Smart Care Catalyst Start-Up Funds and Provider Incentives

The West Virginia Department of Health, under the broader Rural Health Transformation Program, has released the Smart Care Catalyst Start-Up Funds and Provider Incentives opportunity to support improvements in substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery services. This initiative is funded through a large federal award administered at the state level, with approximately two hundred million dollars allocated to the overall program. The Smart Care Catalyst initiative is one of several pillars designed to improve healthcare access, reduce chronic disease burden, and enhance workforce participation across rural communities in West Virginia. The program is aligned with statewide health priorities focused on prevention, measurable outcomes, and long-term system transformation. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to enable provider organizations and community-based entities to implement or expand evidence-based interventions addressing substance use disorder. The funding is structured as time-limited start-up support intended to build operational readiness and infrastructure necessary for participation in future value-based care models. Applicants must demonstrate that proposed activities will generate measurable improvements in outcomes such as reduced emergency department utilization, increased treatment engagement, and improved recovery and workforce participation. Programs must emphasize root-cause and preventative approaches rather than episodic care delivery. Funding under this opportunity totals six million dollars for the Smart Care Catalyst initiative, with awards distributed to multiple grantees. The funding period is one year, with all funds required to be expended by July 31, 2027. Payments are structured through an initial advance for start-up costs followed by milestone-based reimbursements tied to implementation progress and performance outcomes. Allowable uses of funds include non-billable activities such as care coordination, staffing, workflow redesign, and infrastructure development. Funds may not be used to duplicate reimbursable services, supplant existing funding, or support construction or major capital improvements. Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities such as healthcare providers, behavioral health organizations, federally qualified health centers, hospitals, community-based organizations, and cross-sector partnerships. Applicants must demonstrate operational readiness, the ability to implement evidence-based practices, and alignment with state priorities for substance use disorder services. Geographic focus is placed on southern counties in West Virginia, particularly underserved populations impacted by substance use disorder. Applicants must also ensure compliance with data integration requirements, reporting standards, and statewide performance measurement frameworks. The application process requires submission through the West Virginia Oasis Vendor Self Service portal. Applicants must provide a detailed narrative describing their intervention model, implementation plan, and expected outcomes, along with a detailed line-item budget and supporting documentation. Additional requirements include a contact list, county-level service projections, and demonstration of organizational capacity. Applications are evaluated based on criteria including organizational readiness, project impact, feasibility, sustainability, and budget justification. Key dates for this opportunity include a release date of July 27, 2026, and an application deadline of August 10, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Questions must be submitted within three business days of the posting date, and technical assistance is available via the program coordinator. Awardees will be required to participate in ongoing reporting, including monthly and quarterly performance and financial reports, and must meet strict milestone and data reporting requirements throughout the grant period. Overall, this funding opportunity represents a strategic investment by the State of West Virginia to strengthen substance use disorder services and prepare providers for future value-based care models. By prioritizing measurable outcomes, operational readiness, and sustainable infrastructure, the program aims to drive long-term improvements in health outcomes and system efficiency across rural communities.

Focus on measurable outcomes and clearly defined baseline metrics; ensure activities are non duplicative of reimbursable services; demonstrate operational readiness and data reporting capability