HJAR Mar/Apr 2025

44 MAR / APR 2025 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS MEDICAID COLUMN MEDICAID Keith Metz Deputy Chief of Communications Office of Communications and Community Engagement Arkansas Department of Human Services health, and the subsequent recommenda- tions developed by a tremendous coalition of partners, stakeholders, and other supporters. We are proud to lead the way on key reforms that further these initiatives, and excited that this significant grant will bolster our efforts.” “This grant and our state’s ongoing com- mitment will transform how we approach maternal health,”saidArkansas Department of Health (ADH) Secretary Renee Mallory. “Arkansas is devoted to improving maternal health outcomes and ensuring every moth- er and child has the support they need. This grant is a significant step toward meeting the state’s vision and goals prioritized by the Strategic Committee for Maternal Health. To- gether, we will work to ensure healthier fu- tures for families across our state.” The grant is built on three main pillars: access to care, infrastructure, and workforce capacity; quality improvement and safety; and whole-person care delivery. Specific in- vestments planned in Arkansas with these funds include: • Analyzing data to better target maternal health services. • Educating providers and pregnant women on the benefits of leveraging doulas, community health workers, and midwives. • Investing in technology to better serve pregnant women and providers. • Building better technology infrastruc- ture to collect and share data tied to 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). Applying for the TMaH grant was among the recommendations made by the Strate- gic Committee for Maternal Health estab- lished by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ executive order last year, and the funds will support key efforts to improve the health of pregnant women, new mothers, and babies. This 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. “Healthy moms mean healthy babies,”said Governor Sanders. “Pursuing this grant was one of the first major recommendations of the Strategic Committee for Maternal Health I convened, and it will facilitate much of the rest of our work to increase the maternal care workforce, invest in technology and research to help new moms, and connect expecting moms with health care providers in all cor- ners of the state.” “We are grateful for the support from our federal partners as we work to implement changes that will improve maternal health outcomes in Arkansas,” said Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Kristi Putnam. “This grant announcement builds on the momentum that began last year with the Governor’s Executive Order on maternal maternal health measures. • Redesigning Medicaid reimbursement rates and payment structures, includ- ing a focus on incentive payments to providers whose patients have healthier outcomes. • Improving connections between health- care providers and community-based organizations like nonprofits and faith- based groups that also serve low-in- come Arkansas women. DHS will lead the project in coordination withADH and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). DHS Deputy Secre- tary for Programs and State Medicaid Direc- tor Janet Mann will manage the grant efforts. “Over the last year, we have directed sig- nificant resources to addressing gaps in care for pregnant women, new mothers, and ba- bies, and we remain committed to finding solutions that will improve and save lives,” Mann said. “This grant is an important next step, and I know that this project will be a key driver in helping Arkansas become a leader in maternal health.” Additional information on plans for the TMaH grant is available in the full grant appli- cation on the DHS website at https://human services.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/ TMaH_Application_09192024140920.pdf. The recommendations from the Strategic Committee for Maternal Health are available at https://governor.arkansas.gov/maternal- health-recommendations/. n ARKANSAS AWARDED $17M GRANT to Support Maternal Health Initiatives