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A new state initiative aims to strengthen rural healthcare systems and ensure all Louisianans have access to quality care close to home.Baton Rouge Today
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has signed an executive order creating the Office of Rural Health Transformation and Sustainability within the Louisiana Department of Health. The new office will work to grow the healthcare workforce, improve technology, and increase access to services, including behavioral health care, in order to improve patient outcomes in rural parts of the state. The initiative is backed by over $208 million in federal funding that could grow to more than $1 billion over the next five years.
Why it matters
Nearly 1.1 million people in Louisiana live in rural parishes, where access to care is often limited and chronic health conditions are more common. This new office aims to strengthen healthcare systems in these underserved communities and ensure all Louisianans have access to high-quality, reliable care close to home.
The details
The Office of Rural Health Transformation and Sustainability will work to grow the healthcare workforce, improve technology, and increase access to services, including behavioral health care, in order to improve patient outcomes in rural parts of Louisiana. The initiative is backed by over $208 million in federal funding that could grow to more than $1 billion over the next five years.
On April 8, 2026, Governor Jeff Landry signed the executive order establishing the new office.
The players
Gov. Jeff Landry
The governor of Louisiana who signed the executive order creating the Office of Rural Health Transformation and Sustainability.
Louisiana Department of Health
The state agency that will house the new Office of Rural Health Transformation and Sustainability.
Dr. Evelyn Griffin
The Louisiana Surgeon General who stated that the new office marks a turning point for healthcare in rural Louisiana.
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What they’re saying
“This executive order reflects our commitment to improving health outcomes for Louisiana families, no matter where they live. For too long, rural communities have faced barriers to accessing care. Today, we are taking decisive action to strengthen those systems so that every Louisianan has access to high-quality, reliable care close to home.”
— Gov. Jeff Landry, Governor of Louisiana
“The Office of Rural Health Transformation marks a turning point for the Louisianans who call our rural parishes home. We are ensuring that a resident in Tensas or Cameron Parish receives the same caliber of preventive and emergency care as someone in the heart of New Orleans, making high-quality health care a local reality, not a long-distance journey.”
— Dr. Evelyn Griffin, Louisiana Surgeon General
What’s next
The new Office of Rural Health Transformation and Sustainability will begin implementing its initiatives to improve healthcare access and outcomes in rural Louisiana over the next several years, with the goal of utilizing over $1 billion in federal funding by 2031.
The takeaway
This executive order represents a significant investment and commitment by the state of Louisiana to address longstanding disparities in healthcare access and outcomes between urban and rural communities. By establishing a dedicated office to coordinate these efforts, Louisiana is taking an important step towards ensuring all residents, regardless of where they live, have access to high-quality, reliable healthcare close to home.