TENNESSEE, USA — The Tennessee Department of Health said it has received a $5 million competitive federal grant to fund community and clinical programs that improve the state’s maternal health outcomes.
“The vast majority of maternal deaths in Tennessee are preventable,” said TDH Commissioner Dr. Morgan McDonald, MD FACP FAAP. “This grant award will make a significant impact in preventing deaths among women of childbearing age, and in eliminating disparities and inequities in maternal health care services, education, and training.”
According to a press release, the TDH Division of Family Health and Wellness received the Maternal Health Innovation grant from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services to fund several initiatives in the next five years:
- Expand membership in the state maternal health task force which will create a maternal health strategic plan for Tennessee
- Strengthen capacities for data collection and analysis to implement maternal health clinical quality improvement projects
- Create materials to educate patients about the early warning signs of pregnancy emergencies
- Collaborate with local community agencies on projects to address maternal health needs
- Share and support the lived experiences of women who survived pregnancy complications, and the experiences of relatives for women who didn’t, through public outreach efforts
- Build a comprehensive maternal health website
Based on maternal health data from 2017-2020, TDH’s Maternal Mortality Review Program said it found that almost nine in 10 pregnancy-related deaths were preventable, and 24% had a good chance of being prevented.
The Tennessee Initiative for Perinatal Quality Care is a collaborative stakeholder organization that looks to improve health outcomes for mothers and infants in the state through provider and community-based initiatives, officials said.
For more information on programs and services improving the health of Tennessee’s women and children, visit TDH’s Maternal and Child Health webpage.
