Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the Maine Department of Health and Human Services will receive $1,170,233 through the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) State Maternal Health Innovation (MHI) program. The goal of the State Maternal Health Innovation Program is to expand on and improve resources for maternal health in Maine and the United States.

The State MHI program awards provide funding for five years, supporting the establishment of a maternal health task force in Maine. This continuation award will allow for the improved collection and use of state-level data on maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity. Additionally, grantees will work to improve access to services during pregnancy, which includes expanding direct clinical care availability and workforce training.

"Ensuring the well-being of expectant mothers and promoting maternal health is extremely important for the well-being of Maine people in their child-bearing years,” said Senators Collins and King. "This investment is a significant and necessary step towards addressing an area where our country lags behind the rest of the developed world, and will significantly bolster Maine's efforts to provide comprehensive care and support for mothers. We are grateful for this funding, and appreciate the continued dedication of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to supporting the health of our state’s children and families."

Senators Collins and King have long supported efforts to strengthen families and improve maternal health care. As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins helped to secure a $26 million increase in funding for State Maternal Health Innovation Grants and a $87 million increase for the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Program in the Fiscal Year 2023 Senators King and Collins also cosponsored the Rural Maternal and Obstetric Modernization of Services (Rural MOMS) Act, a bipartisan bill that would improve data collection, expand services, and award funding to help ensure that new and expecting moms living in rural communities get the care they need. The United States has the worst rate of maternal deaths in the developed world and one of the highest rates of infant mortality. 

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