Home
Issues
Aim & Scope
Open Access
Editorial Board
Indexing
Supporting Midwifery Associations
Contact us
Manuscript Types
Manuscript Formatting
How to submit
Special publications and Reprints
Authorship & COI
Principles of Transparency Checklist
Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement
CONFERENCE PROCEEDING
Expanding and strengthening the midwifery workforce in Michigan through innovative community and academic partnerships: The Michigan Midwifery Maternity Care Scholars program
1
University of Michigan, School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, United States
2
Birth Detroit, na, Detroit, United States
Eur J Midwifery 2026;10(Supplement 1):A137
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
There is a crisis in maternity care in the United States, with significant disparities in care outcomes combined with limited access to midwifery care providers in many communities. To address this challenge, the University of Michigan midwifery program faculty collaborated with community and clinical partners to offer new approaches under the Michigan Maternity Care (MiMatCare) Scholars program. The focus is to strengthen and grow the midwifery workforce in Michigan and beyond with a diverse student body preparing to serve underserved communities.
DISCUSSION:
Key tenants of our model include provision of financial resources, enhancing academic success strategies, creating a sense of belonging, providing mentorship and offering high quality inclusive teaching in the classroom and clinical settings. These experiences, combined with exceptional clinical training in a range of practice settings, including rural areas and birth centers located in underserved communities, prepare graduates to meet the full range of social drivers of health of birthing families. Community partners include Birth Detroit, a non-profit Black-led birth justice organization providing birth center care. This, combined with our Health System Partners in underserved communities, we are building a comprehensive approach to growing the midwifery workforce in critically needed areas of Michigan.
EVIDENCE WHERE RELEVANT:
In 2 years, we diversified and expanded our admissions pool by over 50%, graduated 5 students, and are supporting another 12 students with scholarships and program services who will join the midwifery workforce in 2026.
KEY MESSAGE:
Through strategic, collaborative partnerships with community and clinical partners, we are successfully expanding the midwifery workforce in Michigan. This program is a critical intervention to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes by increasing access to midwifery care providers with rich lived experiences, meeting the needs of underserved communities across Michigan and the United States. Education faculty development 1
There is a crisis in maternity care in the United States, with significant disparities in care outcomes combined with limited access to midwifery care providers in many communities. To address this challenge, the University of Michigan midwifery program faculty collaborated with community and clinical partners to offer new approaches under the Michigan Maternity Care (MiMatCare) Scholars program. The focus is to strengthen and grow the midwifery workforce in Michigan and beyond with a diverse student body preparing to serve underserved communities.
DISCUSSION:
Key tenants of our model include provision of financial resources, enhancing academic success strategies, creating a sense of belonging, providing mentorship and offering high quality inclusive teaching in the classroom and clinical settings. These experiences, combined with exceptional clinical training in a range of practice settings, including rural areas and birth centers located in underserved communities, prepare graduates to meet the full range of social drivers of health of birthing families. Community partners include Birth Detroit, a non-profit Black-led birth justice organization providing birth center care. This, combined with our Health System Partners in underserved communities, we are building a comprehensive approach to growing the midwifery workforce in critically needed areas of Michigan.
EVIDENCE WHERE RELEVANT:
In 2 years, we diversified and expanded our admissions pool by over 50%, graduated 5 students, and are supporting another 12 students with scholarships and program services who will join the midwifery workforce in 2026.
KEY MESSAGE:
Through strategic, collaborative partnerships with community and clinical partners, we are successfully expanding the midwifery workforce in Michigan. This program is a critical intervention to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes by increasing access to midwifery care providers with rich lived experiences, meeting the needs of underserved communities across Michigan and the United States. Education faculty development 1
| eISSN: | 2585-2906 |
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
