We fund the RMOMS program to increase access to maternal and obstetrics care in rural communities. This improves health outcomes for mothers and infants.
Why Did We Create the RMOMS Program?
Rural mothers have more trouble getting care:
- More than half of all rural U.S. counties lack hospital obstetric services.1
- Closures are more common in small hospitals and communities with a limited obstetric workforce.2
- Maternal mortality and morbidity are rising.3, 4
- Large racial and ethnic disparities in pregnancy-related mortality continue. African American and American Indian/Alaskan Native patients have a higher risk than white patients.5
These challenges highlight the need for innovative, flexible models of care.
RMOMS also aligns with important government-wide initiatives, including the HHS Rural Action Plan (PDF - 635 KB).
What Does the RMOMS Program Do?
RMOMS awardees test programs to address unmet needs for their target population. These populations may have suffered from poorer health outcomes, health disparities, and other inequities.
RMOMS improves maternal care in rural communities by:
- Collecting data on rural hospital obstetric services;
- Building networks to coordinate continuum of care;
- Leveraging telehealth and specialty care; and
- Improving financial sustainability.
If the programs are successful, they can serve as a model for other rural networks.
How Long Does the RMOMS Program Last?
RMOMS is a four-year program. The first year is dedicated to planning followed by three years of putting it into action. We evaluate our program and the results tell us what helps maternal care and what does not. HRSA's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) and Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) funded the initial pilot in September 2019.
Fiscal Year 2019 (FY 19) Cohort: September 2019 to August 2023
Fiscal Year 2021 (FY 21) Cohort: September 2021 to August 2025
What Awardees and Networks Are in the RMOMS Program?
FY 19 Cohort Award Recipients and Networks
FY 21 Cohort Award Recipients and Networks
Learn More About RMOMS
Program Summary for the FY 19 Cohort (October 2021) (PDF)
RMOMS Awardee Directory - FY 2019 Cohort (PDF - 1 MB)
Learn More About Maternal Health
HRSA Maternal/Women’s Health
Maternal Mortality Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Maternal Health Learning & Innovation Center
Maternal Health Rural Health Research Gateway
Contact Us
Victoria (Vicky) Tsai
RMOMS Program Coordinator
Email: RMOMS@hrsa.gov
Phone: 301-443-8930
1Hung, et. al. Access To Obstetric Services In Rural Counties Still Declining, With 9 Percent Losing Services, 2004–14, Health Affairs, September 2017.
2 Hung, et. al. Why Are Obstetric Units in Rural Hospitals Closing Their Doors?, Health Services Research, 25 January 2016.
3Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4 February 2020.
4Severe Maternal Morbidity in the United States, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 31 January 2020.
5 Infographic: Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Pregnancy-Related Deaths — United States 2007-2016, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4 February 2020.