Siloam Springs Community Clinic praises Arkansas maternal health law as midwifery program welcomes first baby – Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Report on New Midwifery Program in Arkansas and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: A Milestone in Maternal Healthcare

A new midwifery program, initiated by the Community Clinic in Arkansas, has marked a significant achievement with the delivery of its first baby. This development is a direct result of recent state legislation and represents a critical step forward in addressing maternal health deficits. The initiative strongly aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), by working to reduce maternal mortality and ensure universal access to healthcare.

Legislative and Policy Framework Supporting Maternal Health

Government Initiatives and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The foundation for this program was laid by key governmental actions, demonstrating a multi-stakeholder approach consistent with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The collaboration between government bodies, healthcare providers, and community organizations has been pivotal.

1. Executive Order (March 2024): Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders established the Arkansas Strategic Committee for Maternal Health to expand relevant services. The Community Clinic’s participation on a subcommittee influenced policy recommendations.
2. The Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act (February 2024): This legislation was enacted to create a more robust support system for maternal health across the state.

Key Provisions of the New Legislation

The Act introduced several measures aimed at improving access to care, directly contributing to SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by targeting barriers faced by pregnant women.

• Streamlined and more efficient Medicaid enrollment processes for pregnant women.
• Authorization for insurance coverage for both doula and midwifery services.
• Expansion of Medicaid coverage to include community health workers.

Program Implementation and Community Impact

The Community Clinic Midwifery Program: A Response to Healthcare Gaps

Following the legislative changes, the Community Clinic launched its midwifery program in Siloam Springs, in partnership with Willow Creek Women’s Hospital and Northwest Health. The program was specifically designed to counteract a “maternity health care desert” in the area, where hospital labor and delivery services had ceased. This targeted intervention directly addresses SDG 10 by ensuring access to essential health services in an underserved community.

Candice Killeen, the certified nurse midwife for the program, noted, “There hasn’t been any maternal care, full spectrum, in Siloam Springs until they created this program and stepped into that gap.”

Contributions to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The midwifery model of care is recognized for its positive impact on maternal and infant health outcomes, which is a core target of SDG 3. Research indicates that increasing access to midwifery care is associated with significant health benefits.

• Lower rates of Cesarean sections.
• Higher rates of spontaneous vaginal deliveries.
• Improved breastfeeding rates.
• Lower incidence of preterm births and low birth weight infants.
• Overall reduction in maternal health risks and creation of more positive outcomes.

This program also enhances women’s healthcare choices, contributing to SDG 5 (Gender Equality) by empowering women in their reproductive health decisions.

Systemic Advancement and Future Outlook

Building Capacity through Education

To ensure the long-term sustainability of these improvements, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is launching a master’s level midwifery program. The objective is to increase the number of qualified midwives practicing within the state, which currently stands at approximately 20. This educational initiative is crucial for building the healthcare infrastructure needed to achieve the targets of SDG 3.

A Vision for National Leadership

Stakeholders are optimistic that these coordinated efforts can transform Arkansas’s maternal health landscape. Pearl McElfish of UAMS envisions a future where Arkansas moves from being known for health disparities to becoming a national model for innovative solutions. The focus is on creating a collaborative, patient-centered system that addresses systemic barriers to care.

The combination of supportive legislation, community-based programs, and academic expansion positions Arkansas to make substantial progress on SDGs 3, 5, 10, and 17, with the potential to generate best practices applicable across the nation.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article’s central theme is improving maternal health in Arkansas through a new midwifery program. It directly discusses health services, healthcare access, and improving health outcomes for mothers and babies, which is the core of SDG 3.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The article mentions the creation of a “master’s level midwifery program” at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). This initiative is aimed at increasing the number of qualified midwives in the state, directly linking to the goal of providing quality tertiary education and relevant professional skills.

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  By focusing on “women’s health services,” “maternal health,” and providing “moms” with more healthcare options and better outcomes, the article addresses a key aspect of gender equality: ensuring the health and well-being of women.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The program aims to counter a “maternity health care desert” and address the state’s “worst disparities” in maternal health. This highlights an effort to reduce health inequalities based on geographic location and access to services.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The success of the program is attributed to “strong partnerships” and “collaboration.” The article details a multi-stakeholder partnership involving the state government (Governor, lawmakers), non-profit clinics (Community Clinic), hospitals (Willow Creek, Northwest Health), and a public university (UAMS).

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.1: By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio. The article states that “Arkansas hasn’t ranked very high in positive outcomes with maternal health” and that midwifery care can “decrease risk and create more positive outcomes,” directly aligning with the goal of reducing maternal mortality and morbidity.
   • Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including access to quality essential health-care services. The article discusses new legislation allowing “insurance coverage for doula and midwifery services,” expanding Medicaid, and creating a program to “fill a need in the community” where a “maternity health care desert” exists. This demonstrates a clear effort to expand access to essential maternal healthcare services.

2. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment. The new UAMS master’s program was “created to increase the number of midwives available within the state” and aims to “impact that access to care… by graduating out these new nurse midwives,” directly addressing the need for more healthcare professionals with specific skills.

3. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • Target 5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights. The provision of “women’s health services and prenatal care” and the expansion of midwifery services contribute to ensuring women have access to comprehensive maternal and reproductive healthcare.

4. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all. The initiative addresses health disparities by establishing services in a “maternity health care desert,” thereby promoting health inclusion for populations that previously lacked access to care. The article hopes Arkansas can be known for “how to address disparities.”

5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. The article is a prime example of this target in action, describing “collaboration, whether it’s been legislative or throughout the community.” It details partnerships between the Community Clinic, Willow Creek Women’s Health Hospital, Northwest Health, UAMS, and the state government.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Number of practicing midwives: The article explicitly states there are “currently about 20 midwives practicing in the state.” An increase in this number, particularly through graduates of the new UAMS program, would be a direct indicator of progress towards Target 4.4.
• Maternal and infant health outcomes: The article mentions that midwifery care is associated with specific positive outcomes that can be measured. These include “lower rates of C-sections,” “higher breastfeeding rates,” “lower rates of preterm birth and low birth weight infants.” These serve as direct indicators for measuring progress towards Target 3.1.
• Geographic access to care: The program was created to fill a gap in a “maternity health care desert.” The establishment and expansion of such programs in underserved areas is a qualitative and quantitative indicator of progress in achieving universal health coverage (Target 3.8) and reducing inequalities (Target 10.2).
• Insurance coverage for services: The new “Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act” allows for “insurance coverage for doula and midwifery services.” The number of women utilizing this coverage is a measurable indicator of increased access to care under Target 3.8.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: arkansasonline.com