PHPA 3772_Thrive by Three Pre-Conference 3.19.26 (1).pdf

Thrive by Three Prenatal Innovation Incubator:

Reducing Barriers to Timely Prenatal Care

Request for Applications Pre-Application Conference

Prevention and Health Promotion Administration

Maternal and Child Health Bureau

March 19, 2026

MISSION AND VISION

MISSION

The mission of the Prevention and Health Promotion Administration is to protect, promote and improve the health and well-being of all

Marylanders and their families through provision of public health leadership and through community-based public health efforts in partnership with local health departments, providers, community based organizations, and public and private sector agencies, giving special attention to at-risk and vulnerable populations.

VISION

The Prevention and Health Promotion Administration envisions a future in which all Marylanders and their families enjoy optimal health and well-being.

Prevention and Health Promotion Administration

Maryland Maternal Health Landscape

• Current challenge: Only 69.3% of pregnant people in MD initiate care in the 1st trimester

• Disparities: Significant gaps exist; in 2023, only 46.6% of Hispanic mothers initiated care in the 1st trimester

• Impact: 35.6% of SMM (Severe Maternal Morbidity) cases had no 1st-trimester care

• Goal: Bridge the gap between pregnancy confirmation and the first clinical prenatal visit

Maternal Prenatal and Infant Care Grant Program Fund

• Legislative Act that establishes funding to increase access to prenatal care

• MDH prioritizes perinatal care coordination to increase prenatal and postpartum care and support birth outcomes

• Centralized coordinated system that connects patients to care and other perinatal support services

Funding Opportunity Overview

• Solicitation: PHPA 3772 / BPM055857

• Total Funding: SFY27: $714,640 (9 months), SFY28: $925,000 (12 months)

• Awards: Up to 4 awards

• Eligible Entities: FQHCs, Hospitals, and Prenatal Care Providers

• Priority to applicants in jurisdictions with a high number of births to women enrolled in Maryland Medicaid Assistance Program; high rates of infant mortality; high rates of preterm births; and high rates of infants with low birth weight

Call for Applications Overview

Please Read!

• Applicants should read through the entire Request for Applications document, including all attachments.

• An understanding of program standards and requirements is vital for successful applications.

● Person-Centered Design: Models must be built around specific barriers such as transportation deserts, medical trauma, or limited insurance.

● Linkage to Care: Must describe specific methods for connecting and scheduling participants for their first clinical visit.

● Timing Targets: Early ID: Ensure first visit within 8–10 weeks gestation.

○ Late ID: Provide expedited navigation to confirm an appointment within 5 business days of enrollment

● Sustained Engagement: Check-in system to prevent attrition, proactively addressing barriers

Scope of Work - Core Program Requirements

● Describe current perinatal care landscape and partnerships with service providers, clinics, or CBOs

● Demonstrate need for program and describe how the proposed project addresses current gaps in timely entry to prenatal care

● Applicants must use data to demonstrate need

Scope of Work - Current Perinatal Care Landscape

● Applicant will detail methods used to support pregnant patient throughout prenatal care

○ Can include, but is not limited to, physical or virtual accompaniment and case management

● Applicant must demonstrate transition plan to bridge patients into postpartum services by 36 weeks

Scope of Work - Engagement and Transition

Organizational Capacity

● Summarize experience with maternal health or similar rapid-linkage programs

● Describe staffing infrastructure that supports the 8-10 week entry protocol

● Linguistic responsiveness

Staffing

● Submit staffing plan and resumes for key personnel

○ Program Director

○ Prenatal Navigators

○ Clinical Lead

○ Data Lead

● Provide job description for any vacant positions and demonstrate ability to hire early in the project period

Partnerships and Collaboration

● Required to collaborate with county or municipality’s existing perinatal care coordination program; Letter of

Commitment required

○ Funds may be provided to perinatal care coordination programs to support efforts for this project

● Describe additional partnerships most relevant to their program design

Evaluation

● Participate in evaluation activities and report de-identified, aggregated data quarterly.

● Required data fields include:

○ Initial connection

○ Demographics

○ Clinical lag time

○ Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization Index

○ Other indicators as proposed

● Optional innovative program evaluation, capped at

15% of award

● Quarterly reports detailing program activities on the 15th of the month following the end of the quarter using a standardized temple that covers

○ Budget and Expenditures

○ Task Requirements

○ Technical Assistance

● Participate in quarterly meetings organized by the Department

Scope of Work - Reporting Requirements

The Americans with Disabilities Act: The Americans with Disabilities Act (https:www.ada.gov/) protects qualified individuals with disabilities from discrimination on the basis of disability in services, programs, and activities.

Accessibility and inclusion of diverse populations are essential to reduce health disparities for vulnerable populations. Contractors must comply with all ADA requirements in their work to ensure the needs of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable populations are met. This includes, but is not limited to:

● facilities and any venues used for meetings/conferences are accessible;

● requested accommodations are provided in a timely manner; and

● written and printed materials developed in accessible formats (easy to read, large print, etc.), or providing access to alternative formats.

For contracts which include direct patient care or service delivery through a program, the ADA requires entities provide full and equal access for people with disabilities. This includes, but is not limited to:

● reasonable modifications of policies, practices, and procedures;

● effective communication; and

● accessible facilities.

Scope of Work - ADA

Questions & Answers

Prevention and Health Promotion Administration https://phpa.health.Maryland.gov https://phpa.health.maryland.gov/