Maternal Health Action & Resource Center (MHARC)

The newly established Maternal Health Action & Resource Center (MHARC) will provide capacity building assistance (CBA), training, and technical assistance (TTA) to State MHI and other HRSA MCHB award recipients. This center will broadly share and disseminate information about evidence-based strategies and guidance with the purpose of enhancing and strengthening recipients’ ability to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce the significant disparities faced by certain populations.

Status: Active

September 2024 to September 2029

Providing capacity building assistance, training, and technical assistance to State Maternal Health Innovation Grantees

2017-19 data from Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs) show that more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable, and more than half happen up to one year after delivery. MMRC data report that the top five causes of pregnancy-related deaths are mental health (including substance use disorders and deaths by suicide), hemorrhage, cardiac conditions, infection, and thrombotic embolism. These statistics, in combination with the fact that the U.S. spends 2.4 times more per person on average on healthcare compared to other OECD countries, demonstrate the urgent need for innovative and coordinated solutions to overcome the ongoing maternal health crisis.

Who

NICHQ, Maternal Health Innovation awardees, the MHARC Collaborative, comprised of the Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP), the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), HealthConnect One, and national clinical and birth equity experts to ensure responsive, equitable, and community-focused support for all grantees.

Our Role

As the coordinating center, NICHQ will support state-level Maternal Health Innovation awardees to implement effective strategies and innovations that positively impact Maternal and Child Health (MCH) populations, especially those experiencing the greatest disparities. The MHARC will strengthen state- and community-based comprehensive systems of care for maternal health via responsive technical assistance and capacity-building.

Funder

The Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Department of Health and Human Services provided financial support for this project. The award provided 100% of total costs and totaled $14.9M. The contents are those of the author. They may not reflect the policies of the Department of Health and Human Services or the U.S. government.

Project Impact

reduction in severe maternal morbidity from hemorrhage among Black women

(Louisiana PQC, 2018-2020)

people involved in something

exciting things in progress

External Resources

State Perinatal Quality Collaboratives

List of PQCs funded by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

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The Power of PQCs

Video showing the impact that PQCs have on the communities they serve. Produced by the NNPQC.

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PQCs in the News

Articles in news outlets covering state PQCs, their activities, and the people that work in the collaboratives.

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Patient Safety Bundles

From the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health. PSBs are collections of evidence-informed best practices that address clinically specific conditions in pregnant and postpartum people. The NNPQC helps provide TA and support to PQCs in adopting the core AIM Perinatal Mental Health Bundle.

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Perinatal Quality Collaboratives

The CDC’s landing page for PQCs, including helpful infographics, videos, and links to help explain what PQCs are, how they work, and stories, learnings, and publications that have come out of the state PQCs.

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