Strengthening Maternal Healthcare Access in Rural Southern West Virginia: A Strategic Partnership Plan for SWVHS

Southern West Virginia Health System (SWVHS) is a federally qualified health center (FQHC) serving seven rural counties in one of the most under-resourced maternity deserts in the nation. SWVHS is committed to providing local access to quality-driven healthcare services to the communities in which they are located. Unfortunately, with barriers such as generational distrust in providers, long travel distances, lack of OB/GYN services, and a declining population; SWVHS is looking to expand prenatal, maternity, and postnatal services and build a sustainable and community-trusted maternal health infrastructure. The director of advocacy and grants management and the communications officer enlisted the aid of the New York University Capstone team to identify the gaps in coverage and create a strategic plan of action to improve access to maternal services in the area. The team interviewed organizations in the field, working closely with personal connections, to assemble a portfolio of potential partnership opportunities to present to SWVHS. The details of each partnership, including the organization, background, financial information, and structure of the partnership are included in this report.