11 Aug 2025 Arkansas’s birthing hospitals unite to advance maternal health outcomes at statewide roundtable
LITTLE ROCK — Leaders from Arkansas’s delivering hospitals gathered recently for a statewide Maternal Health Roundtable, hosted by the Arkansas Center for Women & Infants’ Health (ACWIH) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and the Arkansas Hospital Association (AHA), with honored guest U.S. Sen. John Boozman. Held at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, the convening marked a milestone in aligning hospitals, policymakers and health advocates to improve maternal and infant health outcomes through shared strategy, collaboration and discussion around the implementation of the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act.
The roundtable brought together more than 100 clinical and administrative leaders from across Arkansas alongside state legislators, health officials and advocacy partners to chart a collaborative path forward on issues ranging from doula integration and Medicaid reimbursement to postpartum care coordination and legislative implementation timelines.
“Arkansas is at an inflection point in maternal health,” said Dr. Nirvana Manning, chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UAMS and director of ACWIH. “We are seeing an unprecedented level of coordination, from legislation at the Capitol to clinical care in each county, and this roundtable is our call to action. We’re thankful so many providers and leaders joined us to unify our efforts, share best practices and build a statewide system where every mother has the support and care she needs to thrive.”
In addition to discussing how to implement the policy changes in Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies, the day’s agenda covered a wide range of topics central to improving maternal health in Arkansas. Attendees heard an overview of the ACWIH and its role in statewide efforts, along with updates on the Transforming Maternal and Child Health (TMaH) initiative, a review of key advocacy wins from the 95th General Assembly and a preview of the Arkansas-specific Pregnancy+ app. Panelists also led discussions on integrating doulas and midwives into clinical teams and improving statewide hospital collaboration.
Panelists and moderators included representatives from the Arkansas Department of Human Services, Medicaid, Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, Arkansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Heartland Forward, Ingeborg Initiatives, hospitals around the state and advocacy organizations such as the Doula Alliance of Arkansas and Excel by 8. Rep. Lee Johnson (R-Greenwood) and Rep. Aaron Pilkington (R-Knoxville) – who both sit on the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee and are employed in the healthcare industry – also participated in panel discussions.
A highlight of the event was the overview of the ACWIH. The center serves as an investment in maternal health outreach and innovation in all regions of the state. From distributing infant care supply kits and providing each new mother in Arkansas with “I gave birth” bracelets to launching coordinated postpartum care models, Dr. Manning explained how the ACWIH seeks to reimagine what maternal care can look like across Arkansas.
“Each birthing hospital in the state plays a central role in improving maternal health in the state, but they cannot do this work alone,” said Jodiane Tritt, executive vice president of the Arkansas Hospital Association. “Today’s conversations reflected a commitment to form a collaborative front and create a maternal health system that is data-driven and patient-centered.”
Manning said she plans to hold sessions with Arkansas hospital leadership several times a year, allowing for a continuous and timely dialogue around implementation efforts and strategies to improve care across regions.
