Idaho cannot afford to miss this moment for rural health

As a former chairman and board member of the Idaho State Board of Health & Welfare, I have spent decades watching our state wrestle with the realities of rural healthcare. We all know the story: aging facilities, limited staff, long distances, and budgets stretched so thin that a single broken piece of equipment can shut down critical services.

Now, for the first time in a generation, Idaho has a chance to change that story — but only if we act quickly and decisively.

Idaho is preparing to distribute roughly $186 million in federal Rural Health Transformation grants, part of the “big beautiful” law Congress passed last July. This is not theoretical money. It is not a pilot program. It is real funding, already awarded, and it must be committed to eligible projects by October 30 or it will be taken back and given to other states.

That deadline should focus every one of us.

This is not just a healthcare issue — it’s an Idaho infrastructure issue.

Director Juliet Charron of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare put it plainly: many rural providers aren’t even up to electrical or plumbing code. Some are dealing with asbestos. Others are operating with equipment so outdated that surgeries must be canceled when humidity rises, as Bonner General Health in Sandpoint has experienced with its failing air handler.

These aren’t abstract problems. They are daily barriers to care for Idaho families.

And fixing them will require more than hospitals and clinics. It will require electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, construction crews, architects, engineers, and local contractors across the state. It will require chambers of commerce, county leaders, and small business owners who may not realize that their skills are exactly what rural healthcare needs right now.

The Department of Health and Welfare is launching an awareness campaign this summer, but awareness alone won’t meet the deadline. Idaho’s contractors and tradespeople need to know that this funding is available, that projects are ready, and that their participation is essential.

Small providers must not be left behind.

Many hospitals and clinics have been tracking these grants closely. But Idaho’s rural health system is much broader than hospitals. It includes independent behavioral health counselors, disability service providers, and small community organizations — often run by one or two people — who may not have the staff or time to monitor federal grant announcements.

These providers are the backbone of care in our smallest towns. They deserve support, and they deserve a fair shot at these funds.

The Legislature has acted — now the rest of Idaho must move.

The Legislature approved the spending authority in March after debating oversight structures. The oversight committee met for the first time in April. Subgrants began posting in June. The first federal report is due August 30, and it will influence how much Idaho receives next year.

In other words, the window is open — but it is not open for long.

A once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity for rural communities.

Some of the most impactful projects may not look like traditional healthcare investments at all. They may be:

• Telehealth kiosks in libraries or community centers

• Renovations that bring old buildings up to electrical code

• Asbestos abatement

• HVAC upgrades

• Plumbing repairs

• Modernized clinical spaces

• Technology infrastructure for remote care

These improvements strengthen healthcare, but they also strengthen local economies. They create jobs. They support small contractors. They keep dollars circulating in rural towns that need them.

As Director Charron said, “It’s really more than healthcare. It’s going to be an economic opportunity for some of our smaller communities.”

She’s right.

Idaho must not leave federal dollars on the table

We have been given a rare chance to rebuild the physical foundation of rural healthcare — not with promises, but with funding. If we fail to act, those dollars will simply go elsewhere. Other states will modernize their rural hospitals, upgrade their clinics, and expand their telehealth capacity with money that was meant for Idaho.

We cannot let that happen.

The call to action.

To Idaho’s contractors, tradespeople, chambers of commerce, and local leaders:

Your expertise is needed. Your participation is essential. And your communities will benefit.

To small behavioral health and disability providers:

You are eligible, and you deserve support. Do not assume these grants are only for large institutions.

To every Idahoan who cares about rural healthcare — and the future of our small towns:

This is our moment. Let’s seize it.

DARRELL KERBY

Bonners Ferry