ASPR Invests $2 Million to Strengthen Trauma Care Readiness Across the Nation

Four recipients will receive $500,000 each to improve trauma care coordination, patient movement, data sharing, and readiness for emergencies and disasters

Washington, D.C. (Wednesday, September 30, 2026) — The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), today announced four recipients of the new Trauma Care Readiness and Coordination Program. ASPR is providing a total of $2 million in first-year funding, with each recipient receiving $500,000 to develop and test innovative models that strengthen trauma care systems and help patients get the right care at the right time.

“When someone suffers a traumatic injury, every minute between the scene of the emergency and lifesaving care matters,” said John Knox, ASPR Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary. “These investments will help communities build stronger connections across EMS, hospitals, trauma centers, and public health agencies so patients can reach the care they need. What we learn from these projects can help identify practical, scalable approaches to strengthen trauma care and emergency readiness across the country.”

Effective trauma care depends on coordination and strong partnership across regional health care and public health systems. Through the new program, states, tribal organizations, and trauma centers will develop, implement, and evaluate approaches designed to improve trauma system readiness and access to timely, appropriate care.

The four recipients are: 

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (CA) will design and test a scalable regional pathway for time-sensitive interfacility transfer of adult and pediatric patients requiring specialized trauma or surgical care after initial hospital evaluation. The project will improve coordination between facilities and expedite patient access to the appropriate level of care.
Geneva Foundation (WA) will pilot a scalable regional framework for integrated trauma and emergency care, real-time capacity coordination, and disaster resilience. This project will strengthen regional emergency preparedness by connecting military and civilian health care partners through a shared, near-real-time dashboard of medical capacity and resources.
Nebraska Medical Center (NE) will create a statewide, data-driven coordination model to improve visibility into trauma resources, strengthen communication among system partners, and support more efficient patient transfers. By using standardized data, shared escalation protocols, training, and performance measures, the project will support more timely and resilient trauma care statewide.
Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation (AZ) will establish a more consistent regional trauma transfer pathway and enhance data systems to identify delays, support timely decision-making, and improve patient care across a geographically isolated tribal, rural, frontier, and medically underserved service area.

Each recipient will carry out at least two pilot project activities focused on different aspects of trauma system readiness, such as strengthening coordination among trauma partners, improving patient transfers, enhancing resource tracking and communication, strengthening regional data systems and data sharing, advancing evidence-based practices, and building capacity to support trauma research.

ASPR will evaluate the pilot projects to identify effective and feasible approaches that could inform broader efforts to strengthen trauma care readiness and coordination nationwide.

To learn more, see ASPR’s Trauma Care Readiness and Coordination Program. 

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About ASPR: 

ASPR is the nation’s leading health security agency—driving preparedness before disaster strikes, securing domestic medical supply chains, advancing gold standard science, and delivering a fast, accountable federal response when lives are on the line. We partner with states, local communities, tribes, territories, other federal agencies, and the private sector to strengthen readiness at home. We invest in American manufacturing to reduce foreign dependency, and steward taxpayer resources with transparency, discipline, and measurable outcomes. ASPR protects the American people and ensures that the United States can prepare for, respond to, and recover from any threat to national security, anytime, anywhere.