Missouri program awards $732,000 to expand maternal health services in rural communities

FOX23 News at 9 p.m

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KBSI) — Missouri is investing more than $732,000 to expand maternal health services in rural communities through a new partnership aimed at increasing the number of trained doulas and perinatal community health workers.

The Missouri Department of Social Services announced the Rural Health Transformation Program has awarded $732,660.43 to the Missouri Doula Association in partnership with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services’ Office on Women’s Health.

According to the department, the funding will help expand training, certification and credentialing for community-based doulas and perinatal community health workers to address workforce shortages in rural Missouri.

The initiative is designed to increase access to support services for families during pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum recovery and early parenthood.

The Missouri Doula Association will recruit participants, oversee training and credentialing, build partnerships with rural health care providers and report program outcomes throughout the grant period.

The funding is part of Missouri’s Rural Health Transformation Program, which is supported through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.