In Missouri’s Bootheel region, many families face barriers to timely prenatal and postpartum care — from distance and transportation challenges to difficulty navigating services. To address these challenges, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Missouri is convening community organizations to turn local insights into coordinated action. In collaboration with the Missouri Bootheel Regional Consortium (MBRC), UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Missouri is investing $250,000 to advance maternal health outcomes and strengthen relationships between families and provider care teams across the region.
“Being able to see a doctor during pregnancy and postpartum is essential for keeping moms and babies healthy, yet many families in the Bootheel lack that access,”said Jamie Bruce, CEO, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Missouri.
What the collaboration will focus on
- Enhancing support for expectant mothers: Expand care navigation and connections to services so mothers can engage earlier and receive community-based support.
- Strengthening provider collaborations: Support provider training and education to build trust, strengthen patient-provider relationships and address community needs.
- Deepening ongoing community engagement: Create structured listening sessions and feedback loops through collaboration so solutions stay grounded in lived experience.
A community-led collaboration grounded in local insight
MBRC is a community-based organization providing outreach, training and resources to improve health outcomes across the Bootheel region. As the primary community collaborator, MBRC will engage residents and local providers to better understand maternal health needs — helping ensure the work reflects the experiences of families who call the region home.
Support to turn insight into action
The National Institute for Children’s Health Quality (NICHQ), a national nonprofit focused on improving maternal and child health outcomes, is also collaborating on the project. NICHQ will bring expertise in community engagement, maternal and child health and quality improvement to help local collaborators turn community feedback into practical, evidence-informed approaches that strengthen care for mothers and babies.
Looking ahead
This work in Missouri reflects UnitedHealthcare’s broader commitment to collaborating with community organizations to help improve health outcomes for families. By convening community organizations, listening first, strengthening connections to care and supporting the teams who serve mothers every day, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Missouri is helping make prenatal and postpartum care easier to access — and more supportive — for families throughout Missouri.
Visit the Missouri page to learn more about how we’re working to support communities across the state.
