Heartland Forward Launches First-of-Its-Kind Tool to Improve Maternal Health and Economic Outcomes

Now in Beta and supported by economist Emily Oster and Dr. Neel Shah of Healthy Moms Healthy Babies, the Maternal Resiliency Index shows decision makers the current landscape of maternal health outcomes in every state and county in the United States.

BENTONVILLE, Ark., Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today at the 2026 Heartland Summit, Heartland Forward announced the launch of the beta version of its Maternal Resiliency Index, an interactive, open-access tool designed to help decision makers optimize maternal and infant health outcomes at the county and state level. Developed under Heartland Forward's Maternal & Child Health Center for Policy and Practice (MCH CPP)—in partnership with Emily Oster, economist and founder of ParentData, and Dr. Neel Shah, President of Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America (HMHBA), the index equips leaders with a detailed breakdown of the current landscape of maternal health in their state, and identifies targeted policy opportunities that lead to improved health outcomes for moms and babies. 

The Maternal Resiliency Index, which was developed with support from a grant from the Walton Family Foundation, identifies counties where maternal health outcomes are better or worse than expected, helping policymakers target interventions where they can have the greatest impact. It measures the specific stressors and supports mothers' experience and shows how they relate to real-world outcomes. For example, a policymaker considering expanding scope of practice for midwives can use the Index to examine county-level prenatal care access and distance from a maternity care unit. The Index defines "resiliency" as the resources, programs and structures that states and counties put in place to support moms and babies before, during and after birth.

To deliver clear insights, the index evaluates three core elements that shape maternal health outcomes across local communities:

• Stressors: Risk factors and certain social determinants of health that adversely impact maternal health.
• Supports: Protective policies, health care access and community resources that support positive maternal health outcomes.
• Birth Outcomes: Data to show how moms and babies are actually faring on four measured rates: preterm birth, low birth weight, low-risk first-birth cesarean and prenatal care uninitiated in the first trimester.

Decision makers can visualize a county-level breakdown of how maternal health outcomes are operating—whether worse than expected, as expected or better than expected—to make strategic decisions on policy, investments and infrastructure needs to improve maternal and child health within their state. 

"The Maternal Resiliency Index gives policymakers a clear line of sight from specific interventions to measurable health returns for moms and babies," said Rachel Morrow, Director of the Maternal & Child Health Center for Policy & Practice. "Future versions of the index will examine return on investment and economic impacts of policies, providing stakeholders with clear data to advocate for the health and economic impacts of maternal health investment."

"Investing in maternal health is one of the most strategic investments we can make in America's future prosperity," said Dr. Neel Shah, President of HMHBA. "The Maternal Resiliency Index identifies policy opportunities while demonstrating the tangible health outcomes of those interventions. This tool will be a vital instrument to the HMHBA campaign goal of cutting U.S. maternal mortality in half in five years."

"I've spent my career trying to give people better information so they can make decisions with less anxiety and more confidence," said Emily Oster, economist and founder of ParentData. "The Maternal Resiliency Index does this for policymakers by replacing guesswork with a clear projection of health impacts, state by state."

Heartland Forward plans to expand the Maternal Resiliency Index in 2027 from just policymakers to philanthropists and employers as well, broadening the tool's use to a wider set of stakeholders shaping maternal health investment. The Index will examine return-on-investment and economic impact, providing stakeholders with clear data to advocate for the health and financial impacts of maternal health investment. For example, a policymaker will be able to toggle on a policy such as "reimbursements for doulas through Medicaid" and see the health impacts and the return on investment for the specific intervention.

The Maternal & Child Center for Policy & Practice was launched at the 2025 Heartland Summit with support from founding partners Blue and You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas, the Centene Foundation and Walmart.

Click here to access the Maternal Resiliency Index and view state and county-level maternal health outcomes.

About Heartland Forward
Heartland Forward is a non-profit, policy think-and-do tank that turns ideas into action for states and local communities. Our mission is to accelerate economic growth, change the narrative about the middle of the country and generate $500 million of economic impact to the heartland by 2030. We do this through applied research, community-driven programs, policy and convenings—focusing on regional competitiveness, talent pipeline and health and wellness.

About the Heartland Summit
The Heartland Summit was co-founded by Olivia and Tom Walton and Steuart Walton in 2018 to kick-start economic growth and help change the narrative about the middle of the country. The Summit is a forum for frank conversation about our shared challenges, creating positive action and strengthening connections.

About Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America
Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America (HMHBA) is a national, bipartisan, and independent nonprofit created by Olivia Walton and Cara Osborne in May 2026 with one ambitious goal: cut the U.S. maternal death rate in half in five years. HMHBA brings together leaders across government, business, health care, philanthropy, and communities to accelerate proven solutions, align action, and make maternal health a national priority. HMHBA believes healthy moms lead to healthy families, healthy families lead to healthy communities, and healthy communities lead to a healthy economy.

SOURCE Heartland Forward