Arkansas – Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is highlighting a $100 million investment aimed at improving maternal and infant health, thanking Olivia and Tom Walton for helping the state “lead the way” as Arkansas and Kentucky receive grants through the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America initiative.
The funding is part of a five-year, $100 million commitment from Olivia and Tom Walton to Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America, a nonprofit focused on reducing maternal deaths and expanding access to care for mothers and babies. The organization announced its first state grants on October 1, awarding $10 million each to Arkansas and Kentucky over five years.
Sanders joined Olivia Walton and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear at the Heartland Summit in Bentonville for the announcement. The grants are intended to help both states expand access to prenatal care, safe childbirth services and postpartum support, particularly in rural communities where access to maternity care can be limited.
In Arkansas, the funding will support efforts to expand the availability of midwives, doulas, community health workers and other maternal health professionals. The initiative also aims to strengthen maternal health data, increase home-visiting services during pregnancy and after birth, and expand postpartum care, including mental health support
The investment comes as Arkansas faces significant challenges in maternal healthcare. According to Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America, nearly half of the state’s 75 counties are maternity-care deserts, leaving approximately 78,000 women of childbearing age without a birthing hospital or obstetric physician in their county. The organization cited a maternal mortality rate of 35.3 deaths per 100,000 births in Arkansas. The initiative’s broader goal is to cut the U.S. maternal death rate in half within five years. The organization says it will work with state governments and healthcare partners to implement and evaluate approaches that can be sustained and replicated elsewhere.
Sanders thanked Olivia and Tom Walton for their support, describing the commitment as an investment in mothers and babies as Arkansas works to improve maternal healthcare access and outcomes.