Maternal Health

Education, maternal health, mental health will spark debate among Arkansas lawmakers in 2025

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Arkansas Republican lawmakers will continue championing Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ policy priorities during the 2025 legislative session, while Democrats hope to secure enough support to pass a wide-ranging agenda despite the ongoing GOP supermajority in both chambers, according to legislative leaders.

The Senate will be “largely a photocopy of itself” in January compared to the 2023 session, said Minority Leader Greg Leding, D-Fayetteville. Republicans will hold 29 Senate seats while Democrats will have six for the second consecutive session; Democrats gained one House seat in November and will have 19 to Republicans’ 81.

House Democrats presented their four-pronged policy agenda in November, focusing on maternal health care, mental health care, public education and access to voting and direct democracy. House Minority Leader Andrew Collins, D-Little Rock, has since filed 36 bills and three resolutions addressing aspects of all four priorities. Rep. Denise Ennett, D-Little Rock, is the only other Democrat to have filed legislation.

Education, maternal health, mental health will spark debate among Arkansas lawmakers in 2025

John Sykes/Arkansas Avocate

FILE PHOTO OF STATE CAPITOL John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate 02/15/2023

Arkansas awarded $17 million grant to support maternal health initiatives

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Arkansas has been awarded a $17 million grant, the Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) Model, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Department of Human Services announced Monday (Jan. 6).

Applying for the TMaH grant was among the recommendations made by the Strategic Committee for Maternal Health established by Gov. Sarah Sanders’ executive order last year. The funds will support efforts to improve the health of pregnant women, new mothers, and babies, the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) said.

The grant will provide the funding over 10 years to several state Medicaid agencies, including Arkansas, with a goal of reducing disparities in access and treatment.

Arkansas awarded $17 million grant to support maternal health initiatives

Weekly update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

Maternal health will likely be a key focus of the 2025 Regular Session of the Arkansas General Assembly as lawmakers work to address an ongoing challenge in our state. 

Addressing maternal health will not only save lives but will also strengthen Arkansas families and communities. Currently, Arkansas faces one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the nation. More than 60% of Arkansas counties have limited maternity care, and many counties have none at all. Limited access to quality health care before, during, and after pregnancy creates serious risks for families. 

In March 2024, Governor Sanders signed an Executive Order to Support Moms, Protect Babies, and Improve Maternal Health. The order established the Arkansas Strategic Committee for Maternal Health, which brought together over 100 stakeholders representing organizations from across the state. 

The committee's comprehensive report offers several recommendations to address the maternal health crisis, including:

  • Creating Medicaid pathways for doulas and community health workers as provider types with reimbursable services.

  • Expanding prenatal care services at local health units where care is currently limited or unavailable.

  • Establishing a Family Medicine Obstetrics Fellowship and exploring the creation of obstetrics and gynecology residencies and a school of midwifery in Arkansas.

  • Considering the establishment of maternal health homes and expanding the Life360 Maternity Care Homes program.

The proposals represent solutions to combat the maternal health disparities affecting our communities and ensure that every Arkansan has access to the support and care they need during one of life’s most critical moments. The Governor’s budget proposal also includes $13 million in new Medicaid funding for recommendations made by the committee. 

The General Assembly will convene on January 13, 2025. All meetings of the House of Representatives will be streamed live and available for replay at arkansashouse.org.

Governor Sanders Receives Report from Strategic Committee for Maternal Health

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders today received the Strategic Committee on Maternal Health’s report outlining recommended policies and programs to improve maternal health outcomes in Arkansas.
 
The Governor established the Committee through executive order on March 6, 2024, and initiated a six-month timeline for stakeholders to meet and discuss potential reforms. In that time, more than 100 stakeholders representing dozens of organizations have met more than 20 times to craft and discuss the recommendations included in this report.
 
“As the first mom to lead Arkansas, maternal health is personal. I’m not interested in headline-grabbing policies or duplicative government programs that don’t actually change maternal health outcomes. Instead, this Committee pursued a comprehensive, coordinated approach that will help healthier moms have healthier babies,” said Governor Sanders. “I’m grateful to all the stakeholders who participated in this discussion and I look forward to continuing our work to turn these ideas into action.”
 
“Collaboration is key to improving the health and wellness of Natural State mothers and infants. That’s why we’ve brought together experts and advocates through roundtables and partnerships to champion solutions to Arkansas’s maternal health crisis. I am grateful for Governor Sanders’ leadership to build on this momentum and take action to better serve the prenatal and postpartum needs in our state,” said Senator John Boozman.
 
“We are incredibly grateful that so many partners came together to consider obstacles to maternal and postpartum care that exist, and to align around this set of meaningful solutions which promise to make a real and positive difference in our state,” said Department of Human Services 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.” 
 
“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.”
 
“Medicaid pays for more than half of the pregnancies in our state, so it’s critical that we implement reforms so that care is available and encouraged every step of the way before, during, and after birth,” said Janet Mann, Department of Human Services Deputy Secretary of Programs and State Medicaid Director. “These recommendations and changes will remove barriers, improve care, and deliver better health outcomes.”
 
“I am encouraged to see so many people from different sectors come together to address this issue. As Chair of the Arkansas Maternal Mortality Review Committee, I can attest that the challenges surrounding maternal health are complex,” said Dr. Sam Greenfield, ADH Medical Director for Family Health. “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.”
 
The report is linked here.

It’s time to prioritize maternal health in Arkansas

by Ashley Bearden Campbell (Ashley@impactmanagement.com)

Mothers have a fundamental role in the fabric of our families and society. Each May allows us the opportunity to express our profound gratitude for their love and sacrifice, and to acknowledge the importance of maternal health – a value deeply rooted in Arkansas’ commitment to family and life.

May is also Maternal Mental Health Month. As a mom and maternal health advocate who has openly shared my own battle with postpartum depression, anxiety, and PTSD, I have a profound understanding of the importance of sharing our experiences to spark change in the way we approach maternal mental health before, during, and after pregnancy.

After delivering my daughter via an emergency cesarean at just 28 weeks and 5 days gestation, I was not only unprepared for the physical challenges I had to overcome due to complications from pre-eclampsia and a high-risk birth, but I was also unaware that NICU moms are more pre-dispositioned to experiencing mental health issues.

It’s time to prioritize maternal health in Arkansas

Image by Klara Kulikova