On a Path Towards Maternal Vitality 

By Ky Lindberg, Vice President of Community Engagement

Motherhood is one of the highest honors and joys of my life and it’s why maternal health is an issue near and dear to my heart. Growing up, I heard my mother’s experience navigating childbirth and motherhood—stories of love but also those of trauma and hurt. It wasn’t until years later, through my own experience giving birth to my sons, that I realized the sting of trauma as well as the realization that a traumatic birthing experience need not be inevitable.   

While my experience felt—and was—deeply personal, I’ve come to see how profoundly systems shape the birthing experience and overall perinatal and postnatal health for many. Maternal health flourishes when we build on the inherent resilience of individuals, families, the care and dedication of providers, and the strength of communities working toward healthier beginnings and life trajectories. By drawing on these assets and transforming existing systems that determine how care is accessed, delivered, financed, and personally experienced, we can create lasting change to support every family for generations to come. It’s with this recognition that we take a systems-level approach at the Georgia Health Initiative because that’s how we can make lasting change. Even as we do the crucial work of treating the symptoms of a system that doesn’t currently work for all, working in tandem to address the root causes of those systems failures is our greatest opportunity to promote health and wellbeing.   

My own experiences drive my passion for reshaping Georgia’s maternal health system—a passion that has shaped my professional path. I tap into this personal passion as I work together with my Initiative colleagues and our broader network of dynamic, brilliant, and committed maternal health champions across sectors to realize a vision where every person in Georgia has the birthing experience they want. And the birthing experience they deserve. An experience filled with dignity and respect, and the opportunity to live their best, healthiest life in the process.   

With greater recognition among many of the importance of addressing systems change, momentum to improve maternal health in Georgia has grown in the last decade. So many powerful ideas have been discussed and proposed by policymakers, health care leaders, and advocates to support the health of growing families at the systems level. As we listened to community partners at the forefront of implementing solutions, we often heard the same question: how much progress have we already made by putting into practice the proposed solutions identified?

The Initiative’s latest commissioned report, Progress Towards Vitality: A 10-Year Retrospective Analysis of Systems Focused Efforts to Improve Maternal Health in Georgia, starts to provide some answers. Researchers at NORC at the University of Chicago assessed the implementation status of recommendations made by the Georgia Maternal Mortality Review Committee and the Georgia House Study Committee on Maternal Mortality to uncover progress, as well as areas for further improvement. 

While there is still much to be done to achieve maternal health vitality, the Report highlights fundamental improvements that have already begun and will continue to transform maternal health in our state. Georgia’s extension of Medicaid postpartum coverage from 60 days to 12 months and implementation of a data-driven patient safety program in Georgia’s birthing hospitals, for example, represent measurable steps forward.  

As a non-partisan, private foundation, the Initiative holds a unique perspective on pressing health issues within Georgia. We look at the big picture, foster connections, and build bridges to support our partners’ important work. That means listening intently, working tirelessly day to day on maternal health and other matters critical within our state. Together through partnership and collaboration we can redesign systems in Georgia to better support the health of our communities.  

Systems change is undeniably hard work that takes time. Monitoring progress, offering guidance, and acknowledging wins along the way is an important function that health foundations like the Initiative are uniquely positioned to provide. Stepping into this role is as vital as our other ways of working, such as grantmaking and capacity building, as it can focus and accelerate efforts in meaningful ways. We see this as a role philanthropies can increasingly play in cities and states across America.  

As we continue our journey toward maternal vitality, we pause to reflect on where we’ve been and where we have yet to go. That’s part of what drives change at the systems level. Let’s keep going, together, for a healthier Georgia.