The Georgia Health Initiative recently released a new report, “Progress Towards Vitality: A 10-Year Retrospective Analysis of Systems Focused Efforts to Improve Maternal Health in Georgia,” which analyzes a subset of recommendations put forward by the Georgia Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) and the Georgia House Study Committee on Maternal Mortality to improve maternal mental health in the state. While Georgia has made meaningful progress over the last decade in improving maternal health through policy reforms and programmatic interventions, persistent challenges remain, including administrative errors, limited provider awareness of policy changes, workforce shortages, fragmented data systems, and funding challenges. Conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, the report assesses the extent of recommendations’ implementation, identifies barriers and facilitators, and highlights promising practices to inform future work to address maternal health needs in Georgia’s broader maternal health ecosystem.
Key findings include:
- Notable progress has been made through strong cross-sector collaboration, legislative support, and data-driven decision-making
- There is need for sustained investment, improved communication, integrated data systems, and culturally responsive, community-based care models
- With continued collaboration and strategic investment, Georgia can promote access to respectful, evidence-based, and affordable perinatal care, delivered with dignity and compassion