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Revolutionizing Maternal Care: NJEDA Launches Trenton Health Innovation Center
New Jersey Economic Development Authority seeks anchor tenants for a groundbreaking Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center to tackle racial disparities and improve maternal care in Trenton and beyond
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) has issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for three anchor tenants to lead the first-of-its-kind Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center in Trenton. This initiative is central to First Lady Tammy Murphy's Nurture NJ strategic plan, which aims to reduce the state's maternal mortality rates by 50 percent in five years and eliminate racial disparities in birth outcomes.
The NJEDA is seeking a health care services provider, an Institution of Higher Education (IHE), and a Trenton-based Multi-Service Organization (MSO) to serve as initial anchor tenants. These entities will collaborate to provide services to expectant and new parents and babies, advance the perinatal workforce's growth and development, and deliver maternal and infant health policy, research, and innovation with a focus on eliminating racial disparities in health outcomes.
In addition to the RFQ, the NJEDA is seeking expressions of interest from community partners who may not meet the qualifications for or are not interested in serving in a lead role but are interested in providing direct services or establishing partnerships with the Center or the selected lead partners.
First Lady Murphy emphasized the importance of the Center as a hub for developing innovative models of care and policy to transform maternal health care locally, across the state, and as a resource for communities nationwide.
NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan highlighted that the Center would not only ensure high-quality care and services for Trenton moms and newborns but also spur development, create good-paying jobs, support families, and generate economic activity.
The RFQ seeks to identify three lead tenants for the development, programming, and ongoing operations of the Maternal Infant and Health Innovation Center. They will focus on comprehensive clinical services, academic research and workforce training, and wrap-around social services to eliminate racial disparities in maternal and infant health.
The Healthcare Clinical Services Provider must be a New Jersey-based birthing or maternity hospital, approved to accept Medicaid and provide culturally competent care with specialized approaches for Black and Brown women, teenagers, and individuals with limited English proficiency.
The lead IHE will provide research on maternal and infant health, focusing on innovative models of care, data processing, and health equity. They will also serve as a hub for growing and training the perinatal workforce and offer various educational programs.
The Trenton-based MSO will focus on providing services that directly impact social determinants of health, such as food insecurity, housing, and transportation. The MSO must be headquartered in Trenton, provide direct services within the city, be a 501(c)3 organization, and have at least 33% of their revenue come from governmental sources for the past two IRS 990 filings.
Organizations interested in providing services or partnering with the Center but not qualified for the RFQ can express their interest through a dedicated form.
Last year, the NJEDA entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the John S. Watson Institute for Urban Policy and Research at Kean University to facilitate community engagement, build trust, and support Trenton residents to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.
New Jersey ranks 36th in the nation for maternal deaths and has one of the widest racial disparities for both maternal and infant mortality. The Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center aims to address these disparities by providing community-centered, compassionate, and equitable care for all women.
