Trump Administration Announces $7.2 Million to Expand Ambulance-Based Telemedicine and Upgrade Emergency Communications Across South Dakota
This federal investment will help South Dakota's rural ambulance crews reach patients faster, share critical health data with hospitals, and respond to emergencies with modern technology
Today, the Trump Administration announced $7.2 million in Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funding to modernize emergency medical services (EMS) for South Dakota. This investment will provide first responders with modern telemedicine tools, expanded training, and faster access to patient data, helping them respond to emergencies and better connect rural patients with care across South Dakota.
This transformational funding will deliver $7.2 million to 25 projects led by local ambulance services, hospitals, community organizations, education partners, and statewide EMS support organizations. Projects will expand ambulance-based telemedicine, fund EMS workforce training, improve how EMS crews share patient data with hospitals, modernize dispatch and communications systems, and support data-driven quality improvement.
The Rural Health Transformation Program is expanding access to quality healthcare, regardless of a patient’s zip code, and equipping first responders with the lifesaving resources they need when every second counts. This funding will make critical investments to strengthen rural health care, expand access to lifesaving services, and bring modern technology to communities 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.”
“President Trump gave states the resources to transform rural healthcare, and now we're seeing those dollars move from plans into action,” said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “Our focus now is on making sure this early progress translates into lasting results for rural patients and more resilient, sustainable health systems in the years ahead. In South Dakota, that means faster, better-connected emergency care for rural communities when every minute matters.”
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.
“In emergency situations, every minute matters, and South Dakotans depend on our EMS professionals to answer the call,” said Gov. Larry Rhoden. “These investments will strengthen the workforce, technology, training, and partnerships that support emergency responses across our state. And they will help ensure South Dakotans have access to reliable emergency care close to home.”
“In a rural state like South Dakota, access to fast and reliable emergency medical services can be a critical lifeline for patients who live far from health care providers,” said Sen. John Thune. “I’m proud that this investment from the Rural Health Transformation Program, which we passed as part of the Working Families Tax Cuts, will help improve emergency medical services across our state, and I commend the Trump administration for its continued efforts to make care more accessible, especially in rural America.”
“South Dakotans rely on strong rural health care services to maintain a healthy quality of life,” said Sen. Mike Rounds. “This $7.2 million awarded to South Dakota from the Rural Health Transformation Program, passed as part of the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, will support Emergency Medical Services in South Dakota. This is in addition to the $13 million that has already been announced. South Dakota is set to receive over $189 million from the Rural Health Transformation Program over the next five years.”
"Emergency Medical Service provides critical, live-saving care across South Dakota. The Rural Health Transformation Project’s investment in rural and tribal EMS will strengthen emergency response and long-term stability of emergency services to ensure help is there when people need it most,” said Rep. Dusty Johnson.
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:
- Building the rural healthcare workforce: Supporting recruitment, training, and retention strategies to strengthen the pipeline of healthcare professionals serving rural communities.
- Strengthening rural facilities and access: Supporting partnerships, operational improvements, and care-delivery changes that help rural providers maintain essential services and improve access.
- Advancing innovative care and payment models: Supporting new approaches to delivery and financing designed to improve quality, strengthen primary care, and support sustainable rural healthcare.
- Expanding community-based and preventive care: Investing in school-based care, mobile services, and other community strategies that improve prevention, address chronic disease, and expand access to care.
- Modernizing rural healthcare technology: Expanding remote care and data-driven tools to improve coordination and extend healthcare services to rural communities.
The Trump Administration is delivering on its commitment to strengthen rural America by investing in solutions that modernize technology to promote health and well-being for rural communities. 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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