State Maternal Health Innovation Program

The State MHI Program assists states in collaborating with maternal health experts, and optimizing resources to implement state-specific actions that address disparities in maternal health and improve maternal health outcomes. This includes the prevention and reduction of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity (SMM).

Specifically, award recipients will:

1. Establish a state-focused Maternal Health Task Force to create and implement a strategic plan that incorporates activities outlined in the state’s most recent State Title V Needs Assessment;
2. Improve the collection, analysis, and application of state-level data on maternal mortality and SMM; and
3. Promote and execute innovation in maternal health service delivery, such as improving access to maternal care services, identifying and addressing workforce needs, and/or supporting postpartum and interconception care services, among others.

The State MHI program seeks to fund nine state-focused demonstration projects tasked with translating recommendations on addressing maternal mortality and SMM from ideas to action.

Each funded project will operate through the establishment of a Maternal Health Task Force, to drive collaboration from both traditional and non-traditional partners, to include tribes/tribal organizations, if applicable, working to eliminate preventable maternal deaths.

The Maternal Health Task Forces will be comprised of multidisciplinary stakeholders to engage all necessary parties in shifting the paradigm of adverse maternal health outcomes.