This community-focused initiative aims to improve maternal health outcomes and childbirth experiences in New Jersey.

With nearly all births in the state occurring in hospitals, the program focuses on strengthening hospital practices while also fostering meaningful community partnerships to drive lasting improvements in care. We are among the first organizations in the nation to implement recommendations from the National Partnership for Women & Families’ guide, Raising the Bar for Maternal Health Equity and Excellence.

Initially piloted in partnership with Capital Health and Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center, Raising the Bar is now expanding to two additional health systems, AtlantiCare and Inspira Health. As the initiative continues to grow, it is helping advance broader efforts toward more equitable, respectful, and patient-centered maternal health care across New Jersey.

Key Program Activities and Resources

MATERNAL HEALTH BENCHMARKING SURVEY

The Maternal Health Benchmarking Survey helps hospitals understand how maternal health care is delivered across inpatient and outpatient settings. The assessment looks at a wide range of areas, including hospital practices, maternal mental health, midwifery and doula services, patient experiences, and social supports. Together with interviews from hospital leaders, staff, and community representatives, it provides a more complete picture of care to recognize strengths and identify opportunities for meaningful improvement.

Developed by the Quality Institute in collaboration with Ariadne Labs, the survey and rubric draw on recommendations from the Raising the Bar for Maternal Health Equity and Excellence guide and other national best practices.

Access the Survey & Rubric

MATERNAL HEALTH BENCHMARKING SURVEY GUIDE

This guide walks hospitals through the Maternal Health Benchmarking Survey process, from planning and gathering information to reviewing results and identifying opportunities for improvement. It offers practical guidance for engaging teams across departments and using findings to inform changes in care. Hospitals can adapt the process to fit their needs and are encouraged to revisit the survey annually to track progress over time.

Access the Survey Guide

PERINATAL COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARDS

A central component of the initiative is the establishment of Perinatal Community Advisory Boards (PCABs). A PCAB is a formal partnership between hospitals and community members to strengthen maternal health care through meaningful collaboration. PCABs provide a structured way for people with lived experiences to share their perspectives, help shape hospital policies and practices, and inform improvements in care. By elevating community voices, PCABs help hospitals provide care that is more respectful, responsive, and centered on the needs of people giving birth.

The pilot demonstrated what these partnerships can accomplish. At one hospital, PCAB feedback helped create a mental health fellowship to provide direct support and referrals, expand doula engagement, and shape the need for a dedicated maternity care social worker budget. At another hospital, PCAB members helped develop a maternity care and hospital tour video, supported strategies for information sharing and recovery during the perinatal period, and increased hospital engagement in community initiatives.

Download the PCAB Overview

PERINATAL COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD TOOLKIT

This toolkit provides a flexible, step-by-step guide for establishing and sustaining a Perinatal Community Advisory Board (PCAB). It helps hospitals and community partners assess readiness, build a strong foundation for meaningful engagement, and incorporate community perspectives into hospital practices and care improvement efforts.

Access the PCAB Toolkit

“Care you receive can feel like it’s happening to you, rather than involving you. This initiative helps capture the blind spots in care and improve outcomes and communication. So many positives come from this.”

– Karina, New Mom and PCAB Member

“Hearing from, and being responsive to, our patients and community is a vital part of being a community focused healthcare provider. Having the opportunity to hear directly from those who have used, or plan to use, our services gives us the chance to hear what we are doing right, but even more importantly, what we can improve or consider as we develop our services.”

– Alex Nelson, Service Line Director, Maternal & Infant Health, Capital Health