SPRINGFIELD, IL (Chambana Today) – The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) has been chosen to participate in the federal Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) Model, which aims to improve maternal health outcomes through holistic care. The initiative will provide $17 million over 10 years to enhance Illinois Medicaid’s services for pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care.
Acting HFS Director Elizabeth Whitehorn stated the funding will support underserved communities through investments in provider infrastructure and value-based care models. The program emphasizes equitable access to healthcare by addressing physical, mental, and social needs.
The initiative includes increasing access to midwives, doulas, and lactation consultants, improving prenatal care for chronic conditions, reducing unnecessary C-sections, and lowering rates of postpartum depression.
The TMaH Model aligns with the Pritzker Administration’s commitment to reducing maternal health disparities and advancing birth equity, with Medicaid covering nearly half of all births in Illinois.
