About the Program 

In recognition of California’s progress, investment, and innovative proposal to improve maternal health outcomes, the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) granted California a five-year, $10 million State Maternal Health Innovation (MHI) award. The award will go to the state’s Perinatal Quality Collaborative, the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC), housed at Stanford Medicine.

The HRSA State MHI Program aims to reduce severe maternal morbidity and mortality through broad-based, multidisciplinary collaboration, in order to improve maternal health and reduce maternal health disparities. SMM is the unintended outcomes of labor and delivery that result in significant short- or long-term health consequences. The program will be centered on innovative programming that builds patient trust, increases access to and coordination of maternal health resources and services, and improves the quality of maternity care.     

 

California Maternal Health Task Force Launch Event

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the California Maternal Health Task Force (MHTF) Launch Event has been postponed. The Task Force will share updates as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding and continued interest in improving maternal health in California!

 

Maternal Health Task Force Subcommittees - Recruitment Information Coming Soon

 

What to Expect

Program partners plan to:

  • Translate data into action, using findings from California Maternal Mortality Review Committee reports, State maternal health needs assessments, surveys, and other sources.
  • Develop and implement an evidence-based strategic plan, based on a comprehensive analysis of maternal health needs, to ensure that pregnant and postpartum women assessed for poor outcomes benefit from medical and public health programs.
  • Learn from community members about successful existing programs and systems, then integrate and promote those best practices as part of implementing new, innovative maternal health strategies. 

 

California Maternal Health Task Force Steering Committee and Task Force

The California Department of Public Health—Division of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, the California Department of Health Care Services, the Office of the California Surgeon General and CMQCC worked in close collaboration to convene a California Maternal Health Task Force (MHTF) Steering Committee. Volunteers representing public health and healthcare sectors, as well as governmental, non-profit and academic partner organizations, were recruited and selected through an application and interview process. The final seated committee members include multidisciplinary leaders representing communities and geographies across California, with lived experience in maternal health or experience working to serve patients with lived experience.

The MHTF Steering Committee will strategize approaches for ensuring that all pregnant and postpartum women who are assessed for poor outcomes can access and benefit from medical and public health services, with the goals of reducing severe maternal morbidity and mortality. The Committee will also be responsible for recruiting, establishing and directing a MHTF for California, the first cornerstone of this program. 

 

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This page was updated on March 24, 2025.