Initiative will maximize the impact of HRSA grants and programs and foster new partnerships across the country to address maternal mortality crisis and reduce maternal health disparities

Today, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Administrator Carole Johnson, joined by Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL), co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, launched a year-long Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative. The initiative will strengthen, expand, and accelerate HRSAs maternal health work to address maternal mortality and maternal health disparities in partnership with mothers, grantees, community organizations, and state and local health officials across the country.

The kick-off event at the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington, DC, convened HRSA maternal health grantees from 11 states and the District of Columbia, as well as key national organizations and experts, providers, and individuals with lived experience. Attendees shared personal perspectives on maternal health care and support, the innovative ways HRSA grantees are making an impact on maternal health, and how they are addressing maternal mental health.

At the Health Resources and Services Administration, we are focused on responding to the unacceptable disparities in maternal health outcomes in this country. This initiative will maximize the impact of our investments and build and strengthen partnerships to ensure we are making the greatest impact possible on maternal health in high need communities, said HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson. We are proud of the progress we have made to date, but we know that there is much more work to do, in collaboration with mothers, families, community organizations, state and local health officials, to make the United States the best country in the world to have a baby.

The Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative is truly a model for the kind of focus and investment that we need to end to our nations devastating maternal health crisis, Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL) said. HRSA and Administrator Johnson have been critical partners in our work to write and pass the Momnibus Act, and I am so proud to join them today to announce this important initiative to support families and save moms lives.

The initiative focuses on parts of the country where HRSA has significant investments, there are significant opportunities for new partnerships and collaborations, and there is high need: Arizona, Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, and the District of Columbia.

The HRSA Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative aims to:

• Achieve measurable progress in maximizing the impact of HRSA grants and programs to address maternal mortality and improve maternal health,
• Foster new partnerships and collaborations among HRSA grantees in high-need, high-opportunity jurisdictions to address maternal mortality and improve maternal health, and
• Strengthen HRSAs internal capacity to maximize the impact of HRSAs maternal health grants, programs, and resources.

Throughout the year, HRSA will bring together HRSA grantees from across the states of focus to foster cross-program and cross-state relationships to drive progress in maternal health and end the maternal mortality crisis.

For more information on HRSAs maternal health work, visit: www.hrsa.gov/maternal-health.