Project Grant UK955651

The Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration awarded Augusta University $999,999 on September 30, 2026, under the Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies Program (CFDA 93.912, Rural Healthcare Services Programs).

Augusta University will implement the Georgia Maternal and Infant Health Access, Protection and Support (GMAPS) project, establishing a sustainable formal obstetric health services network and improving maternal and infant health outcomes in rural and underserved populations across 13 HRSA-designated rural counties in Georgia: Burke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Jefferson, Lincoln, McDuffie, Morgan, Oglethorpe, Walton (including specific census tracts), Warren, Washington, and Wilkes. The target service area includes maternity care deserts and areas with low access to obstetric care. The network comprises an academic research institute, one Level III obstetric hospital, one rural hospital, two federally qualified health centers, two area health education centers, the state Medicaid office, one maternal behavioral health organization, and two community-based organizations. The target population consists of women in rural counties, of whom 40 percent are racial or ethnic minorities and 17 percent are uninsured.

The project period runs from September 30, 2026, through September 29, 2030. Performance takes place in Georgia. The program supports innovative approaches to establish integrated health care networks that expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of basic health care services in rural communities.