive care locally.
DSS also acknowledges the collaboration of community partners across the region who continue to support rural health efforts, including the Connecticut Office of Rural Health, tribal governments, community organizations, nonprofits, foundations, and government agencies, whose work complements the goals of RHTP and strengthens community‑based access to care.
Connecticut residents can learn more about the Rural Health Transformation Program, including updates on hospital projects and future phases of work, by visiting the program’s website at portal.ct.gov/dss/rural-health-transformation-program. Questions about the program may be directed to [email protected].
Federally Qualified Disclaimer: This project 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 a financial assistance award totaling $154,249,105.53 with 100% funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
Office of The Governor
State Capitol
210 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 0610
