As previously reported, Gunnison Valley Health (GVH) has been awarded a five-year annual $4.5 million grant through Colorado’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) to create six new healthcare systems in Gunnison County.
RHTP is a $50 billion federal initiative, authorized by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, administered by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to strengthen and modernize rural healthcare across the United States by improving healthcare access, quality, and outcomes. RHTP funding is $50 billion allocated to approved states over a period of five years, with $10 billion available each fiscal year beginning in 2026 and ending in 2030. Colorado received over $169.5 million in grants to providers across the state. Application is highly competitive, with 91 applicants and 250 project proposals. GVH’s RHTP award ranks 11th largest out of 92 awards in the state. RHTP funds cannot be used to pay for existing programs or operations.
The Gunnison Country Times spoke with Erica Rasmussen, Director of Marketing and Communications at GVH for details about this grant funding.
GVH applied for six new program areas, was supported by 21 letters from physicians, staff, community partners, the GVH foundation, and regional organizers, and received funding for all programs. The application process involved extensive planning and collaboration. The programs were selected because of their potential to create lasting improvements in healthcare access, quality, development, and outcomes.
“This award gives GVH the opportunity to make investments in behavioral health, workforce development, mental health, and other initiatives that will benefit Gunnison Valley residents and visitors for years to come,” Erica Rasmussen, Director of Marketing and Communications at GVH. “It’s going to help our community, and it’s going to have a long lasting impact.”
The first program is an expansion of Gunnison’s behavioral health services. The addition of withdrawal management and addiction treatment fills a significant rural healthcare need in the valley. With total substance use disorders in Gunnison County sitting at 22% to 28% of the population and mental health illnesses at 15% to 20% according to the 2025 State of the Community report, prioritizing behavioral health services in the valley becomes necessary to give citizens local healthcare options.
GVH is also creating Emergency Medical Service (EMS) education systems as well as a nursing residency program in collaboration with Western Colorado University and their new nursing program as part of their workforce development initiative.
“One of the biggest challenges facing rural healthcare is recruitment and retention,” said Rasmussen. “Having support for workplace development is critical.”
GVH hopes to bring back childcare after Little Adventures, formally known as Wonderland Nature School, has been vacant for well over a year now. They previously invested $600,000 into the childcare facility to support the community and its workforce, though they did not operate the daycare. They are exploring whether it is feasible to reopen the facility.
One of the most exciting initiatives that GVH plans to integrate is a telehealth expansion by establishing a tele-ICU, connecting bedside hospital care teams with off-site critical care specialists using audiovisual communication, live vital sign monitoring, and electronic medical record integration. This would allow GVH to have its own intensive care unit with telehealth services and expanded specialty access, allowing patients to receive advanced care locally rather than traveling longer distances, such as to Montrose or Salida.
“Someone who may need to be in an ICU could be here and get the care they need,” said Rasmussen. “This is really, really critical and a big step in supporting acute care.”
GVH will also be establishing a new position for the community health coalition focused on strengthening collaboration among healthcare, public health, local government, schools, and community organizations. It creates a coordinated approach to improving community health in the valley. They are currently working with community partners to make it happen.
The last initiative is upgrades to technology and analytics in clinical technology and equipment investments in value-based care and analytics infrastructure. It focuses on supporting better care coordination and improved health outcomes.
“It really speaks to the sustainability of what we're setting out to do,” said Rasmussen. “It's one thing when you have a project in mind and you have support to kick it off. It's another thing when you have long-term support for it to be sustainable, which is really the point of why these grants were awarded.”
GVH will regularly report on their progress, and updates can be found at www.gunnisonvalleyhealth.org/news.
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