HHS provides $350 million in funding for maternal and child health

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced nearly $350 million in awards to every state across the nation to support safe pregnancies and healthy babies.

The funding will support:

• Expanding home visiting services to families;
• Increasing access to doulas;
• Addressing health disparities in infant deaths; and
• Improving data reporting on maternal mortality.

America’s maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the developed world, and they are especially high among Black women and Native American women, regardless of their income or education levels, HHS noted in its announcement. The funding is part of an effort to address the maternal health crisis, close maternal and infant health disparities, and address the systemic racism and other factors that have allowed these inequities to exist.

“We know that many mothers and their children don’t receive the care they need to stay healthy throughout their lives,” said Acting HRSA Administrator Diana Espinosa, in the statement. “These programs allow us to better tackle the root causes of these challenges and improve access to care for pregnant women, parents, and infants.”

Learn more about the funding here.