Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America (HMHBA) Announces $20 Million in State Grants for Arkansas and Kentucky

$10 million to each state over 5 years will help bring proven maternal health solutions to more rural communities

Bentonville, AR, Oct. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America (HMHBA) today announced $20 million in catalytic funding for maternal health initiatives in Arkansas and Kentucky, marking its first state-level investments toward a goal of cutting the U.S. maternal death rate in half in five years. HMHBA Founder Olivia Walton announced the grants onstage at the Heartland Summit with Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R-AR) and Governor Andy Beshear (D-KY). Each state will receive $10 million over five years to accelerate proven approaches to maternal care. 

HMHBA is a national, bipartisan, independent nonprofit that brings together leaders across government, business, health care, philanthropy, and local communities to improve maternal health outcomes by focusing on fixing prenatal care, making sure all moms can deliver safely, and providing twelve months of family support. These grants are part of an initial $100 million commitment announced on September 10 to support state matching grants, high-impact partnerships, and the infrastructure needed to scale solutions that work. 

The U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed countries. Two-thirds of maternal deaths occur in the year after birth, yet 40% of mothers receive no follow-up care. The vast majority of these deaths are preventable: the CDC estimates that 87% of pregnancy-related deaths could be prevented. The risks fall hardest on moms of color and women in rural communities, where hospitals are closing obstetric units at an accelerating pace.

“Our goal is to cut maternal deaths in half in five years, and getting there will take strong public-private partnerships,” said HMHBA Founder Olivia Walton. “Arkansas and Kentucky are already making significant investments in maternal health, and we have an opportunity to build on that momentum. States know their communities best, and we can help bring additional resources, partners, and support to build on what’s already working. We’re proud to start from the Heartland in Arkansas and Kentucky and show what this kind of partnership can make possible.” 

This initiative also reflects a priority shared by voters across geography, income and political affiliation: a national HMHBA poll released in July found that 86% of voters believe maternal health in the United States needs to improve, underscoring the rare breadth of consensus around the need for action.

HMHBA will work with Arkansas and Kentucky to develop, implement, and evaluate sustainable models of care that can be replicated across the country. Over the next five years, HMHBA’s funding will support state-led efforts to:

• Expand access to maternity care by growing the availability of midwives, doulas, community health workers, and other maternal health professionals; 
• Strengthen maternal health data and quality improvement efforts through systems like the HHS Perinatal Improvement Collaborative; 
• Increase access to home visiting services during pregnancy and the postpartum period; and 
• Expand postpartum care and support, including mental health services and other resources that support mothers’ long-term health.

The need is particularly acute in Arkansas, where nearly half of the state’s 75 counties are maternity care deserts, leaving approximately 78,000 Arkansas women ages 15 to 44 without a birthing hospital or obstetric physician in their county. The state has just 1.96 OB-GYNs per 100,000 people, while its maternal mortality rate stands at 35.3 deaths per 100,000 births. Poor pregnancy outcomes also carry a significant economic cost, estimated at $1.8 billion annually in Arkansas, or roughly 1.3% of the state’s GDP. 

“The best maternal health policy is one that reaches moms before there’s a crisis,” said Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “That means putting more providers in communities that need them, strengthening prenatal and postpartum care, and making sure distance isn’t a barrier to getting help. I’m grateful to Olivia Walton and the entire Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America team for investing in Arkansas and partnering with us to turn those priorities into better care for moms and healthier beginnings for babies.”

Kentucky faces many of the same challenges. The state’s maternal mortality rate is 31.4 deaths per 100,000 births, ranking it 38th of 48 states. Nearly half of its counties are designated as maternity care deserts, and approximately 58% of rural women live more than 30 minutes from a birthing hospital.

“I believe healthcare is a basic human right, which is why I’ve focused on expanding healthcare access and coverage for families across our state – especially in rural communities,” said Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. “This $10 million commitment will help us build on the progress we’ve made by advancing postpartum and prenatal care for new and expecting mothers. Now we can make sure moms and babies receive the quality care they deserve, right in their own community. Thank you to Olivia Walton and the entire Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America team for making maternal healthcare a priority.”  

The investments in Arkansas and Kentucky will serve as a model for how states and private partners can work together to expand maternal care, particularly in rural communities. 

“Whether you cheer for the Razorbacks or the Wildcats, you know your team tracks every play, every possession, and every second on the clock. Nobody wins without measuring what matters. But since 2020, 146 rural hospitals have stopped delivering babies, and we still don't have good answers about what happens to the moms left behind,” said Robin Reck, HMHBA Executive Director. “We'd never let a town lose its fire station without asking those questions. Maternal care is infrastructure, and infrastructure gets measured, managed, and fixed. Arkansas and Kentucky are leading the way, and these funds will help them go faster and farther.” 

“Most maternal deaths are preventable,” said HMHBA President and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Neel Shah. “We know what solutions work. The challenge is making sure that the right care actually reaches mothers during pregnancy, at delivery and throughout the critical year after birth. That means expanding access in rural communities through telehealth, training more midwives and other maternal health providers, investing in better research and data, and making sure care doesn’t end when a baby is born. We want to help states put those solutions into practice, measure what works and bring them to communities across the country.” 

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About Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America

HMHBA is a national, bipartisan, and independent nonprofit created by Olivia Walton and Cara Osborne in May 2026 with one ambitious goal: cut the U.S. maternal death rate in half in five years. HMHBA brings together leaders across government, business, health care, philanthropy, and communities to accelerate proven solutions, align action, and make maternal health a national priority. HMHBA believes healthy moms lead to healthy families, healthy families lead to healthy communities, and healthy communities lead to a healthy economy. Learn more here.

Lee Cochran
Healthy Moms Healthy Babies America 
203-249-8764
Press@hmhba.org