LEWES, DE - Governor Matt Meyer announced on Wednesday that Delaware has completed and submitted its application for up to $1 billion through the federal Rural Health Transformation Program — an effort aimed at expanding access to care and improving healthcare quality across the state.
The proposal outlines 15 projects designed to strengthen the healthcare system, particularly in Kent and Sussex counties, where about 400,000 rural residents face growing challenges accessing care.
Delaware Health Commission member Dr. Neil Hockstein said the shortage extends across all levels of care.
"Delaware has a shortage of care at every level, whether it's primary care or nursing," Hockstein said. "We also have a shortage of a pipeline into health care professions. It's present across the country, but as we get into rural parts of the state — particularly in Sussex and western Sussex — it gets worse."
Governor Matt Meyer said the state's plan aims to close those gaps and ensure quality care is available no matter where people live.
"Health care should not depend on your zip code, and thanks to the partnerships represented here today, soon it won't."
The 15 proposed projects aim to expand access, strengthen Delaware's healthcare workforce, and improve coordination across the state. They focus on enhancing primary and preventive care, upgrading technology and infrastructure, expanding community health programs, and training and retaining providers in underserved areas.
Meyer said one of the plan's key efforts focuses on expanding mobile health units to deliver care directly to rural communities.
"We can truly make a transformational difference in lives across our state by deploying more mobile health units to schools, churches and community centers, offering screenings for chronic disease, maternal health care, behavioral health sciences, and more. Medical professionals can diagnose early and improve healthy habits, ultimately saving lives before they need saving."
Another proposal would bring two new Hope Centers to Kent and Sussex counties, which Meyer said would be modeled after the successful location in New Castle County.
"We're expanding the Hope Center model to Kent and Sussex County, turning underused state properties into integrated hubs for health care, housing and workforce services."
Meyer said the new Hope Centers would serve as resource hubs where people in need can access care and support, helping connect neighbors to essential services while reducing strain on hospital emergency rooms.
"One primary goal of that is to see if fewer of them will show up in your emergency rooms, see if more of them can stabilize whatever health problem they have before it becomes an emergency. It's a model that seems to be working. It's still early — five years — and seems to be working pretty well in the northern part of the state."
The proposal also calls for establishing Delaware's first four-year medical school, which Dr. Neil Hockstein said would help train and retain physicians while strengthening the state's long-term healthcare workforce.
"A medical school not only educates physicians, but it also brings a community of caregivers to surround those physicians — and a medical school is a great way to do that."
Dr. David Tam, president and CEO of Beebe Healthcare, said each of the proposed projects plays a critical role in reshaping care in rural parts of the state.
"All the 15 projects that the governor has laid out are integral and are pieces of helping to make sure that rural health care is supported and transformed," Tam said. "We're not just talking about making things bigger — we're talking about how we actually change how rural health care is delivered."
No specific locations for the proposed projects have been announced yet, though state officials say they already have sites in mind.
State officials expect to learn by December 31 whether Delaware will receive the full $1 billion or a smaller portion from the federal fund. Meyer said that regardless of the outcome, the state intends to move forward with many of the initiatives, scaling back as needed.