PENNSYLVANIA — On June 23, officials from the Shapiro Administration highlighted the Governor’s investments in the 2025-26 proposed budget to alleviate ongoing workforce recruitment, retention and infrastructure issues facing many rural hospitals in Pennsylvania during the Central Pennsylvania Regional Rural Healthcare Summit.  

Hosted by Juniata College, Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen and Department of Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich also discussed the challenges and opportunities communities face when accessing care.

The summit brought together local leaders, rural health advocates, and health care providers from Bedford, Blair, Centre, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata and Mifflin counties to collect feedback, inspire greater collaboration and develop strategies that address the unique health care needs of rural communities. Conversations explored topics like access to maternity care and behavioral health, serving older Pennsylvanians and how health care functions as both an essential service and a powerful economic engine in rural communities.

“A strong, accessible, affordable health care system is the foundation of any healthy community, and health care is essential to the economic growth, population revitalization, and stabilization of our rural communities,” said Secretary Arkoosh. “The Shapiro Administration is committed to supporting our rural health care providers to ensure that no matter where people live in the Commonwealth, they benefit from a stable health care presence that not only provides essential care, but also job opportunities and economic growth for their community. It is my hope that the conversations at today’s summit will be a catalyst for even greater partnership and collaboration that will move these goals forward.”

“One quarter of all Pennsylvanians live in rural communities and have less access to primary care, behavioral health care, dental care, and specialty health care compared to urban communities,” said Secretary Bogen. “Through these roundtable discussions, the Shapiro Administration has identified multiple issues facing rural communities. To address some of those challenges, the Governor’s 2025-2026 budget proposal includes funding for workforce recruitment and retention incentives.” 

“Nearly one million older Pennsylvanians live in rural communities, and on average, rural Pennsylvanians are older than Pennsylvanians living in urban areas. These older adults are more likely to have chronic conditions, need help with transportation, and lack access to specialists,” said Secretary Kavulich. “In order to meet the care needs of older Pennsylvanians at the community level, it’s essential that we bring state and regional partners together, so we can hear and understand the lived realities of the people we serve, and work toward solutions that reflect each region’s unique challenges and strengths.”   

The 2024-25 bipartisan budget included $10 million in state funds, which allowed Pennsylvania to leverage further federal funding, to contribute nearly $37 million to support hospitals operating in rural communities. 

In an effort to support Pennsylvania’s rural health care providers, Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget proposal makes common-sense, strategic investments including: 

• $10 million for rural hospitals to leverage an additional $25.1 million in federal matching funds, bringing total support to $35.1 million. This builds off work started with the 2024-25 budget that invested a total of $36.7 million in state and federal funding to support hospitals in rural communities.

• An additional $10 million to invest in health care facilities statewide, through the Department of Human Services, to assist the Commonwealth in responding to urgent consumer health needs and staffing requirements. This investment will also leverage an additional $25.1 million in federal matching funds, bringing total support to $35.1 million. 

• $10 million to expand behavioral health loan repayment programs, ensuring providers are available statewide – including in rural communities – to meet the growing demand for mental health care and address a critical workforce shortage. 

• $5 million to expand the Primary Care Loan Repayment Program offering loan repayment for health care providers that serve in rural communities. 

• $20 million in a new dedicated appropriation to healthcare facilities for patient safety and quality improvement initiatives   that reduce barriers to care like affordability and transportation and improve reliable access to needed providers.

• $5 million to educate, train, and recruit nursing professionals through tuition support, ensuring a steady pipeline of highly trained professionals. 

• Calling for universal postpartum depression screening and intervention efforts to ensure timely and equitable access to maternal and mental health care for mothers. 

• Encouraging legislation to grant full practice authority to nurse practitioners who have worked under a physician for three years, increasing access to care in underserved communities.