Maternal Health Innovation Program
Announcements
New maternal health dashboards
The Wisconsin Maternal Health Innovation (MHI) 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. The current dashboards include:
- Severe maternal morbidity: Access severe maternal morbidity data that include serious, unexpected medical complications that occur during labor and delivery.
- Prenatal health care: Access prenatal health care data that include information on health care utilization, access, and experiences during pregnancy.
- Postpartum health care: Access postpartum health care data that include information on health care utilization, access, and experiences after pregnancy.
- Maternal health services: Access Wisconsin maternal health services maps that include information on medical providers, doulas, and treatment for mental health or substance use.
- Additionally, birth outcomes and oral health and pregnancy data are also available.
Explore the Maternal Health Data Dashboards
Join the team for a presentation on June 18 from 10–11 a.m., where they will present maternal health data, do a live walk-through of the dashboards, and answer questions. The team also made a video tutorial for the data dashboards.
Maternal Health Innovation (MHI) Strategic Plan published
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).
Program overview
Maternal mortality and morbidity are key indicators of the health status and care received by individuals before, during, and after a pregnancy.
We have room for improvement in overall maternal health outcomes in Wisconsin. The State Maternal Health Innovation Program provides an opportunity to bring together partners to move maternal health forward in the state.
The State Maternal Health Innovation Program will serve as a catalyst to accelerate improvement and identify medical and non-medical causes of maternal mortality and morbidity.
Goals
Goals of this program are to:
- Establish a state-focused Maternal Health Task Force to create and implement a strategic plan that aligns statewide efforts and incorporates activities outlined in the state’s most recent state Title V needs assessment.
- Improve state-level maternal health data and surveillance.
- Promote and execute innovation in maternal health service delivery through addressing critical gaps in direct clinical care, workforce, maternal health data, and partnership and community engagement.
- Ensure alignment between maternal and child health program efforts while supporting and elevating statewide and local maternal health efforts.
Major milestones
- Grant awarded October 1, 2023.
- State Maternal Health Innovation staff hired in February and March 2024.
- Held quarterly Maternal Health Innovation Task Force meetings in 2024-2025.
- Awarded 1.4 million dollars to 24 organizations across the state to focus on maternal health care, workforce development and community engagement.
- 702 people served and 183 facilities connected to implement innovative strategies in maternal health programs (between October 1, 2024-April 30, 2025).
Contact Maternal Health Innovation staff
Contact State Maternal Health Innovation staff at dhsmhi@dhs.wisconsin.gov.