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. 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)

Visit the Site

The Power of PQCs

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

Watch the Video

PQCs in the News

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

Visit the Site

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.

Visit the Site

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.

Watch the Video

Related Content

Resources produced by the Maternal Health Action & Resource Center (MHARC) project or on related topics

Meet Our Team

Stacey C. Penny, DrPH, MPH, MSW

Executive Project Director

Isabel Zuckoff, MPH

Project Director

Dana West, PhD, MHS

Project Director of Equity

Kelly Edwards, MPH

Senior Project Manager

Elena Dillner, MSW, MPH

Senior Project Manager

Beverly Reyes

Project Manager

Aleena Surenian, MPH

Project Manager

Laura Sabino

Project Coordinator

Hannah Verdun

Project Coordinator

Jey Weisgerber

Director of Communications and Digital Strategy

Domonique Davis

Senior Manager, Communications and Digital Strategy

Nathaniel Pickett, PhD

Web & Product Manager

Rebecca Huber, MPP

Senior Analyst