06/10/2026
What started as a quiet conversation and a generous act of faith from an anonymous donor has grown into something we are incredibly proud of.
Years in the making, the Obstetrical Transitions of Care: Interdisciplinary Practices for Rural Providers program is now a statewide initiative, bringing high-fidelity simulation training directly to nursing and EMS teams in rural communities across Florida who care for pregnant patients and newborns every day, often without a labor and delivery unit nearby.
We are thrilled to be doing this work alongside the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative (FPQC) and the Florida Center for Emergency Medical Services (FL-CEMS), and we could not have made this leap without the critical support of the Florida Department of Health. Their investment turned a small pilot into a program that will reach hundreds of healthcare professionals and the families they serve.
The program started with a pilot in Apalachicola in 2025, made possible by a kind and anonymous philanthropist who believed in this work before it had a name. That single act of generosity planted a seed. We have already completed training in Calhoun County, and DeSoto and Taylor Counties are next.
To the teams at FPQC and FL-CEMS — thank you for your collaboration and your commitment to this mission. And to the Florida Department of Health, thank you for helping us make this real at scale.
This one is for the mothers and babies in every corner of Florida. Every community deserves care.
🔗 Read the full story: https://www.usf.edu/health/news/2026/usf-health-expands-emergency-maternity-care-training-in-floridas-rural-counties.aspx
Faculty and simulation experts with USF Health are joining forces to bring high-fidelity obstetric emergency training to rural care teams in 16 counties across Florida, thanks to a new grant from the Florida Department of Health.