Heartland Forward, a Bentonville-based think tank, is launching a maternal and child health care center to reduce disparities and improve accessible care across the state. The announcement was made this morning at the Heartland Summit in Bentonville. The center’s official name is the Maternal and Child Health Center for Policy and Practice.
President and COO of Heartland Forward, Angie Cooper, says the center’s mission extends past Arkansas borders. Partners will include agencies within the healthcare system, philanthropists, private interests and public policy leaders. The center will focus on research and development of a quality care model.
A press release accompanying today’s announcement indicates more than $165 billion is spent annually in the U.S. on avoidable medical expenses. Heartland Forward quotes studies that show increased access to prenatal care, mental health services and community health workers could save about $79 billion annually. Cooper says the discussions about what the center can do started almost immediately after today’s announcement.
