Nurture NC

05/07/2026

Elizabeth Star, Founder and President of HopeStar Foundation and Board Chair of Nurture NC writes an Op-Ed in honor of Mother's Day, Sunday May 10th.

In her commentary, she describes maternal and infant health as the heart of North Carolina and focuses on the essential role that mothers play in family stability and our duty as advocates, funders, and legislators to work together to build a thriving future for our mothers and our state.

Together, we can ensure access to coordinated high-quality care, creating a legacy of health that will sustain North Carolina for generations to come.

Read the full opinion piece below.

05/07/2026

Shannon Dowler, MD, CPE, FAAFP, and Nurture NC's Strategic Advisor, writes in The North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians magazine about the importance of Value-Added Benefits (VABs) offered by NC Medicaid Managed Care plans. Dr. Dowler is leading Nurture NC's VAB campaign to increase awareness and utilization of these benefits.

VABs are additional, non-medical services intended to improve the health and wellbeing of Medicaid members. Dr. Dowler share that, at a time when heating, food, and housing costs are stretching household budgets, providing these supports and resources has never been more important.

Read the full article at: nurturencnow.org/news

05/06/2026

Nurture NC's Executive Director, Elizabeth Tilson, MD, MPH, authored "Addressing Maternal Mental Health in North Carolina: The Need, Our Existing Systems and Resources, and Opportunities for Expansion" in the North Carolina Medical Journal’s Spring 2026 issue.

This article is timely, as this week is . Maternal mental health affects not only mothers, but children, families, and entire communities. In her commentary, Dr. Tilson discusses the growing need for maternal mental health supports in North Carolina and explores opportunities to expand coordinated care statewide. We invite you to learn more with us.

https://ncmedicaljournal.com/article/160305-addressing-maternal-mental-health-in-north-carolina-the-need-our-existing-systems-and-resources-and-opportunities-for-expansion

05/05/2026

Today, May 5th, is the International Day of the Midwife 2026!

As this years theme, "One Million More Midwives," suggests, midwives are a crucial aspect of the maternal health workforce that improve outcomes for moms and babies in North Carolina and Nationally. Studies show that, integrating a midwife workforce into healthcare delivery systems could provide 80% of essential maternal care and potentially avert 41% of maternal deaths (Niles & Zephyrin, 2023).

In partnership with midwifery organizations across the state, Nurture NC helped support the Sankofa Foundation and Aya Wellness NC in submitting an application for a national funding opportunity to support community based midwifery. Nurture NC is proud to be one of the organizations working to support training, retention, and integration of Midwives in North Carolina's maternal health workforce.

05/04/2026

This past week, the NC Department of Health and Human Services Office of Rural Health announced the hubs to support the Rural Health Transformation Program which is bringing $213 million into North Carolina's rural healthcare system.

The NC ROOTS Hub Lead awardees include:
Impact Health – Region 1
Trillium Health Resources – Region 2 and 5
Vaya Health – Region 3
University of North Carolina Hospitals – Region 4
Access East, Inc. – Region 6

Read more: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/news/press-releases/2026/05/01/ncdhhs-selects-nc-roots-hub-leads-strengthen-rural-health-care-across-north-carolina

04/30/2026

Funding Opportunity Alert for Rural Maternal Health!

The NC Department of Health and Human Services has released the Telehealth Infrastructure Grant Program (Wave 5)—a major opportunity to expand access to care in rural communities.

This program supports investments in telehealth equipment, broadband access, workforce training, and patient connectivity; helping providers deliver high-quality, remote care where it’s needed most. Priority is given to primary care and OB-GYN practices, who are critical partners in improving maternal and infant health outcomes in underserved areas.

Applications are open now (deadline: May 15, 2026).

🔗 Learn more & apply: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/about/grant-opportunities/rural-health-grant-opportunities/telehealth-infrastructure-grant-program-wave-5

Be aware of multiple fraudulent text scams requesting payment for NCDMV fees, fines or tolls. NCDMV will NEVER request payment by text. Please report it as spam and delete. Learn More About NCDMV Fraudulent Text Scams

04/30/2026

New data shows all-time low infant mortality in NC.

According to data released this week, North Carolina’s infant mortality rate declined 8.7% from 2023 to 2024, from 6.9 to 6.3 deaths per 1,000 live births.

This overall rate includes declines across most racial/ethnic groups, including a 9.4% decline in the infant mortality rate for black infants, the population for whom the infant mortality rate has been the highest. Despite this good news, unacceptable disparities persist.

Black babies are still three time more likely to die before their first birthday than white babies and Native American babies are 2 1/2 times more like to die in their first year of life. We need to continue to work hard together so that all North Carolina babies have the opportunity for a healthy start.

Read the full report here:

NC State Center for Health Statistics (SCHS)

04/29/2026

Looking to get involved in Maternal and Infant mental health? The Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance has curated a list of Maternal Mental Health conferences throughout 2026.

Every month this organization curates a list of events, learning opportunities, and resources to share on their website. Support maternal mental health and policy advocacy by checking our their resources and get registered today!

As one of the leading policy advocacy organizations in maternal mental health, we strive to support those in the field with the latest information. Below are events in the maternal mental health field organized by topic and date. Every month we curate a list of events, learning opportunities, and re

04/28/2026

A $50 billion opportunity to transform rural health is here and North Carolina must seize it for moms and babies.

States across the country are using the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) to tackle maternity care deserts, strengthen rural hospitals, and expand innovative care models like telehealth and community-based perinatal teams.

For North Carolina, this is a roadmap to action:
👩🏽‍⚕️ Invest in and grow a strong, diverse maternal health workforce
🏥 Expand access through rural care hubs, telehealth, and community-based models
📊 Align policy and funding to sustain high-quality maternal and infant care

RHTP was designed to support workforce development, innovation, and better outcomes in rural communities which is exactly what families across our state need right now. Let’s turn this moment into lasting change so every mom, no matter her ZIP code, can access the care she deserves.

How States Are Using the RHTP to Advance Maternal Health

04/23/2026

Black maternal health is a measure of whether our systems are truly working—and right now, we know they’re not.

As highlighted by Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, advancing improvements in maternal and infant health requires investing in the perinatal workforce, expanding access to care, and strengthening policies like Medicaid postpartum coverage and doula support.

In North Carolina, that means:
🤝 Growing and supporting a diverse maternal health workforce
🏥 Expanding access to care in rural communities
📣 Advocating for policies that center moms and babies

Justice and joy in maternal health aren’t optional—they’re essential. Let’s build a system where every family can thrive. 💛

This week marks the 10th annual Black Maternal Health Week led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA). The theme, Rooted in Justice and Joy, honors a decade of movement-building by Black-led organizations while also naming the systemic forces –systemic oppression, reproductive injustices, and h...

04/22/2026

Our partners at the Women, Infant, and Community Wellness Section in the NC Department of Health and Human Services are hiring for the Maternal Health Epidemiologist position, which is now open for recruitment: https://nc.wd108.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/NC_Careers/job/Maternal-Health-Epidemiologist_JR-113266

The posting will close at 11:59 P.M. on May 1, 2026.

This position will play an important role in supporting our maternal health efforts through data collection, analysis, evaluation, and the translation of findings into actionable insights that help improve programs and outcomes. This is a Raleigh-based position at the DHHS Headquarters building.

Agency Dept of Health and Human Services Division Public Health Job Classification Title Publ Hlth Epidemiologist (NS) Position Number 65031176 Grade MH15 About Us The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is one of the largest, most complex agencies in the state, and has app...