State Rep. King Applauds $92 Million Investment in Healthcare Expansion for Rural Ohioans
State Representative Angie King (R-Celina) is pleased to share that Governor DeWine recently announced $92 million in awards through the Rural Health Transformation Program to expand access to quality healthcare in rural Ohio.
“Rural hospitals are essential to the health and strength of our communities,” said King. “As a member of the Ohio House Rural Hospital Caucus, I am proud to advocate for investments that protect our independent hospitals and expand access to quality care close to home. This funding is a major win for rural Ohio and will help ensure Joint Township District Memorial Hospital (Grand Lake Health System) and Mercer County Community Hospital (Mercer Health) continue providing critical services for generations to come. I applaud President Trump and Governor DeWine for their commitment to strengthening rural healthcare.”
The House Rural Hospital Caucus reinforced that rural independent hospitals are vital to the communities they serve – providing emergency care, employment opportunities, and overall community well-being. This funding will help rural hospitals manage chronic illnesses and expand access to preventive, primary, maternal, and behavioral healthcare.
The initial $92 million in awards, administered by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), includes:
· $31.4 million to establish or expand Clinically Integrated Networks (CIN) and Rural Health Innovation Hubs
· $30.3 million to improve maternal care
· $30.3 million in one-time investments to 22 rural hospitals
The Rural Health Transformation Fund was created as a portion of the One Big Beautiful Bill that President Trump signed in July 2025. The House Rural Hospital Caucus specifically advocated for the one-time investment awards to go to rural independent hospitals.
Joint Township District Memorial Hospital in St. Marys and Mercer County Community Hospital in Coldwater were each awarded $1.3 million through the grant for quality-improvement projects like opening additional healthcare units, expanding certain services available, and more, helping rural hospitals provide quality patient care to more Ohioans in the community.
To learn more about the details of this announcement, click here.