The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), marks National Rural Health Day by celebrating health care leaders who are improving maternal care in rural communities. National Rural Health Day is an opportunity to recognize the dedication of rural health providers, community organizations, and state offices of rural health in meeting the unique health care needs of rural America.
HRSA highlighted this year’s focus on maternal health by holding HRSA’s latest Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative convening today in Centreville, Alabama. This convening brought together women and families from rural communities who are served by HRSA programs, grant recipients, state and local health officials, community organizations, and health care providers from across the state to continue to work together to address maternal mortality and provide critical supports to help ensure the health and well-being of families in Alabama. The event is part of HRSA’s Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative, which focuses on building and strengthening partnerships to maximize the impact of HRSA grants and expand access to maternal care across the country.
“At the Health Resources and Services Administration, we have made the needs of rural communities a priority, especially for pregnant and new moms,” said HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson. “Through HRSA’s investments, we have trained more maternal care providers in rural areas, recruited more maternal health providers to rural communities, expanded supports for pregnant and new moms in rural areas, and improved health care services working with rural hospitals and clinics. We remain committed to supporting the health care needs of rural America.”
HRSA is the home of many programs that provide essential support for expectant and new mothers in rural communities. Key actions HRSA has taken this year to improve maternal health in rural communities include:
- Growing the maternal care workforce. HRSA has increased the number of obstetrician-gynecologists (OB/GYNs), nurses, midwives, doulas, and community health workers, through training grants, scholarships, and loan repayment. For example, HRSA launched new programs to train more nurse midwives, train and deploy more community-based doulas, and support the training of more nurse practitioners with a focus on maternal health, including in underserved and rural areas.
- Improving access to care. HRSA funds community health centers across rural America that serve patients regardless of ability to pay and may be the only outpatient maternal care provider located in the rural communities they serve.
- Strengthening rural maternal health care networks. HRSA launched the Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (Rural MOMS) Program to increase access to maternal and obstetrics care in rural communities and improve health outcomes for mothers and infants.
- Investing in the Delta Region. HRSA’s Delta Region Maternal Care Coordination Program is supporting community-based organizations to expand access to and coordinate health care services in rural communities in the South, supporting care before, during, and after pregnancy.
- Launching the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (833-TLC-MAMA) in 2022. The hotline provides 24/7 emotional and mental health support via call or text to expectant and new mothers and their families.
- Expanding evidence-based Home Visiting services. HRSA secured legislation to double the federal investment in and expand voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services for eligible families across the country. Through the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, local organizations can provide home visits from nurses, social workers, and other trained health workers who work with families to improve maternal and child health, child development, and school readiness.
- Expanding Healthy Start services. HRSA is supporting community-based organizations to improve maternal and infant health across the country through Healthy Start. Healthy Start funding supports moms and babies to improve health in communities experiencing high disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes.
To learn more about HRSA's rural health resources, visit: