TAMPA, Fla. — Good news for mothers and moms-to-be in the Tampa Bay area when it comes to their health and the health of their babies — and that’s thanks to a new $3 million grant aimed at combating maternal morbidity and mortality services, specifically among communities of color hit the hardest.

What You Need To Know

  • The grant was awarded to Tampa General Hospital (TGH) and the Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County (HSC) by the Florida Department of Health Office of Minority Health as part of its Programs to Reduce Severe Maternal Morbidity through Telehealth initiative

  • TGH and HSC aim to enroll about 3,000 expectant mothers, focusing on reducing maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity, especially in communities facing racial and ethnic disparities in health care outcomes

  • The TGH Women’s Institute and Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County will lead the charge with support from community-based partners like the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, REACHUP, Inc., Grace Community Medical Center and BEST Academy

  • The three-year grant, with an annual funding of $1 million, will allow Tampa General Hospital’s Women’s Institute to expand its telehealth capabilities and provide critical health care support to expectant mothers and their families in areas that have historically faced health care disparities

The Women’s Institute at Tampa General Hospital (TGH) and Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County secured the grant to extend maternal morbidity and mortality services to Hillsborough County.

With the help of community partners, TGH is planning to use telehealth services and provide resources for mothers to buy things like blood pressure cuffs and transportation to doctors’ appointments. Those are just some of the ways they’re hoping to reduce the numbers for a problem that dates back centuries.

“This program says, OK, we know there are certain factors that will set you up to be more at-risk during pregnancy and we’re going to aggressively screen for those factors and try to treat them before you get through the door to give birth so you can have a better outcome,” said chief of the TGH Women’s Institute, Dr. Judette Louis.

Through that $3 million grant from the Florida Department of Health Office of Minority Health, Tampa General Hospital and Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County plans to enroll about 3,000 expectant mothers with their focus on reducing maternal mortality and morbidity, especially in communities of color.