Our State MHI program funds public health organizations, universities, community-based organizations and other groups to improve maternal health by:
- Establishing maternal health task forces in their state
- Increasing access to care that is comprehensive, high-quality, appropriate, and on-going before, during, and after pregnancy
- Improving the collection and use of their state-level data about maternal mortality (meaning deaths) and severe maternal morbidity (SMM). SMM is the unintended outcomes of labor and delivery that result in significant short- or long-term health consequences.
- Launching new interventions (for example, standardizing "urgent maternal warning signs" into workforce practices in labor and delivery rooms/units)
The Maternal Health Training and Resource Center serves as a national resource center to help all the State MHI and other HRSA maternal health grantees optimize their efforts.
Awards
In fiscal year 2024 (FY24), we awarded:
- $2.9 million to the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality (NICHQ) to serve as the national maternal health resource center. This annual award continues for five years until 2029.
- Over $18 million to 15 organizations. These annual awards, which vary in amount, continue for five years until 2029.
Access the FY24 awards chart along with previous awards and a map showing participating states.
Our reach
This program reaches 42 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
The program aims to serve populations that are more likely to be impacted by maternal mortality and SMM.
How the State MHI works
While all states participate in core activities (such as leading maternal health task forces, data improvement, and carrying out new interventions), each state tailors its work to its own priorities and needs of the population.
The resource center supports these efforts across the nation. It provides leadership, develops resources and policy documents, and facilitates peer learning opportunities.
Maternal health care
The program strengthens a state's health care system by:
- Providing direct health care in places most in need (for example, helping emergency departments be prepared to respond to the care of pregnant people in areas that lack specialists).
- Training the health workforce (for example, mobile units go out to provide hands on training in places of high need like rural areas)
- Increasing community engagement (for example, conducting focus groups with people who have recently given birth and can share their lived experience and ideas for improvements)
- Testing new models of care (for example, standing up a clinical model where moms and their babies receive checkups at the same time)
Maternal health task forces
The statewide task forces:
- Drive collaboration and provide resources to public health professionals, providers, payers, and consumers
- Use their state’s most recent Title V MCH Block Grant Program’s needs assessment to conduct a baseline assessment of state maternal care and coverage
- Identify gaps from Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) reports and publications
- Assist state MHI program staff to develop and implement a state-focused maternal health strategic plan
- Help State MHI program staff carry out recommendations by the MMRC and new interventions that address critical gaps in service delivery
Data improvement
Through this investment, some of the ways we work to improve data include:
- Linking data sets more effectively and enhancing surveillance activities for SMM
- Improving timeliness, access, and how data are used to inform program development and policy recommendations
- Examining additional data about other factors that can contribute to disparities (for example, economic stability and housing, education, social and community context)
- Developing maternal health data dashboard to support the public in making informed decisions
More information
Maternal health
The State MHI program is one of many complementary investments we make to improve maternal health across the nation. Read about our approach and investments on our Maternal Health webpage.
Funding
This program is funded through cooperative agreements.
- Read the State Maternal Health Innovation (MHI) Program closed notice of funding (HRSA-19-107) for more information on this initial funding. Nine entities received about $2 million each year.
- Read the State Maternal Health Innovation & Data Capacity closed notice of funding (HRSA-22-149) for more information on this round of funding. Nine entities received $1 million each year.
- Note that HRSA-22-149 funding modified the earlier program by specifying that a portion of funding must be dedicated to improve the collection, reporting, and analysis of data collected through the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM) investment
- Read the State Maternal Health Innovation closed notice of funding (HRSA-24-047) for the latest round of funding.
News & events
- Read the October 2024 press release that features this funding.
- Stay up-to-date with MCHB: sign up for newsletters.
Jobs
Find open positions with HRSA.
Contact us
Need more information, or have a specific question? Get in touch with wellwomancare@hrsa.gov.