Florida Blue Foundation Invests $3.5 Million to Address Florida’s Maternal Health Crisis

To address Florida's maternal health crisis, the Florida Blue Foundation, the philanthropic affiliate of Florida Blue and part of the GuideWell portfolio of companies, is investing $3.5 million to expand access to doula care, in-home visits, mental health services, and chronic condition support for mothers and families statewide.

Why it matters: High rates of preterm birth and infant mortality across Florida, particularly among women with chronic conditions and limited access to care, underscore the need for stronger, community-based maternal health support to improve outcomes for mothers and babies.

By the numbers:

• Florida ranks 32nd of 52 (includes all states, DC, and Puerto Rico) for preterm births with a rate of 10.7%.
• $3.5 million invested to address Florida's maternal health crisis
• 9 nonprofit programs funded through multi-year grants
• Statewide reach, including rural and under-resourced communities
• 2 focus areas: chronic conditions in pregnancy and maternal mental health

The details: This latest round of grants supports organizations improving maternal health outcomes for women with chronic conditions, as well as those that provide perinatal and postpartum mental health services.

"These organizations are meeting mothers where they are - in clinics, in their homes, in early learning centers, and in places that are comfortable and convenient for them," said Susan Towler, executive director of Florida Blue Foundation. "Every program we support helps close gaps in access, improve maternal and infant health outcomes, and strengthen families across the state."

2026 Maternal Health Grant Recipients

Improving Maternal Health Outcomes for Chronic Conditions:

• Lakeland Regional Medical Center (Central/West Florida) - The Innovative Support for Maternal Health Outcomes program provides nurse navigation, doula support, education, and monitoring tools to help high-risk pregnant women manage chronic conditions and reduce complications.-risk pregnant women manage chronic conditions and reduce complications.
• March of Dimes - South Florida Chapter (South Florida) - The Green Cars for Kids initiative provides free electric transportation to prenatal, postpartum, and specialty care appointments, helping mothers with chronic conditions maintain consistent care.
• Pasco Kids First (West Florida) - The Thrive Well: Maternal Health & Wellness program expands home visiting services to include maternal health monitoring, chronic condition education, and referrals for at-risk mothers.
• Collier Health Services / Healthcare Network of SWFL (Southwest Florida) - The Transitions of Care for High-Risk Pregnancies program coordinates care across home, hospital, and postpartum settings using monitoring, follow-up support, and AI enabled nutrition tools.

Perinatal and Postpartum Maternal Mental Health Support:

• Primary Care Medical Services of Poinciana / Osceola Community Health Services (Central Florida) - The Maternal Mental Health Integration Program embeds mental health screening, counseling, and peer support into routine OB/GYN care to strengthen perinatal and postpartum outcomes in Osceola County.
• University of North Florida Foundation (Northeast Florida) - The Osprey Psych Telehealth Maternal Mental Health Initiative expands access to perinatal and postpartum behavioral health care through telehealth, bilingual technology support, and AI enabled tools.
• Capital Area Healthy Start Coalition (Northwest Florida) - The C.O.A.S.T. Through Pregnancy program uses perinatal navigators and licensed clinical social workers to coordinate medical, mental health, and social services for mothers.
• Indian River County Healthy Start Coalition (Treasure Coast) - The Postpartum & Bereavement Community Doula Program offers emotional, mental health, and practical support to families navigating postpartum recovery or loss.
• The Children's Movement of Florida (Statewide) - The Early Motherhood Support Groups program creates safe, peer supported spaces in early learning centers where pregnant women and new mothers can strengthen their mental well-being.

"To truly make progress for the youngest Floridians, we must impact the adults - in the family and community - who help shape children's lives," said Madeleine Thakur, president & CEO of The Children's Movement of Florida. "We are grateful for the support from Florida Blue Foundation, which is helping to bridge gaps in care and services for new mothers and families."

These programs will serve families across Florida, including those living in rural areas and in communities with limited access to maternal health services and support.

Food Security Grant Program Applications also now open

In addition to announcing maternal health funding, the Florida Blue Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2026 funding cycle of its food security grant program. The Foundation will award approximately $3.2 million in grants and is seeking proposals that address the following topic areas:

Focus 1: Transforming Health through Food

Healthy eating is a crucial component of overall well-being, and access to nutritious food can play a significant role in preventing and managing chronic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity which are prevalent in Florida. This funding focus supports programs that apply Food is Medicine principles to deliver effective interventions that improve health outcomes and quality of life. Funding will support initiatives that provide nutrition prescriptions, education, counseling, and medical nutrition therapy to individuals and communities. Programs that provide fresh produce and healthy food to support lifestyle changes and improve overall community well-being are a priority. Partnerships between health care providers, grocery stores, food banks, and community organizations that address food insecurity as a social determinant of health are encouraged.

Focus 2: Growing Access, Growing Capacity

Vulnerable populations in Florida, including children, families, and seniors, often face significant barriers to accessing healthy food, particularly in food desert communities. This funding focus supports organizations that provide essential services to address food access gaps and promote community resilience. Funding will support food distribution programs, including food banks, delivery services, pantries, and mobile markets, as well as urban agriculture and collaborative solutions that increase access to nutritious food. Effective organizations with strong foundations are best positioned to drive lasting change; therefore, support for operational needs is a critical component of this funding focus, enabling them to sustain and grow their efforts over time.

The application window closes on April 22 and details are available at www.floridablue.com/foundation.

Go deeper: To learn more about Florida Blue Foundation's impact across the state, including its commitment to improving maternal health outcomes, read GuideWell's latest impact report.

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About Florida Blue Foundation

Florida Blue Foundation enables healthy communities by making grants, building coalitions, and embracing solutions that create a meaningful impact in communities across the state. An average of 10 million Floridians receive services each year as a result of its community investments. Founded in 2001, Florida Blue Foundation is committed to improving health by impacting food security, advancing mental well-being, growing healthy communities, and addressing health disparities. Florida Blue Foundation is a trade name of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation, Inc., an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information, please visit FloridaBlue.com/Foundation.

About Florida Blue

Driven by its mission of helping people and communities achieve better health, Florida Blue is the leading health insurer in Florida, and part of GuideWell, a not-for-profit health services company. Florida Blue offers a range of health plans and personalized care programs for individuals, families, businesses of all sizes, and Medicare beneficiaries. For over 80 years, the organization has been member centric and committed to making health care as accessible and affordable as possible. Serving more than six million members across all 67 Florida counties, Florida Blue has more than 8,000 employees and is headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., is owned by its policyholders, and is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

For additional information visit FloridaBlue.com. For the latest news and content, visit the Florida Blue Newsroom, and follow Florida Blue on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram @Florida.Blue; and X (formerly Twitter) @FLBlue.