FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 24, 2026

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Trump Administration Announces $13 Million Investment to Expand Behavioral Healthcare and Create a 24/7 Mobile Crisis Response Service in South Dakota

This federal investment will expand provider capacity, modernize IT infrastructure, and strengthen the behavioral healthcare workforce across South Dakota

The Trump Administration announced today that a $13 million investment is being delivered to create a same-day 24/7 mobile crisis response service for South Dakota residents in need of critical substance abuse and mental health services.

This funding includes 12 modernization and infrastructure grants to providers participating in South Dakota’s Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) initiative and will give participating providers the resources needed to expand crisis services and build a stronger behavioral healthcare workforce.

The grants will help providers move toward a model designed to connect South Dakotans experiencing mental or substance use challenges with timely care. This investment also builds on the Administration’s $120 million in funding previously announced to fast-track IT modernization, boost cybersecurity, improve interoperability, and strengthen care coordination across South Dakota.

“President Trump understands that every American deserves high-quality healthcare, no matter where they live,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “We are putting resources directly into rural communities to strengthen the health workforce, modernize infrastructure, expand access, and bring care closer to home. We are giving states the flexibility to build solutions around the people they serve, while demanding accountability for results. That is how we strengthen rural health, improve the lives of patients and families, and Make America Healthy Again.”

“Every state knows best what its rural communities need, and thanks to President Trump’s Rural Health Transformation Program, they now have the resources to meet those needs,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “As states put these resources to work, we’re focused on turning these investments into meaningful, sustainable improvements for the health systems that serve rural South Dakotans.”

Today’s investment was made possible through the Working Families Tax Cuts Act — passed by Republicans in Congress and unanimously opposed by Democrats — delivering a historic $50 billion investment to help states transform the way healthcare is delivered in America.

“Mental health is a key component of quality health care, so we’re investing in all aspects of healthcare in our rural communities, including behavioral health. South Dakotans in rural communities will have the resources they need to receive the care they deserve,” said Gov. Larry Rhoden. “Thank you to the Trump Administration for the opportunity to expand access to behavioral health services in South Dakota through our Rural Health Transformation funds.”

“Access to quality health care is vital for South Dakota’s rural communities, and this investment from the Rural Health Transformation Program will go a long way to help expand services and strengthen the behavioral health workforce across our state,” said Sen. John Thune. “I’m proud that this program from the Working Families Tax Cuts continues to deliver for the people of South Dakota, and I appreciate the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to improve care in rural America.”

“South Dakotans rely on strong rural health care services to maintain a healthy quality of life,” said Sen. Mike Rounds. “This $13 million awarded to South Dakota from the Rural Health Transformation Program, passed as part of the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, will expand access to behavioral health in the most rural parts of our state.”

South Dakota's broader RHTP strategy is designed to strengthen rural healthcare access and support sustainable care across the state. Today’s announcement is one part of the larger overall funding amount awarded to South Dakota for fiscal year 2026.

Key initiatives the overall RHTP funding will focus on include: 

• Strengthening access to rural healthcare: Expanding behavioral, maternal, emergency, preventive, and chronic disease services to help South Dakotans receive more care closer to home.
• Building the rural healthcare workforce: Investing in recruitment, training, education, and retention strategies to strengthen rural healthcare capacity.
• Modernizing rural care delivery: Expanding electronic health records, telehealth, data exchange, and innovative care models to improve coordination and support sustainable rural providers.

The Trump Administration is delivering on its commitment to strengthen rural America by investing in solutions that modernize, transform and expand healthcare access for rural communities nationwide. Led by CMS, the RHTP is moving beyond the failed one-size-fits-all approach and giving rural communities the tools to build stronger, more innovative, and more sustainable health systems that deliver better care and better outcomes for the Americans they serve.

For more information about the RHTP, visit: https://www.medicaid.gov/resources-for-states/rural-health.

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