A nonprofit organization led by philanthropist Olivia Walton has announced $10 million grants for Arkansas and Kentucky to improve maternal health in rural communities. The grants, part of a $100 million initiative by Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America, were unveiled during the Heartland Summit in Bentonville on Thursday.
Walton, who chairs the board for the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, emphasized the importance of building on ongoing state efforts to reduce maternal mortality rates. “States know their communities best, and we can help bring additional resources, partners, and support to build on what’s already working,” Walton stated in a news release. She described Arkansas and Kentucky as starting points to demonstrate the potential of this type of partnership.
The initiative, announced in September, intends to reduce maternal deaths nationally by half over the next five years. The grants will be used to support multiple state-led strategies. These include expanding access to maternity care in underserved areas, increasing the availability of healthcare professionals such as midwives and doulas, strengthening maternal health data systems, and enhancing postpartum and home visit care services.
Arkansas and Kentucky face significant challenges in maternal healthcare, with nearly half of both states' counties classified as maternity care deserts. According to the March of Dimes, approximately 78,000 women in Arkansas aged 15-44 live in counties without a hospital providing obstetric care or an obstetric physician. Kentucky reports similar difficulties, with more than half of rural women living over 30 minutes from a birthing hospital.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders expressed hope that the influx of resources will create long-term improvements for mothers and infants. “The best maternal health policy is one that reaches moms before there’s a crisis,” Sanders said. She emphasized the importance of increasing the number of providers in underserved areas and strengthening prenatal and postpartum care.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear highlighted how the funds could extend existing initiatives. “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,” Beshear said. He stressed the need to ensure high-quality care is accessible within local communities.
Walton, married to Tom Walton, the grandson of Walmart founder Sam Walton, stated that the lessons learned from these pilot programs in Arkansas and Kentucky could help develop sustainable maternal health models for implementation nationwide.