The Rural Health Transformation Program: Options to Address the Maternity Care Crisis
@GrowMidwives honored to be quoted in HMAs Weekly Roundup: Trends in Health Policy
If YOUR state is trying to determine how to write the RFP for the Rural Health Transformation Program grant funding ($50 billion for rural communities) improving maternal healthcare access using a Midwifery Model of Care is part of the solution.
“Midwives are trained healthcare professionals who specialize in supporting women through typical, low-risk pregnancies. They provide care during pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period. There are several types of midwives, each with different training and credentials. States determine which types of midwives may practice and under what conditions. Expanding the midwifery workforce can be part of a broader strategy to improve access, particularly in rural areas where hospitals and obstetric providers are scarce. In some places, midwives already serve as a critical access point for maternal care in rural communities, with midwives attending to 30 percent of deliveries in rural hospitals. According to Ginger Breedlove, PhD, CNM, founder of Grow Midwives, one of the nation’s leading midwifery organizations, midwifery aligns with all strategic goals of the RHT program. States may consider midwifery as one of many options to help build sustainable, community-centered maternity care systems that reflect the RHT Program’s vision for rural health transformation.”