By Ryma Lindquist, WWH, Community Relations Director
BALDWIN, WI – Western Wisconsin Health (WWH) Foundation has been awarded a $390,000 grant from the Roots & Wings Foundation, distributed over the next three years, to address birth center disparities, remove barriers, and expand obstetrical care services. The Roots & Wings Foundation, which prioritizes prevention, early intervention, and life-saving programming from preconception through age three, is dedicated to ensuring quality healthcare access for all. This funding will enable WWH’s obstetrical team to meet the rising need for maternal and infant health services in rural Wisconsin, focusing on prevention, healthcare access, and health education to improve post-partum outcomes for both mothers and infants.
WWH serves rural St. Croix, Pierce, and Dunn counties, areas projected to see significant population growth, including a 41% increase in St. Croix County by 2040. Over the last five years, WWH has already observed a steady increase in births and is anticipating over 400 deliveries in 2024. As many rural birth centers have closed, the need for accessible obstetrical care has expanded beyond WWH’s established service area, drawing patients from even farther distances. According to the American Hospital Association, from 2015 to 2019, at least 89 rural birth centers closed across the country, and by 2020, nearly half of rural community hospitals no longer provided obstetrical care. Wisconsin has faced a 24% decline in hospitals offering obstetric services over the last decade, a trend exacerbated by reimbursement challenges.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the Roots & Wings Foundation’s support,” says Erika Schurtz, Birth Center Manager at WWH. “This funding will help us sustain and expand services at a time when our birth numbers are rising, ensuring that families in our community have safe, accessible care close to home. The grant enables us to better support mothers, infants, and families, especially in rural areas, by expanding our workforce, offering education, and fostering support systems that make a lasting impact.”
This grant will allow WWH’s obstetrical team to receive specialized training, provide educational classes to mothers and families, grow the perinatal workforce, and strengthen economic and social support for families before, during, and after pregnancy. WWH is dedicated to enhancing maternal and perinatal healthcare, promoting healthy brain and early childhood development, and addressing mental health needs for the region’s growing young community.
Interested in supporting the WWH Birth Center? Visit wwhealth.org/contribute.
