Project HOPE Launches Initiative to Expand Maternal Healthcare in South Georgia

Project HOPE has launched a one-year initiative in Valdosta, Georgia, to expand access to maternal healthcare by supporting both women and the health clinics that serve them, with funding from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and in partnership with the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia (HMHBGA).

Valdosta is a maternal health hub for a 15-county area of South Georgia, and many women in the region rely on South Georgia Medical Center (SGMC), with more than 1,500 births annually. Yet the region continues to face persistent barriers to care due to a large Medicaid-insured and medically underserved population and a heavy chronic disease burden.

“Nearly half of Georgia’s counties are maternity care deserts, which means the care women can find in Valdosta is a lifeline,” says Kristin Anderson, Program Officer at Project HOPE. “This initiative strengthens clinical capacity at SGMC Women’s Health clinics and builds on community partnerships to address barriers to maternal care and improve health outcomes for mothers and babies across South Georgia.”

Through the initiative, Project HOPE, working with HMHBGA and SGMC, will:

• Strengthen care navigation for Valdosta families by leveraging and expanding HMHBGA’s Care Line, a free confidential statewide resource that connects pregnant and postpartum families to trusted information, referrals, and support throughout the maternal health journey.

• Expand doula support by providing 23 women in Valdosta with culturally responsive doula services, including two prenatal visits, support during labor and delivery, and two postpartum visits, to strengthen continuity of care and promote positive birth outcomes.

• Train 40 nurses, midwives, doulas, and community health workers in respectful maternity care principles to foster equitable, person-centered maternal health services.

• Invest $160,000 in health equipment and supplies for SGMC Women’s Health clinics to bolster women’s healthcare.

• Raise awareness and advocacy for maternal health equity through a public awareness campaign on the importance of early, consistent prenatal care and promotion of Georgia’s 12-month Medicaid postpartum coverage.

Together these efforts will strengthen clinical care, community support, and care coordination to improve maternal health outcomes and create lasting impact for women and families across South Georgia.

For media inquiries, please reach out to media@projecthope.org.