Maternal Health Innovation Program

Are you a pregnant or postpartum woman who had barriers during your pregnancy? If you were pregnant in the last three years and want to improve care for pregnant women in Wisconsin, join the Maternal Health Lived Experience subcommittee.

If you work with pregnant and post-partum women who want to improve care, please let them know about this opportunity.

The Maternal Health Task Force is looking for individuals (including partners and non-birthing parents) with maternal health lived experience to join our subcommittee.

About the Task Force

The Maternal Health Lived Experience subcommittee is a group that fosters a safe environment while addressing maternal health needs across the state and brainstorming opportunities to improve access to care. The committee’s role includes:

• Providing feedback and recommendations on the State’s Maternal Health Task Force Strategic Plan (PDF).
• Giving guidance on maternal health initiatives.
• Participating in opportunities for storytelling and advocacy around maternal health needs in your community and across the state.
• Meeting via Zoom for 90 minutes each quarter.

Learn more

If you were unable to attend an informational session but interested in learning more, please email the MHI Coordinator, Melissa Brockie at Melissa.Brockie@dhs.wisconsin.gov.

The program is excited to share new data dashboards. Data on maternal health outcomes and experiences are important for understanding, monitoring, and improving the health of Wisconsin mothers and families.

Much of these data haven’t been released previously, including quotes from mothers and recommendations about each topic. Data within the dashboards will be updated annually, and the program anticipates publishing dashboards on additional maternal health topics in the future.

• Watch a presentation of data, sources, and also a live walk-through of the dashboards. Slides of the presentation (PDF) are also available.
• There is also a recorded video tutorial for the data dashboards.

The program now publishes quarterly newsletters to inform the public about program news, updates, upcoming trainings, and related funding opportunities. Subscribe to stay informed.

• March newsletter
• June newsletter

The plan was shaped by the voices and experiences of Wisconsin families, community-based organizations, public health professionals, tribal and local health departments, clinicians, and researchers.

Through listening sessions, collaborative planning, and analysis of lived experiences and statewide data, the MHI program and Maternal Health Task Force crafted a framework that honors what communities shared, what data revealed, and what is needed to drive meaningful change.

The plan outlines the importance of community centered care and support, data driven decision making, and transparency and sustainability through funding and resource allocation. We encourage organizations to use the plan's six key questions to start a conversation in your community!

Review and share the full plan (PDF) or our summary of key takeaways (PDF).

Emplify Health

Say hello to healthcare with even more heart. Our commitment is focused on amplifying empathy in healthcare.

Grant priorities:

• Develop a return on investment model for Community Health Worker (CHW) working with a health system’s high risk obstetric (OB) population.
• Develop a Pregnancy-to-Preschool playbook identifying best practices for CHW’s and doulas.

Project takeaways:

• Identifying the patients that have the most complex and pressing needs, combined with the willingness to receive support, should be prioritized to maintain a reasonable caseload for the CHW.
• For cases in which transportation and referrals to services are the primary components, social work and community organizations can likely be as effective as the CHW.
• Emplify Health is working with HMO Quartz to identify the ways billing could cover a portion or all of the perinatal CHW’s time. The evaluation of the cost is ongoing

Learn more about Emplify Health.

Ostara Initiative

The Wisconsin Prison Birth Project creates models of compassionate care for pregnant and postpartum families because dignified birthing experiences nurture healthy outcomes and break cycles of trauma and incarceration.

Project takeaways:

• One of the key takeaways was the successful births we have had. All of our births have been successful gestational age, birth weight, and vaginal births. We have had all but one of our mothers pumping.
• Despite this success with births, we still have work to do to reach all of the postpartum mothers in the facility. There have been systemic barriers to group frequency and attendance, despite the success the mothers are experiencing in our group.

Learn more about the Ostara Initiative and the Prison Birth Project.

City of Milwaukee Health Department

The City of Milwaukee partners with Dad Doula University to offer resources, and guidance for the non-birthing parent as they plan to support the birthing person during the pregnancy, labor, and delivery and thereafter. This partnership also includes professional development to the City of Milwaukee home visitors on increasing engagement with the father and non-birthing partner.

Project takeaways:

• Fatherhood collaboration is a mindset not just the work
• Building strong relationships is essential to effectively engaging fathers. While access to resources and support networks is important, fathers also place significant value on strengthening their relationships with their co-parent, child, and other family members.

Learn more about the City of Milwaukee Health Department's services and programs.

African American Breastfeeding Network

Increasing access to community-based doulas in Milwaukee and Kenosha by partnering with the Kenosha County Public Health Department (KCPHD).

Learn more about the African American Breastfeeding Network.

We All Rise: African American Resource Center

Black Maternal Health Technician (BMHT) will be trained on Welcome Baby implementation and connect with black pregnant and parenting women using the Welcome Baby program.

Project takeaways:

• Small interventions create bigger change; simple supports like consistent check-ins, providing transportation, or meeting Black birthing and parenting people both prenatally and postnatally in the hospital have created a sense of safety, belonging, and trust. Families expressed that seeing someone who looks like them, understands their experiences, and is willing to support them helps break down barriers and encourages them to stay engaged in care. These small, intentional actions add up to long-term improvements in maternal and infant health.
• Education and connection reduce barriers through this project. We saw how providing education, peer connection, and practical resources (like breastfeeding support, childcare guidance, or access to essentials) not only builds confidence but also reduces disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes. Families often shared frustration with being sent from one place to another without ever getting the help they needed. By walking alongside clients and connecting them directly to resources that truly meet their needs, we help them avoid repeated dead ends and instead access meaningful, timely support.

Learn more about We All Rise.

Oneida Comprehensive Health Division

Indigenous Birth Work in the Oneida Community. Their primary objective is to enhance generational health through both existing and innovative maternal health programs and services tailored for Native American women within the Oneida community.

By promoting maternal well-being throughout pregnancy and beyond, and by utilizing doulas as supportive resources, we aspire to create enduring benefits that positively influence families for generations.

Project takeaways:

• The Indigenous Birth Workers have enhanced client care by focusing on essential aspects of perinatal support, such as connection, especially for Native American families at higher risk of poor outcomes.
• Based on client surveys we have found that the influence of doulas on generational healing has been profoundly impactful, marking the beginning of a resurgence in the generational roots among women that have been diminished through various forms of generational trauma over the years. Every mother deserves the support of a doula, as they offer informed, educated, emotional, and respectful assistance. One Father stated, “they were able to help her successfully give birth to our 8-pound baby.” This has not only transformed mothers’ experiences but has also encouraged and strengthened fathers' roles during the perinatal period, highlighting the significance of supporting people.
• The indigenous doulas offered one-on-one education to empower the mothers, allowing them to feel more confident in their care and advocacy. This approach has helped bridge the gaps that can lead to important issues being overlooked or not taken seriously.

Learn more about the Oneida Comprehensive Health Division and their community health services.

Wiiji-Nitaawiginaawasojig Indigenous Birth Services

Free doula and midwifery services for tribal members during childbearing years. Provide culturally appropriate classes to support the increase of family-level competence of culturally responsive parenting practices and identity.

Learn more about Wiiji-Nitaawiginaawasojig Indigenous Birth Services.

Great Rivers United Way

The project intention was to expand the Community Health Worker Workforce in Great Rivers HUB rural counties with the long-term goal to improve birth outcomes and participant health for Medicaid and uninsured pregnant populations enrolled.

Project takeaways:

• Community Health Workers (CHWs) play an important role in addressing needs for pregnant and postpartum individuals, especially within rural counties.
• Ensuring CHWs have adequate education on the specific needs of pregnant and postpartum individuals is important for ensuring the best level of care from a trusted individual.

Learn more about the Great Rivers United Way.

Anesis Therapy

Helping individuals navigate the mental health and wellness aspects of their lives in a way that honors culture, family, community, and faith.

Grant priorities:

• In collaboration with the Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness, we offered a support group for Black mothers to process their emotions, receive peer and therapist support, and build self-compassion and healthy relationships.
• Provided community providers an opportunity to learn more about the effects of mental health on maternal well-being, fostering greater awareness and collaboration.

Project takeaways:

• Working with prenatal and postpartum clients has been truly inspiring. Many shared a heartfelt desire for genuine connection, a space where they didn’t have to navigate their grief or healing journey alone.
• Through this experience, we discovered the beauty of slowing down, being intentional, and aligning our resources with purpose. Scaling thoughtfully allowed us to create more meaningful, sustainable spaces for mothers to feel seen, supported, and empowered.

Learn more about Anesis Therapy.

Medical College of Wisconsin’s MOTHER’s Clinic

The MOTHERS (Maternal Opioid Treatment, Holistic Education, Resources, and Support) Clinic offers comprehensive, multidisciplinary treatment for pregnant and postpartum women impacted by substance use. The program is a joint effort between obstetrics, psychiatry, addiction medicine, nursing, and social work with consultation and support from obstetrician (OB) anesthesiology and pediatrics.

Project takeaways:

• Pregnant and postpartum patients impacted by substance use are more often than not struggling with profound psychosocial barriers to perinatal treatment and addiction treatment
• Direct clinical care of pregnant and postpartum patients impacted by substance use, while important, is only possible with robust social support through social services and/or case management, perinatal coordination, and strong relationships with community partners who can offer additional resources such as residential treatment, peer support, and more.

Learn more the MOTHER’s Clinic.

Meta House

Meta House works to reduce maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity by increasing access to its residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and supportive services for pregnant and postpartum women from the Southern Region and their families.

• Increasing access to care for Pregnant and Postpartum Women (PPW) is only part of the challenge. Targeted outreach to health and human service and/or behavioral health departments, local healthcare providers, and community partners in Southern Region counties increased education and awareness of the specialized services available for PPW at Meta House. Meta House observed some staff transitions within these agencies, which underscores the need for ongoing outreach and cultivation of these relationships to ensure knowledge of available resources is maintained. Meta House has observed in recent years a decline in the number of pregnant women seeking treatment. Continued efforts are needed to build trust with prospective clients and to address the stigma that often discourages pregnant women from seeking and/or enrolling in treatment services.
• Integration of peer support and evidence-based practices peer support specialists are critical in building trust, reducing stigma, and guiding clients through treatment and early stages of recovery, improving retention and engagement. Continuous quality improvement, including updated policies on safe sleep and tetrahydro-cannabinol, enhanced data collection, and implementation of a new electronic health record system (Epic Connect) with county-level tracking, will support more effective program delivery and better maternal and infant health outcomes.

Learn more about Meta House.

Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness

We energize, mobilize and support Black Women to transform their health and their lives through education, advocacy, support, and powerful partnerships.

Grant priorities:

• Recruit, train, and certify new doulas and offer a refresher training for previously trained doulas. Doula training includes: Apricot 360 and handbook orientation, childbirth education, birth doula training, postpartum training and trauma informed care, and lactation and maternal mental health toolkit.

Project takeaways:

• Equity-driven training works. The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness successfully implemented a culturally responsive doula training program that not only prepared 20 new doulas for certification but also demonstrated how intentional supports; such as childcare, stipends, and travel reimbursement, remove barriers and expand access for women of color entering the maternal health workforce.

Learn more about The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness and its maternal and child health initiatives.

Ashland Birth Center

Throughout the project, our indigenous midwife team was able to have a paid apprenticeship, which is not standard. This allowed our student midwife team to fully commit to the hours needed to gain their clinical and birth experience that will be applied to their goal of becoming licensed professional midwives in the state of Wisconsin.

Project takeaways:

• The indigenous midwife team gained incredible knowledge from this experience and served many individuals, both within their Native communities and to a broad spectrum of communities.
• Their clientele grew to expect and love the care they received from the students which affirmed the student's pathway towards midwifery.
• The program's Indigenous student midwives excelled on their educational path and have cared for over 100 families during this grant cycle.

Learn more about the Ashland Birth Center and its Indigenous Student Midwife program.

Covering WI

Covering Wisconsin is a program of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension. We help connect Wisconsin residents with health insurance and other programs that support health.

Grant priorities:

• Enhance professional awareness about the Medicaid coverage option for pregnant and post-partum individuals among community agencies serving those likely eligible.
• Augment outreach and awareness-raising among agencies serving this community.
• Facilitate more enrollment assistance from Covering Wisconsin Navigators.

Project takeaways:

• Parents-to-be, hospital financial counselors, and social workers could benefit from more communication from DHS about the 60-day post birth extended health benefit coverage.
• Many moms didn't know postpartum care was available to them. More awareness could reduce untreated postpartum depression.
• Moms could be screened to see if other household members are Medicaid-eligible, especially children not born in the US and who have a social security number.

Learn more about Covering Wisconsin and their maternal health efforts.

City on a Hill

City on a Hill transforms cities and families by restoring hope, enhancing the quality of life, and advancing justice for all generations.

Grant priorities:

• Expand Medicaid enrollment and re-enrollment services to 100 Medicaid eligible pregnant and postpartum women.
• Improve Medicaid enrollment education and awareness through maternal health workshops and multilingual resources

Project takeaways:

• The positive impact was building partnerships with other organizations. City on a Hill partnered with Care Net Milwaukee for Medicaid referrals. This collaboration allowed our teams to interact daily, develop new processes, and problem-solve together. Because of this grant, we have also identified additional ways to partner and better meet community needs.
• Young moms benefit from having a designated contact person for Medicaid enrollment. Without this support, many moms may face prolonged wait times on the phone, leading to frustration and can lead to giving up on the process altogether.

HealthWatch Wisconsin

Create education and informational campaigns and resources for distribution to parents of their rights and responsibilities, and prioritizing working with families in the Northern and Western regions who are uninsured and/or on Medicaid.

Project takeaways:

• With the support of the MHI Bridge Grant, HealthWatch Wisconsin (HWW) successfully deployed a multi-pronged strategy to tackle an inequitable policy. Our education and outreach work generated two major takeaways and lessons learned that included:
  • Successful community education and advocacy for thousands across western Wisconsin. HWW launched public campaigns to educate communities about the Birth Tax, highlighting that it was not child support and was harmful to low-income families. Our education, information campaigns, and multi-media resources reached parents, informing them of their rights and responsibilities. We also informed community professionals working with affected families and community leaders, many of whom were largely unaware of the policy and the damaging community-level impact upon unmarried parents.
  • Devising a blueprint for change to push for county-level resolutions working from the success in Milwaukee and Dane Counties. Key elements of the blueprint include: Identifying a county board champion; Identify impacted families; Collect data on judgments, debt collections, and county retention data; Share stories and amplify messages with peers, leaders, policymakers and the media; and Gather and educate key community stakeholders including:
    • County child support, health and human service department leaders, and corporation counsel.
    • Advocates, health care providers, and service providers

Learn more about HealthWatch Wisconsin.

Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers

Grupo de Apoyo Prenatal (Prenatal care group) program supports the implementation of a group midwifery model for prenatal care. Individuals are able to have independent time with their midwife while using a group format to provide education, connection to other departments and services and develop community.

Project takeaways:

• The Power of Connection: This project has created meaningful space for patients to connect through their shared experiences of pregnancy. One participant chose to join the new group prenatal care model because she had formed a lasting friendship during a previous centering pregnancy class; an experience she hoped to replicate. Today, we continue to witness similarly strong, supportive relationships forming among participants, reinforcing the value of peer connection in prenatal care.
• Staff Engagement: The project has highlighted the deep commitment of Sixteenth Street staff to supporting patients beyond traditional care models. The group curriculum features guest educators and facilitators from across the organization, and interest in participating has extended beyond our initial invitations. Teams such as Dental Hygiene and Chronic Care proactively reached out to be included, advocating for their role in the classes. We are grateful for the enthusiasm and dedication of our staff, whose contributions have enriched the experience for patients.

Learn more about Sixteenth Street.

St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin

Equip the St. Croix Tribal Health Clinic medical team to establish and offer prenatal care services through the 28 week of pregnancy and beyond by providing training in American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) family-centered pregnancy care and neonatal resuscitation.

Project takeaways:

• St. Croix's communities are excited about this initiative! Throughout the project, staff got the word out about our new ability to serve this patient population at outreach engagements and received lots of positive feedback from expecting mothers and their relatives.
• St. Croix Tribal Clinic has a passionate, motivated provider team. Our providers were eager to learn and systematize this service in guidelines and policies, knowing that it would improve maternal health outcomes and also help keep more children and families connected to their Tribal health providers.

Learn more about the St. Croix Tribal Health Clinic.

Healthy Birth Day

Improving maternal and infant health outcomes through the evidence based public health stillbirth prevention program, Count the Kicks.

Project takeaways:

• Community partnerships are essential to reinforce the provider education patients receive. Expectant parents often have follow-up questions and need encouragement, which community partners are best positioned to provide as they support families between prenatal visits in the third trimester.
• Expectant parents need multiple engagement pathways including online tools, physical resources, and paper kick-counting guides for effective fetal movement monitoring. These resources must be shaped by the communities they serve and reflect diverse cultures.

Learn more about Count the Kicks.

Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality (WCHQ)

Catalog health equity interventions and attributes that accelerate health access and care for all pregnant women.

Project takeaways:

• Trusting and hearing patients impacts outcomes. Ensuring providers do not experience burnout impacts outcomes.
• The easier it is for a patient to follow through with a healthcare recommendation, the more success the patient will have in implementing that recommendation. For example, it is much easier for patients to learn how to use an at home blood pressure cuff when they can pick it up and learn about it right in their clinic.

Learn more about WCHQ.