Case Study: Moving at the Pace of Healing

Time to celebrate Team Arizona, the next team featured in our Midwiferly Learning Collaborative Case Study series!

In 2021, the Institute for Medicaid Innovation (IMI) launched the national Medicaid and Midwifery Learning Collaborative, an intensive, three-year initiative, led by IMI and funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Five state-based teams—Arizona, California, Kentucky, Michigan, and Washington—were selected from a competitive application process. Each team received technical assistance and guidance from IMI and a dedicated national advisory committee to develop sustainable initiatives to advance midwifery-led models of care for those enrolled in Medicaid. Each team consisted of leaders and innovators from four key groups: state Medicaid agencies, Medicaid health plans, community-based organizations, and provider groups, including midwives of all credentials.

This week, we are pleased to highlight the work of Team Arizona.

After three years of evolving membership, the Arizona team of IMI’s Midwifery Learning Collaborative now describes themselves as a “dream team” with shared leadership, expertise, commitment, and accountability. ?Together, they’ve produced a powerful body of work, including a power map and landscape analysis outlining key organizations and individuals that impact midwifery access for those enrolled in Medicaid, and a website focused on bringing midwifery education and awareness to Arizona families and other interested parties.

Learn how their journey of resilience, persistence and commitment is shaping the future of midwifery-led care in Arizona.

Please also check out three additional case studies we've published so far. Read about how Team Kentucky, Team Washington and Team Michigan are working to improve birth outcomes in their respective states.

Look for our final case study next week!