Strategic Committee for Maternal Health sends report detailing recommendations to Gov. Sanders

LITTLE ROCK - The Strategic Committee for Maternal Health has delivered a report to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders outlining recommended new policies, programs, and approaches aimed at improving health outcomes for pregnant women, new moms, and babies, the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) and the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) announced today.

Gov. Sanders established the Committee and initiated a six-month timeline to consider potential reforms when she signed the Executive Order to Support Moms, Protect Babies, and Improve Maternal Health on March 6, 2024. Since then, more than 100 stakeholders representing dozens of organizations across the state have met to develop the recommendations contained in the report.

"We are incredibly grateful that so many partners came together to consider obstacles to maternal and postpartum care that exist in our state today, and to align around this set of meaningful solutions which promise to make a real and positive difference in our state," said DHS Secretary Kristi Putnam. "We will act on these changes as quickly as possible because we know they have the potential to improve the health of countless women and babies, and to save lives."

"We are proud to present these strategies and recommendations today," said Renee Mallory, Arkansas Secretary of Health. "This report is the result of many meetings and listening sessions with stakeholders across the state. While we've already begun this important work, we look forward to continuing to enact solutions to improve the health and well-being of moms and babies in Arkansas."

The Committee divided into four subgroups, each of which provided recommendations within their respective focus areas: Data, Reporting, and Technology; Education and Outreach; Clinical and Practice Improvements; and Health Care Access and Medicaid.

"Medicaid pays for more than half of the pregnancies in our state, so it's critical that we optimize the system so that care is available and encouraged every step of the way before, during, and after birth," said Janet Mann, DHS Deputy Secretary of Programs and State Medicaid Director. "These recommendations put in place significant changes that will remove barriers, improve care, and lead to better health outcomes."

Dr. William "Sam" Greenfield, ADH Medical Director for Family Health, serves on the Strategic Committee for Maternal Health, and said the recommendations are a positive step toward improving maternal health across the state.

"I am encouraged to see so many people from different sectors come together to address this issue," he said. "As Chair of the Arkansas Maternal Mortality Review Committee, I can attest that the challenges surrounding maternal health are complex. This is a significant step that addresses specific findings and needs in Arkansas. I am supportive of these recommendations and look forward to the role enactment will play in improving health outcomes for mothers in our state."

Recommendations in the report include developing a dashboard reporting key maternal health indicators; evaluating Medicaid reimbursement rates; implementing presumptive eligibility for Medicaid-eligible pregnant women; creating a pathway for Medicaid provider types and reimbursements for both Doulas and Community Health Workers; expanding the number of obstetrics and gynecology residencies in Arkansas; and developing a maternal health education and advertising campaign.

"As someone who has spent her career taking care of Arkansas women, I am inspired by the many conversations this committee started and the actions we will take as a result," said Dr. Kay Chandler, Arkansas Surgeon General. "It will take efforts from many different groups across the state to move the needle, and I believe we've put together a road map to make that happen."

The report also details a number of activities that have already been completed or are underway, including holding stakeholder meetings in five pilot counties that had high rates of women receiving no prenatal care, developing a Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) Model grant application, and reviewing several key Medicaid processes tied to maternal care.

The full report is available by clicking here.

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