Nurture NC

05/28/2026

Join North Carolina Black Alliance at their "OUR State of Health" event series for an important discussion on health equity in North Carolina. At these events, their team will dive into what’s working, what’s not, and how we can advocate for change.

May 30th 10:00am-12:00pm in Whitakers, NC
June 13th 11:00am-1:00pm in Pelham, NC

What to Expect:

👥Conversations around accessibility, affordability, availability in healthcare, and how they connect to participation in our democracy

🏦Community members coming together to share experiences and learn about policy changes shaping our healthcare system

🩺Highlight the barriers to care, food access, and opportunity in Black and Brown communities

Find more on NC Black Alliance, event details, and register here:

Upcoming events sponsored by NC Black Alliance and strategic partners designed to strengthen the network and communities of color throughout the state.

05/27/2026

The Institute for Medicaid Innovation has launched a national campaign to collect the lived experiences and stories to help others understand the real impact that Medicaid has on individuals, families, health care systems, and communities.

Your voice can help craft public education efforts, advocacy strategies, campaign materials, and storytelling initiatives to help inform the general public, policymakers, and advocates.

Share your story at the link below to contribute to promoting, protecting, supporting, and making Medicaid better!

https://institute4medinnov.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b8D4Xq3SDN2cGPQ?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=here&utm_campaign=Campaign%20Announcement%20-%20May%202026

05/26/2026

Healthy Moms Healthy Babies America recently launched a bipartisan national campaign to improve maternal health and reduce maternal mortality by 50% in 5 years.

Our collective work in NC is aligned with the priorities of this national campaign. NC already has many of the recommended policy recommendations in place - 12 month post-partum coverage, Medicaid expansion, presumptive eligibility, and telehealth coverage.

Through our coordinated efforts we are working to support the maternal health workforce, including doulas and midwives, expand access to team-based and whole health prenatal and post-partum care, and promote the economics and business case for investing in maternal health.

Read more below:

America should be the safest place in the world to have a baby. Right now it isn't. Together we can change that — by cutting U.S. maternal mortality in half within five years.

05/21/2026

Perinatal mental health conditions are the leading cause of preventable pregnancy related deaths and 1 in 5 mothers experience a perinatal mental health condition. But there is help. NCMATTERS is a free resource in North Carolina to support providers caring for prenatal and post-partum patients, including provider to provider consultation, referral and resource coordination, and telepsychiatric assessments. Check out this short video to learn how to access this great resource.

UNC School of Medicine NC Department of Health and Human Services

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyzE6hn4Mv0

05/20/2026

During this briefing, on Wednesday May 27th at 1:30pm, the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health will unveil its latest Maternal Mental Health (MMH) State Report Cards, featuring a new national grade alongside individual state grades that highlight top-performing states, those facing the greatest challenges, and those that have made the most significant progress. The briefing will also introduce new measures on child care and paid leave.

In addition, the briefing will feature a sneak peek at The Harris Poll's third annual State of Maternal Health Report, highlighting survey results of U.S. mothers and their perinatal experiences where the current system is falling short, and outlines how providers and policymakers can better support mothers throughout the pregnancy journey.

Register here: https://lnkd.in/eXavw6Sc

05/18/2026

You can also follow Nurture NC on Instagram to see more.

05/15/2026

ICYMI - New data shows all-time low infant mortality in NC. According to data recently released by NC Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public Health. North Carolina’s infant mortality rate declined 8.7% from 2023 to 2024, from 6.9 to 6.3 deaths per 1,000 live births.

This overall rate includes declines across most racial/ethnic groups, including a 9.4% decline in the infant mortality rate for black infants, the population for whom the infant mortality rate has been the highest. Despite this good news, unacceptable disparities persist.

Black babies are still three time more likely to die before their first birthday than white babies and Native American babies are 2 1/2 times more like to die in their first year of life. We need to continue to work hard together so that all North Carolina babies have the opportunity for a healthy start.

https://www.dph.ncdhhs.gov/programs/title-v-maternal-and-child-health-block-grant/nc-maternal-and-infant-health-data-dashboard/infant-death-rate

05/14/2026

Evidence shows that the incorporation of doulas as part of the team support moms can improve birth outcomes. More than half of states now cover doulas under Medicaid. In NC all standard plan managed care organizations cover doulas as a Value Added Benefits. NNC is working closely with managed care orgs and doula organizations to make more accessible.

Read more below: https://www.axios.com/2026/04/21/doula-care-medicaid-insurance

05/14/2026

Last week, Nurture NC's Board Chair Elizabeth H. Star, and Executive Director Elizabeth Tilson attended the luncheon hosted by Every Mother Counts, an organization founded by Christy Turlington Burns and dedicated to raising awareness of and improving maternal health in the U.S. and Internationally. As part of the event, they previewed their new documentary, Perilous Passage: Birth in America, now available on HBO Max.

Nurture NC is honored to have been included in this important and influential event to support moms and babies and looks forward to working more closely with the Every Mother Counts team to advance our shared goals in North Carolina.

05/07/2026

Elizabeth Star, Founder and President of HopeStar Foundation and Board Chair of Nurture NC writes an Op-Ed in honor of Mother's Day, Sunday May 10th.

In her commentary, she describes maternal and infant health as the heart of North Carolina and focuses on the essential role that mothers play in family stability and our duty as advocates, funders, and legislators to work together to build a thriving future for our mothers and our state.

Together, we can ensure access to coordinated high-quality care, creating a legacy of health that will sustain North Carolina for generations to come.

Read the full opinion piece below.