Olivia Walton: States must lead on maternal health crisis
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Olivia Walton — founder of Heartland Forward's Maternal and Child Health Center for Policy and Practice — tells me that states and employers need to be leaders in fixing a dire American crisis in maternal health.
- "It was more dangerous for me when I gave birth to my kids than when my mom gave birth to me in the '80s," Walton said in a phone interview from Bentonville, Ark. "That's nuts, it's inexcusable, and it doesn't have to be that way."
Why it matters: Maternal mortality in the U.S. has more than doubled since the early 1980s. The U.S. has the worst maternal death rate in the developed world, with 84% of those deaths considered preventable, Heartland Forward says.
Driving the news: The Heartland center is launching a five-year national initiative to address the maternal health crisis.
- Walton — whose bio calls her a mother, investor and philanthropist — told me: "I really believe that investing in maternal health is the most strategic investment we can make. Healthy moms and babies are the bedrock of thriving families, stronger communities, and really America's future prosperity. This is not a moral issue — it truly is an economic one. Healthy moms, healthy families, healthy communities, healthy economies, healthy country."
- "For the federal government, we want them to name it as a priority," Walton added. "I think they can really use the bully pulpit to put wind in the sails of this. When they name something as a priority, all governors pay attention."
Zoom in: New findings by Aaru, an AI simulation research firm, for Heartland Forward show that a majority of people trust their own doctors and nurses: "Credibility rests on clinical expertise delivered through state-level channels."
- Walton told me: "A national effort would be less well received. Ours is a state roadmap that attempts to leverage trusted stakeholders."
Between the lines: Continuing the close-to-home theme, Walton said employers can play a big part: "Employers need to set the gold standard for what benefits and real support should look like, before and after birth. They also play a role in raising awareness."
- "There's some innovation we need to do for smaller companies, whether it's pooled insurance funds to be able to provide paid leave, or new types of tax credits. But there's innovation there for the taking. There are things that do work here."
Go deeper: "Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America."
Editor's note: This story has been updated to note that Aaru is an AI simulation research firm.
