Press ReleasesSmith Helps Secure More Than $2.3 Million for Rural Healthcare Workers and Access to Maternal Care in MissouriOctober 16, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, the Trump Administration announced more than $2.3 million in federal investment to strengthen Missouri’s rural healthcare workforce and expand access to maternal care. This funding is part of the Rural Health Transformation Program’s (RHTP) historic $50 billion investment in rural healthcare, which Rep. Jason Smith (MO-08) authored as part of the Working Families Tax Cuts, also known as the One, Big, Beautiful Bill. “A rural mom shouldn’t have to drive an hour or more to find someone to deliver her baby,” said Rep. Jason Smith . “That’s exactly why I authored and fought for the Rural Health Transformation Program in the One, Big, Beautiful Bill. This funding will help Missouri recruit and retain the nurses and healthcare workers our rural communities depend on, and it will bring maternal care closer to home for families across southeast Missouri and the entire state. I’ll keep fighting to make sure rural Missouri is a place where moms can raise a family and get the care they need right where they live.” “President Trump understands that every American deserves high-quality healthcare, no matter where they live,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “We are putting resources directly into rural communities to strengthen the health workforce, modernize infrastructure, expand access, and bring care closer to home. We are giving states the flexibility to build solutions around the people they serve, while demanding accountability for results. That is how we strengthen rural health, improve the lives of patients and families, and Make America Healthy Again.” “Every state knows best what its rural communities need, and thanks to President Trump’s Rural Health Transformation Program, they now have the resources to meet those needs,” said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “As states put these resources to work, we’re focused on turning these investments into meaningful, sustainable improvements for the health systems that serve rural Missourians.” “As Missouri’s Rural Health Transformation Program continues to make strides in strengthening rural healthcare access with community-driven solutions, this funding brings much-needed childcare support for rural healthcare workers and expands access to critical maternal care across our state,” said Gov. Mike Kehoe. “We appreciate the Trump Administration’s continued focus and partnership in working to create stronger, healthier rural communities.” Background: This announcement is part of the more than $216 million Missouri received through the RHTP and will support two main initiatives: expanding affordable, dependable childcare for Missouri’s rural healthcare professionals and delivering funding to establish a certified nurse midwife training program. This transformational funding includes more than $1.4 million to spur healthcare recruitment and address retention challenges across rural Missouri. The $1.4 million will go toward expanding a cost-sharing childcare program that brings the state, rural health employers, and families together to make dependable childcare more affordable for healthcare workers, giving them peace of mind that their children are cared for while they care for patients. This announcement also includes $879,000 to establish Missouri’s first-ever certified nurse midwife training program. These investments build on more than $52 million the Trump Administration previously announced to support rural healthcare in the Show-Me State, including: More than $7 million to expand doula training and certification for Missouri’s rural maternal health workforce, as well as mobile healthcare and community paramedicine services in rural communities. More than $45 million to upgrade rural Missouri hospitals, connect providers with behavioral and maternal health specialists, and grow the state’s emergency care workforce. Missouri’s broader RHTP strategy aims to strengthen coordination and build a more sustainable rural healthcare system. It focuses on four areas: Local and regional care networks: community hubs and regional networks that improve care coordination and connect rural Missourians with providers. Rural healthcare workforce: recruitment, training, clinical education, and retention to strengthen the pipeline of rural health professionals. Technology and data: shared digital infrastructure and better data sharing so rural providers can coordinate care. Rural care delivery: provider modernization and new care and payment models that support long-term sustainability.