The Leon Levine Foundation Awards $2.8 Million to Expand Maternal Healthcare Access in North Carolina’s Maternity Care Deserts

As maternity care deserts continue to expand across North Carolina and much of rural America, The Leon Levine Foundation has committed $2.8 million to help launch an innovative healthcare model designed to bring prenatal and postpartum care closer to underserved communities. The investment will support the expansion of shared maternity care across 10 rural North Carolina counties, creating a potential blueprint for improving maternal health access in communities where expectant mothers often must travel long distances or go without care altogether.

The grant addresses a significant challenge faced by many underserved Carolinians: 28% of North Carolina counties lack a birthing hospital, obstetrician, or certified nurse midwife. The March of Dimes recently designated more than one-third of North Carolina’s counties as maternity deserts or low-access maternity counties. As a result, many women face substantial barriers to receiving prenatal and postpartum care, contributing to poorer health outcomes for mothers and babies.

“For Leon Levine’s family, accessing maternal healthcare meant traveling two counties away when his mother was pregnant. Nearly a century later, too many North Carolina families face the same challenge,” Tom Lawrence, president and CEO of The Leon Levine Foundation, said. “Every mother deserves access to quality care close to home. This investment supports an innovative model that can help create healthier beginnings for children, stronger families, and new possibilities for rural communities across our state.”

The grant will support a partnership among Nurture NC, the North Carolina Community Health Center Association (NCCHCA), North Carolina Area Health Education Centers (NC AHEC), and the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians (NCAFP) to implement the shared maternity care model in 10 counties currently classified as maternity care deserts. The initiative is expected to benefit communities representing approximately 2,300 births annually.

The model enables pregnant women to receive early and consistent prenatal and postpartum care from a local family medicine physician while maintaining access to consultative support from an obstetric specialist in a neighboring community. The approach reduces travel burdens, strengthens continuity of care, and allows women to receive care from trusted providers closer to home. It also reduces lost wages, transportation costs, and other barriers that often prevent families from receiving timely care, helping create a stronger foundation for long-term self-sufficiency.

What our partners are saying:

“This investment reflects what is possible when partners come together with a shared commitment to strengthening North Carolina’s maternal health system,” Chris Shank, president and CEO of NCCHCA, said. “Community health centers are uniquely positioned to expand access to maternity care in communities across our state, particularly in rural areas where access remains a significant challenge. This partnership will help build local capacity, support providers, and create sustainable pathways for families to receive the care they need closer to home.”

“Geography should not determine a mother’s or baby’s chance at a healthy start, which is why increasing rural health access is a strategic priority for Nurture NC,” Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, executive director of Nurture NC, said. “We’re thrilled that we have been able to support our partners to better serve our rural moms and babies.”