Establishing a Maternal Health Task Force: Lessons Learned From Illinois, North Carolina, and Ohio, 2019-2024

In 2019, the Health Resources and Services Administration provided funding to 9 states to implement a State Maternal Health Innovation Program, which required development of a state-level Maternal Health Task Force (MHTF) and an associated Maternal Health Strategic Plan (MHSP) in each recipient state. This case study presents perspectives of the development and implementation of MHTFs in 3 funded states: Illinois, North Carolina, and Ohio. Each state used a different approach for MHTF administration: public university staff (Illinois), contracted staff (North Carolina), and state public health department staff (Ohio). To create the MHTFs, all states leveraged existing partnerships and sought new connections to ensure a multidiscplinary membership. To construct its MHSP, each state used data and recommendations from its Maternal Mortality Review Committee, existing state-level maternal health action plans and data, other maternal health initiatives, and knowledge from MHTF members. Topics addressed by all 3 MHSPs included public education on maternal health issues, training for health care providers, expansion of the perinatal workforce, and expansion and restructuring of mental health and substance use services. Common challenges for MHTFs and MHSPs that emerged across the states included engaging membership, determining the scope of activities, and demonstrating effectiveness of the MHTF. Despite the launch of MHTFs during the COVID-19 pandemic, all 3 states successfully created MHSPs, retained mostly volunteer members, and have continued to demonstrate progress on activities identified in their MHSPs. Funding is vital for success; merging MHTFs with other state-level efforts may be prudent to reduce the time burden on members, create synergy, and ensure sustainability.