We fund the RMOMS program to increase access to maternal and obstetrics care in rural communities. This improves health outcomes for mothers and infants.
Why did we create the RMOMS program?
Rural mothers have more trouble getting care:
- More than half of all rural U.S. counties lack hospital obstetric services.1
- Closures are more common in small hospitals and communities with a limited obstetric workforce.2
- Maternal mortality and morbidity are rising.3, 4
These challenges highlight the need for innovative, flexible models of care.
What does the RMOMS program do?
As of June 2024, there are 11 active RMOMS awardees with a total of 14 RMOMS awardees funded since fiscal year (FY) 2019 in 11 states to test programs that address unmet needs for their target populations.
RMOMS improves maternal care in rural communities by:
- Collecting data on rural hospital obstetric services;
- Building networks to coordinate continuum of care;
- Leveraging telehealth and specialty care; and
- Improving financial sustainability.
If the programs are successful, they can serve as a model for other rural networks.
How long does the RMOMS program last?
RMOMS is a four-year program. The first year is dedicated to planning followed by three years of putting it into action. We evaluate our program, and the results tell us what helps maternal care and what does not.
What awardees and networks are in the RMOMS program?
FY19 Cohort Award Recipients and Networks (September 2019 – August 2023) are jointly funded by HRSA's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) and Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB).
- Missouri - Bootheel Perinatal Network (BPN)
- New Mexico - Rural Ob Access & Maternal Services Network (ROAMS)
- Texas - TX-RMOMS Comprehensive Maternal Care Network
FY21 Cohort Award Recipients and Networks (September 2021 – August 2025)
- Minnesota - Families First: Rural Maternity Health Collaborative
- Missouri - RMOM-Southeast Missouri Partnership (RMOM-SMP)
- West Virginia - The West Virginia Rural Maternity and Obstetric Management Strategies Collaborative (WV RMOMS)
FY22 Cohort Award Recipients and Networks (September 2022 – August 2026)
- South Dakota - RMOMS SD
- Utah - Healthy Southwest Montana - RMOMS
- Maine - Maine RMOMS
- Arkansas - AR MOMS
FY23 Cohort Award Recipients and Networks (September 2023 – September 2027)
- Mississippi - Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health
- New Hampshire - Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital
FY24 Cohort Award Recipients and Networks (September 2024 – September 2028)
- Kansas - University of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute, Inc.
- Arizona - Mariposa Community Health Center
Learn more about maternal health
HRSA Maternal/Women’s Health
Maternal Mortality Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Contact us
RMOMS Program
Email: RMOMS@hrsa.gov
Phone: 301-443-0835
1 Hung, et. al. Access To Obstetric Services In Rural Counties Still Declining, With 9 Percent Losing Services, 2004–14, Health Affairs, September 2017.
2 Hung, et. al. Why Are Obstetric Units in Rural Hospitals Closing Their Doors?, Health Services Research, 25 January 2016.
3 Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4 February 2020.
4 Severe Maternal Morbidity in the United States, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 31 January 2020.