Xavier Becerra, Secretary and Deputy Secretary & Andrea Palm, Deputy Secretary | https://www.hhs.gov/about/leadership/xavier-becerra.html https://www.hhs.gov/about/leadership/andrea-palm.html
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced a combined investment of $15 million over four years to address maternal health needs in rural communities. This initiative includes nearly $8 million in Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (Rural MOMS) awards and approximately $7 million for a new program targeting the Delta region.
HRSA Deputy Administrator Jordan Grossman highlighted these investments during the third state convening of HRSA’s Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative in Flagstaff, AZ. “Addressing the unacceptable rate of maternal mortality and morbidity in the United States is one of the Biden-Harris Administration’s top priorities,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “These investments in expanding access to maternal care in high-need rural communities are essential to helping mothers and their babies thrive.”
Grossman emphasized the unique challenges faced by pregnant women and new mothers in rural areas, such as long travel distances to healthcare providers. “This is why we are committed to investing in innovative strategies to build and sustain maternity care in rural communities across the country,” he stated.
The Rural MOMS Program awardees will receive start-up funding of almost $4 million each over four years to test new approaches for enhancing access to maternal care, including obstetric services, through a network model that coordinates care across various healthcare facilities.
Additionally, HRSA’s new Delta Region Maternal Care Coordination Program aims to expand access and coordination of healthcare services before, during, and after pregnancy within Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. The program seeks to address high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality by awarding up to four cooperative agreements totaling approximately $7 million over four years.
HRSA’s Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative focuses on accelerating efforts to address maternal mortality and health disparities through partnerships with women, grantees, community organizations, and state and local health officials nationwide.
Today’s awards include:
- Mariposa Community Health Center: Nogales, Arizona - $4,000,000
- University of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute Inc.: Kansas City, Kansas - $3,836,138
These funds build on HRSA's ongoing investments aimed at improving maternal health in rural and underserved communities. Recent initiatives include:
- $105 million through Healthy Start awards for improving maternal and infant health.
- $65 million allocated last year for addressing the maternal health crisis.
- $8 million supporting nurse midwifery programs at 10 universities via the MatCare program.
For more information about these programs visit: https://www.hrsa.gov/rural-health/grants/rural-community/rmoms or www.hrsa.gov/maternal-health.
