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Improving maternal and infant health outcomes requires a whole person care plan that clearly identifies the services needed to ensure healthy births. This blog provides insights into how to create and successfully implement a health equity plan with tailored strategies and interventions needed to improve outcomes.

Integrating a health equity plan to improve maternal health outcomes can be a powerful strategy to improve quality, outcomes, and access to care in any state.

Equity plans should outline the current state of health, obstacles, and demographics of the targeted region or population. The following are essential building blocks and strategies that all health equity plans should include.

Health equity plans must identify…

The health disparities they aim to address
Long-term health equity goals
Strategies to overcome identified obstacles to equitable care
Mechanisms to hold leaders accountable for equitable outcomes

Strategies for implementing health equity plans:

Review health data with community leaders
Work with stakeholders to diversify healthcare workforces
Engage legislators to create equity-advancing policies
Support other community organizations engaged in equity efforts

Approaches for ensuring accountability:

Create performance indicators and set improvement goals
Establish a process for tracking relevant outcomes
Develop and submit plans to CMS for translation and non-emergency transportation
Integrate equity goals into payment models

State Momnibus legislation aims to improve maternal mortality and morbidity across the U.S., while addressing longstanding inequities in care.

While the maternal mortality rate for Black women slightly increased from 2022 to 2023, the rate declined for Hispanic, Asian American, and white women, significantly worsening the disparity for Black women. Through 2025, 17 states have passed or introduced a Momnibus. While they contain different policies and are at various stages, each represents a coordinated effort to improve the rates of healthy births.

Policies in the Momnibus packages include supporting doulas and midwives, expanding prenatal and postpartum workplace accommodations, and providing lactation support.

Standout Momnibus policies across 17 states include:

Creating a licensure pathway for independently owned birth centers (Connecticut)
Directing Medicaid to cover dental services for pregnant women (Virginia)
Medicaid reimbursement for certified midwives (Massachusetts)
Piloting a maternal and newborn supply-kit program (Pennsylvania)
Improving access to perinatal housing (Oregon)

Read the brief to explore case studies and learn more about designing community-centered policies to improve maternal health, and effectively advocate to advance state Momnibus.

Strides in advocacy for equitable reproductive healthcare improved outcomes, but federal cuts to maternal health programs are making it harder for many to access quality care.

According to the CDC, maternal mortality rates are decreasing for most racial and ethnic populations, but there is still an opportunity to reduce rates for Black women. The mortality rate for Black women is more than double that of other racial groups—and the risk is even higher for those living in low-income households or enrolled in Medicaid.

Coverage for using doulas and midwives has helped, but barriers remain.

Continued improvements require:

Expanding access to health insurance to improve coverage offerings
Funding community obstetric clinics and providers in maternity care deserts
Cultivating a diverse talent pipeline for medical education and perinatal providers
Collecting data to better inform reproductive care strategies

The Roots of Health Inequity online course series was developed to aid public health professionals in addressing and resolving the root causes of health inequities.

Economic, political, and social structures shape a communities’ ability to experience positive or negative health outcomes. Through 10 detailed learning modules, this series explores essential tools for identifying and implementing equitable public health programs grounded in an understanding of the root causes—or underlying factors—that often drive health inequities. The series offers written content, videos, interactive exercises, and virtual group discussions.

Although the courses are designed to help identify and tackle the root causes of inequities, public health professionals also have an opportunity to:

Explore the social processes that create health inequities, including the role of capitalism and classism in creating and sustaining wealth and income inequality.
Strategize effective ways to act on root causes that extend beyond the programs and services models and focus on centering communities.
Engage with colleagues and partners inside and outside of public health organizations to advance health equity and social justice.

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