WASHINGTON — The Trump administration announced a $54.6 million investment to fight chronic disease and expand maternal health care in Arkansas on Sept. 24, funding 54 projects including mobile preventive screenings, physical activity programs and rural medical residency slots.
The funds flow through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and represent the largest single-state health investment in the current funding cycle, according to CMS.
Arkansas has consistently ranked among the states with the highest rates of maternal mortality and chronic disease burden in the nation, making it a critical target for federal health investment. The state’s maternal mortality rate has remained significantly above the national average, with rural communities bearing a disproportionate share of poor outcomes.
The investment targets both chronic disease prevention and maternal health care expansion. Mobile preventive screening units will bring basic health assessments to rural areas where residents may live hours from the nearest hospital or clinic. Physical activity programs address the chronic disease risk factors — including obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease — that drive much of the state’s health burden.
New rural medical residency slots funded by the investment aim to address the physician shortage that plagues much of rural Arkansas. Training doctors in rural communities increases the likelihood they will remain in those areas to practice, a strategy that has shown promise in other states facing similar provider shortages.
Clinical training funds will also support expanding the health care workforce in communities where access to care has narrowed as rural hospitals have closed.
The administration framed the investment as part of its broader commitment to directing federal health dollars to states with the most acute needs. CMS said the 54 funded projects are designed to produce measurable improvements in health outcomes across the state.