The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is seeking applications for its Statewide Tele-buprenorphine Access Line Program.
Donor Name: Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)
State: Minnesota
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/29/2026
Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million
Grant Duration: 5 Years
Details:
The federal Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) was created. It is a federal initiative to help state governments support rural communities in improving healthcare access, quality, and outcomes by transforming the healthcare delivery ecosystem. The RHTP focuses on promoting innovation, strategic partnerships, infrastructure development, and workforce investment in rural communities. The federal program will grant up to $50 billion to states over five budget periods. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) was awarded approximately $193 million by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for the first budget period to transform the rural health system in Minnesota. Most of the funding will be distributed in grants to rural hospitals, rural Tribal Nations, rural Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and rural Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) and Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs).
The goal of this project is to implement a Telebupe Access Line that will operate sustainably by the end of the five-year grant period through billable clinical encounters. The Telebupe Access Line will provide rapid access to clinical assessment and prescriptions for MOUD to individuals seeking treatment, with a primary focus on individuals in rural communities where same-day access to care is limited or unavailable. The Telebupe Access Line should be operational for a minimum of 60 hours per week, with the selected vendor prepared to begin service delivery during budget period 2. The selected vendor should provide timely evaluation, initiation of treatment, and prescribing support for those who utilize the service. The Access Line should prioritize actively linking patients to ongoing, community-based care for longitudinal treatment, when appropriate and available, but may also provide longer-term continued prescribing when local treatment options are unavailable, inaccessible, or not suitable to meet the patient’s needs. This approach is intended to be flexible to ensure uninterrupted access to evidence-based treatment while supporting transitions to community based care whenever feasible.
Funding Information
- Estimated Amount to Grant: $1,000,000
- Estimated Award Maximum: $1,000,000
- Estimated Award Minimum: $750,000
Project Period
- Grant agreements begin (estimated): August 1, 2026
- Grant Agreements end: October 30, 2030
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must be currently enrolled as a Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) provider or demonstrate a plan and timeline to achieve MHCP provider enrollment. Applicants must be prepared to meet all MHCP provider eligibility and enrollment requirements as a condition of award. Applicants may be either for-profit or not-for-profit entities that demonstrate experience supporting MOUD needs in healthcare and telehealth capabilities. Rural experience is preferred. This may include:
- Hospitals or health systems licensed to operate in Minnesota
- Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
- Rural Health Clinics (RHCs)
- Tribal health organizations and Urban Indian health programs
- Nonprofit community health providers
- Behavioral health organizations licensed in Minnesota
- Telehealth providers that are currently enrolled as a MHCP provider or demonstrate a plan and timeline to achieve MHCP provider enrollment
- Community-based organizations partnering with licensed Minnesota prescribers
- Partnerships or consortia of the above entities (one entity must serve as the fiscal lead)
For more information, visit MDH.
