Allentown, PA – Since taking office in January 2023, the Shapiro Administration has invested $12.3 million in maternal and child health initiatives – delivering real results like increased use of postpartum depression screenings, improved access to care for women with hypertension, and new grants specifically designed to improve the health of Pennsylvania mothers and babies.
Today, leadership from the Pennsylvania Departments of Health, Human Services, and Drug and Alcohol Programs visited the Maternal and Family Health Services WIC Center in Allentown to see some of those results in action, as well as to discuss the Shapiro Administration’s plan to improve maternal health outcomes.
“Improving health outcomes for mothers and babies is a top priority of the Shapiro Administration,” said Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen. “Our investments are successfully expanding access to quality care. With an additional $7.5 million proposed for the 2026-27 budget, Governor Shapiro is ensuring we can continue this critical work—making every stage of pregnancy and postpartum safer for the mothers and infants in Pennsylvania.”
Prior to Governor Shapiro taking office, there was no specific line item in the state budget for maternal health. During his first year in office, the Governor proposed, and won, legislative approval for the historic, first-time investment of $2.3 million in maternal health; increasing the investment in each of the past three years.
This investment set a foundation for the creation of the state’s maternal health strategic action plan: “Healthy Moms, Vibrant Futures.”
The maternal health strategic action plan is a comprehensive multi-agency effort. The first-of-its-kind plan in Pennsylvania contains strategic goals, data, research, ongoing work, and recommendations to combat maternal health disparities that can shape the quality of life for both mothers and their children.
“A mother's health and the health of a family are all dependent on the quality of care available to them and their ability to access essential resources before and after a baby is born,” said Department of Human Services Special Advisor Sara Goulet. “The Shapiro Administration is committed to reversing trends of maternal mortality and morbidity and promoting good health for both mothers and children throughout their lives, and the new Maternal Health Strategic Action Plan, Healthy Moms, Vibrant Futures, gives us a roadmap for this work."
A Shapiro Administration maternal health initiative already leading to better outcomes mothers is the Regional Maternal Health Coalition grants program. Established with $1.2 million from the Shapiro Administration’s investment in maternal health, made it possible for nearly 1,100 Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) clients to be screened for hypertension in 2025. One hundred mothers with elevated blood pressure were identified and referred for care.
Early detection of hypertension is critical to prevent permanent damage to arteries and organs, which can contribute to risk for heart attack, stroke, and dementia.
Improving maternal health outcomes also involves addressing substance use disorders. The Shapiro Administration understands that substance use disorder is a family illness, including pregnant and postpartum women and their children.
“Today is an example of how the Shapiro Administration’s ‘Healthy Moms, Vibrant Futures’ action plan can be put into motion across the local and regional levels,” said DDAP Deputy Secretary Kelly Primus. “At DDAP, we know that when it comes to treating substance use disorders, having the right supports, at the right time, at the right place is a win-win for women, children, and our overall public health.”
Maternal health organizations across the Commonwealth expressed their support for Shapiro’s prioritization of maternal health and the increased investment aimed at reducing maternal mortality and morbidity.
“The Governor’s investments in maternal health are meaningful steps forward for families across Pennsylvania. It reflects a shared belief that every mother and baby deserves care that is personal, accessible, and rooted in dignity and community,” said Marianne A. Fray, CEO and President, Maternity Care Coalition. “For too many families, the journey into pregnancy and parenthood has been shaped by barriers and inequities, but this budget brings renewed optimism that conditions for earlier support, safer pregnancies, healthier births, and stronger beginnings for children are possible. Ultimately, it represents an investment in the future of Pennsylvania’s communities.”
“Maternal and Family Health Services is deeply grateful to Secretary Bogen, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the Shapiro Administration for their continued investment in maternal health across our Commonwealth,” said Dr. Maria Montoro Edwards, President and CEO of Maternal and Family Health Services. “This commitment strengthens our ability to serve women, children, and families, and brings us closer to ensuring that every parent and baby has the opportunity for a healthy start.”
Other initiatives supported through three years of state maternal health funding include:
- Perinatal TiPS: Increases access to perinatal psychiatry and addiction medicine specialists via over-the-phone, provider-to-provider consultation, leading to patient referrals and connections to resources.
- Diversifying Doulas Initiative: Provides doula trainings, specifically to people of color, and doula services to individuals living in Lancaster, Dauphin, and York counties, with priority given to populations disproportionally affected by maternal mortality and morbidity.
- Statewide Healthy Start Maternal Behavioral Health Initiative: Expands mental and behavioral health services and programs at all six Pennsylvania Healthy Start sites, which led to increased postpartum depression screenings and connected mothers with needed mental health services.
- Perinatal and Postpartum Education Campaign: This multi-media education campaign, which ran from July 2025 through October 2025, brought awareness of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) and encouraged pregnant women and new mothers to seek support.
- Birth Justice Philadelphia: This initiative funded $30,000 mini-grants to 10 community-based organizations working with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health to improve maternal health outcomes in Philadelphia.
In addition to funding the previously mentioned initiatives, a portion of the $7.5 million in the Governor’s proposed 2026-27 budget will help counties prevent child deaths.
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Editor’s Note: Video downloads and photos from the news conference at the Maternal & Family Health Services WIC Center are available on PAcast.