HRSA January in Brief

On January 25, HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson was joined by Representative Lauren Underwood of Illinois, co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, to a launch a year-long Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative at a kick-off event in Washington, DC. The initiative will strengthen, expand, and accelerate HRSA's work to address maternal mortality and maternal health disparities in partnership with mothers, grantees, community organizations, and state and local health officials across the country.

"This initiative will maximize the impact of our investments and build and strengthen partnerships to ensure we are making the greatest impact possible on maternal health in high need communities," said Administrator Johnson.

Joining the event were HRSA maternal health grantees from 11 states and the District of Columbia, as well as key national organizations, maternal health experts, medical providers, and individuals with lived experience. Attendees discussed personal perspectives, grantees’ innovative approaches, and maternal mental health. Maternal and Child Health Bureau(MCHB) Division Director Dr. Shirley Payne served as emcee throughout the event. She thanked grantees and partners for their commitment to improving maternal health and reducing maternal morbidity and mortality.

On January 31, HRSA Deputy Administrator Jordan Grossman participated in a panel discussion at the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) “Food is Medicine” summit in Washington, DC. The Deputy Administrator discussed HRSA's current and future work to support the intersection of nutrition and health care. Programs across HRSA—including at MCHB, Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, and the Health Center Program—provide food and nutrition supports to ensure we address the social determinants that play a key role in patients' health—from food to housing to transportation. Deputy Administrator Grossman also highlighted HRSA's collaborations and engagement with a wide range of federal agencies and programs to meet the needs of the high-need communities we serve.

From January 29 – 31, HRSA's hosted the annual Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program all-grantee meeting with over 600 attendees in Arlington, Virginia. The event provided grantees an opportunity to share best practices, discuss opportunities for collaboration, and attend interactive learning sessions.

HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson and MCHB Associate Administrator Dr. Michael Warren highlighted HRSA's recent work with Congress to double the funding for the program over five years. They also recognized the commitment of those involved in home visiting services, discussed how MIECHV improves maternal health across the nation, and shared the impact of the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline.

Since its launch in May 2022, the 24/7, free, confidential hotline has offered support from professional counselors to more than 27,000 pregnant and postpartum individuals who struggled with mental health concerns, and their loved ones. Support is available by phone or text, and in English and Spanish at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262).

HRSA participated in an HHS webinar to mark Maternal Health Awareness Day on January 23. The cross-agency webinar allowed HHS leaders—including those from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, HHS's Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, the National Institutes of Health, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and others—to share updates on their efforts to improve maternal health outcomes.

On January 25, HRSA's Office of Women's Health (OWH) participated in a panel at the White House Cervical Cancer Forum. The forum was hosted by the Biden Cancer Moonshot Initiative in observance of Cervical Health Awareness Month and highlighted advancements in prevention, screening, treatment, and HPV vaccination.

HRSA participants discussed how the Federal Cervical Cancer Collaborative is working to improve equitable cervical cancer prevention in safety-net care settings and better facilitate innovation. HRSA also highlighted the partnership with the National Cancer Institute on Accelerating Cancer Screening program, which ensures patients receive high-quality care across the cancer continuum from screening to treatment.

On January 10, HRSA Region 4 (Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee) staff hosted a resource table at the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) Economic Summit in Duluth, Georgia. The summit aimed to connect AANHPI community leaders with federal and local resources to advance equity, justice, and opportunity.

HRSA provided information on several initiatives, including the National Health Service Corps, Nurse Corps, the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-TLC-MAMA / 1-833-852-6262), and the Find a Health Center and Find a Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Medical Provider tools. Nearly 100 individuals representing community-based organizations and state and local government were present.

On January 17, HRSA Region 10 (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington) Administrator Sharon Turner participated in a virtual Oregon Farmworker Health, Climate Change, and Environmental Justice event with the Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Rachel Levine.

Admiral Levine joined HRSA, other HHS Operating Divisions and federal agency partners, and leaders from Oregon Health and Sciences University, Beaverton School District, and local community-based organizations to learn about key challenges faced by farmworker communities and how HHS and other federal agencies can offer resources and information that support collaborative solutions.

From January 16 – 18, HRSA hosted the virtual Grant 101 Workshop: Charting Paths to Health Equity for organizations serving Hispanic/Latino communities. The three-day event, which was broadcast in Spanish, aimed to:

• Strengthen HRSA's relationship with Hispanic communities
• Enhance stakeholders' knowledge about HRSA programs, resources, and funding opportunities
• Expand HRSA's reach and impact in underserved communities
• Connect with organizations and seek feedback about the HRSA en español page

Through this effort, HRSA reached over 2,050 individuals representing community-based organizations, hospitals, health centers, health departments, social services providers, federal and state agencies, academic institutions, and coalitions.