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$1.275M in CSIT grants awarded ahead of Maternal Health Awareness Day

First Lady Tammy Murphy announces the awardees of grants to New Jersey startups focused on supporting maternal and infant health. – MATTHEW FAZELPOOR

“This Monday, on the 23rd of this month, we will mark our Sixth Annual Maternal Health Awareness Day here in New Jersey,” First Lady Tammy Murphy said Jan. 20, announcing the awardees of grants going to New Jersey startups focused on supporting maternal and infant health. “In that time, we have made some really significant strides.”

The Friday announcement – made at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s (NJEDA) New Jersey Bioscience Center (NJBC) in North Brunswick – marked another stride forward for those efforts, with a combined $1.275 million in grants of up to $75,000 each awarded to 17 startups through the Maternal and Infant Health R&D Seed Grant Program by the Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology (CSIT) board.

The funding will help to accelerate the recipients’ development of technologies, products and services.

NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan, CSIT Executive Director Judith Sheft, CSIT Chair Debbie Hart, along with several grantees and other stakeholders, were on hand for the announcement.

Meet the grantees:

Analytical Diagnostic Solutions – Mount Laurel
ANMP LLC – Westfield
Curio Digital Therapeutics – Princeton
Enalare Therapeutics – Princeton
INTEGURX Therapeutics – Whitehouse Station
Lactiga Inc. – North Brunswick
Medifvu LLC – Mendham
Melinated Moms LLC – Trenton
Neo GeneStar LLC – Somerset
Neoneur LLC – Pennington
Nutrivide Inc. – New Brunswick
Portable Diagnostics System Inc. – Robbinsville
Ricovr Health Inc. – Princeton
Stateam LLC – Somerset
Vital Start Health Inc. – Princeton
Vitruviae – Nutley
Within Health Technologies LLC – Hopewell

The program supports the goals established by the Nurture NJ Strategic Plan, launched by the first lady and Gov. Phil Murphy with the aim of making New Jersey the safest and most equitable place in America to deliver and raise a baby.

“And while every step that we take and every aspect of our Nurture NJ Maternal and Infant Health Strategic Plan is an essential part of our strategy to solve New Jersey’s maternal health crisis, there is perhaps no field more promising than research and innovation,” said Tammy Murphy. “That is why one of my top priorities for the next three years is to ensure our Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center in Trenton is not only built but thriving.”

The first lady said that facility, which is currently under development, will continue the collective work in this space past the Murphy Administration, serving as an incubator for research and development, an academic and perinatal workforce training center, a data collective and more.

“This one-of-a-kind center will not only help us transform the maternal and infant health landscape here in New Jersey, but it will make our state the national model and gold standard for maternal care,” said Murphy. “And after reading about the work of today’s grant recipients, it is clear that all of you will be essential partners in reaching that goal.”

“One group is working on novel therapies to eliminate the virus that causes the most birth defects in the United States. Another is developing a lotion to fight morning sickness. And another is creating next-level formula,” she said. “These are really revolutionary ideas. And I am beyond proud that they’re originating here in New Jersey. And, by the way, those are just a few of the projects receiving grants today.”

The first lady highlighted additional efforts, such as developing an easier method of obtaining blood samples, using state-of-the-art technology to treat postpartum disorders, and designing pacifiers that are able to properly dose medicine to an infant.

“I say this to every grant recipient here today. I am literally blown away by your creativity and your genius,” said Murphy. “I obviously do not have a background in science, but I am a mother of four and I know first-hand what a difference projects like these will make in the lives of mothers across the state, and ultimately, perhaps our nation and beyond.”

She added that these projects truly have the power to address many pregnancy and maternal health-related concerns, save lives, ease discomfort and make significant medical advancements.

“And more than that, it is obvious that every single awardee receiving a grant has led their work not only with innovation and talent, but also with empathy and understanding of the specific needs of mothers,” said Murphy. “And that at the end of the day is the core of our work. I am beyond impressed, and really just so very grateful to know and now count each and every one of you as a partner to Nurture NJ. With our center and your projects transforming the landscape of maternal and infant health, we will make New Jersey the safest and most equitable state in the nation to deliver and raise a baby.”

‘Who better than New Jersey?’

Sullivan opened his remarks by noting that the NJBC is an NJEDA facility, and that many companies on the North Brunswick campus have grown into large organizations from small seeds, like those grantees highlighted on Friday.

He said the hope was for these awards to seed the next generation of companies to tackle the challenges and help solve the enduring crisis in maternal and infant health.

“This announcement, this program, this initiative really brings together two centerpieces of Gov. Murphy and First Lady Murphy’s strategy overall. One, as the first lady just said, making New Jersey the safest and most equitable place to have and raise a baby,” said Sullivan. “And two, recapturing New Jersey’s leadership position in innovation and entrepreneurship. And those two goals come together here, because who better than New Jersey?

New Jersey Economic Development Authority CEO Tim Sullivan said the hope was for the CSIT grants to seed the next generation of companies to tackle the challenges and help solve the enduring crisis in maternal and infant health. – MATTHEW FAZELPOOR

“We are the medicine chest of the world. We were Silicon Valley before there was a Silicon Valley,” he continued. “Who better than New Jersey? Who’s better positioned than us to bring the power of innovation and science and research and discovery and higher ed to this horrible challenge of maternal and infant health?”

The NJEDA CEO also echoed the first lady’s sentiments about the planned Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center, describing it as a “game-changer.”

“The companies that are applicants for and now awardees under this grant program are exactly the kind of companies we hope will call that space home,” said Sullivan, noting that the NJEDA has applied for $25 million in federal funding to go along with $20 million in state funding and that a request for quote is planned for the first quarter of this year to help identify partners in building the center.

As he turned over the microphone to Sheft, Sullivan pointed out that they were in the same room where Gov. Murphy signed legislation in 2018 re-establishing the CSIT.

“The governor signed that bill bringing back the Commission, and it was because we wanted to do things just like this program and lots of other programs,” said Sullivan. “Because innovation, we think, is the essential ingredient to durable job creation.”

A diverse mix

“Helping these startups to advance their products and servicers from ideas through the commercialization will have a lasting impact on the quality of care for New Jersey’s mothers and infants. The awardees are working on a variety of drug, diagnostic, hardware and software solutions to address and improve maternal and infant health,” said Sheft. “CSIT is responsible for strengthening the innovation economy in New Jersey, encouraging collaboration and connectivity between industry, academia and the translation of innovation into successful, high-growth businesses.”

Sheft was particularly encouraged that many of these grantees were new to CSIT and had not received prior funding — meaning they were connecting with companies that could be brought into the CSIT and NJEDA family to leverage their capabilities.

She was also encouraged by the diversity of the recipients.

“These are small companies. The majority of these companies have five or fewer employees,” said Sheft. “So, these are really early-stage, getting started companies. And we saw a real increase in the diversity of the awardees. Thirty-eight percent were self-reported as minority-owned businesses and 33% were self-reported as women-owned businesses.”

Debbie Hart, president and CEO, BioNJ. — Hart

“We applaud these innovators who are creating solutions where they are so desperately needed, as well as the first lady for her foresight and commitment to this important work,” said Hart. “We are grateful to have the opportunity to partner in this way and that babies and their families will benefit in meaningful ways.”

Following the announcement, Murphy spoke to NJBIZ and emphasized again just how critical of an issue this is and how she believes their efforts in this area are making an impact.

“Things are happening and it’s really great that we’re now starting to see this,” Murphy told NJBIZ. “We have three years to run like heck to make sure that the Innovation Center is up-and-running. And there’s a lot of other pieces to the puzzle that are falling into place.”

Murphy said it is going to take transformational change in this space to move the needle here in the United States, which she noted is 56th in the world for maternal mortality rates.

“We are in a really horrible place, and it’s something that most people don’t even know about,” she said. “We are working doggedly to correct the situation. But all of these ideas, they’re all going to help.”

Murphy added that bringing together an effort like this underscores the Garden State’s role in advancing maternal and infant health. “I’m really excited about this grant,” she said.

Road MAP: NJ Quality Institute issues call to improve maternal care

To do better, you have to know how something is currently performing. New Jersey is No. 47 nationwide for maternal health outcomes. On top of that, the playing field is uneven, with Black women seven times more likely than their white counterparts to die from a pregnancy-related complications. So, there’s room to grow in the Garden State when it comes to Maternal Infant Health.

First Lady Tammy Murphy launched the Nurture NJ initiative in 2019 to tackle that task. To achieve the goals of addressing maternal mortality and morbidity and ensuring equity in care, the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute released the Maternity Action Plan – yes, it’s a MAP – July 12 to guide those efforts. The plan is made for action.

The MAP outlines four priorities to improve Maternal Infant Health and outcomes:

Expand and diversify the perinatal workforce
Collect and use data – including patient-reported experiences – to improve equity and equality
Reform payment systems to drive high-quality holistic MIH (including behavioral health services)
Strengthen community-based social supports before, during and after pregnancy

It includes 11 specific recommendations and supporting materials for regulatory and policy changes that can be made to achieve the goals of and “operationalize” Nurture NJ. But the information can also be used to “operationalize” others, in the private sector or at the community level. There’s even a chart. Which is handy, because the report is packed with details. It highlights the intersection of the MAP’s recommendations and Nurture NJ’s goals.

Here’s a closer look at some of those proposals:

Workforce

Expanding the MIH workforce is essential to ensuring more equity within it. The MAP identifies that effort to build more diversity – both of background and experience – as collaborative across the public and private sectors. To achieve this, a closer look must be taken at what services are needed, and what types of providers are appropriate to deliver them. On-going anti-racism education and training are also recommended, and not just for MIH professionals. “Change will not occur without attention and training, and reinforcement for shifts in practice for all staff levels from the top down,” the report states.

How it happens: Create a state accrediting body to award a “racial equity designation” for public, private sectors; convene the private sector to incentivize and engage them in taking action on racial equity issues; all health care system CEOs and health professional societies should commit to action, including with explicit steps

Data

Food for thought

New Jersey labor and delivery hospitals in the state already voluntarily report on their quality and safety through The Leapfrog Group Hospital Safety Survey (which has a specific section on maternity care). The MAP suggests Jersey’s MDC could enter into an agreement with Leapfrog and The Joint Commission – like the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative and Data Center – to reduce resources spent on collecting information that’s already being collected.

It’s not that there isn’t data, but the data that is available is spread across different organizations in New Jersey, limiting its use. The state launched its Maternal Data Center in 2019; according to the MAP, the New Jersey Department of Health is committed to improving and expanding the MDC to collect, analyze and report on MIH-related information from New Jersey’s different silos. The MAP identifies this facet as “foundational” to implementing the Nurture NJ Strategic Plan. In addition to improving data and its access, that information should be acted upon to improve quality, payment models and public reporting.

How it happens: Private sector businesses or associations should fund, conduct and disseminate a business case for racial equity analysis specific to the Garden State; all 49 birthing hospitals should meet or attain rates lower than the national target for cesarean births; hospitals should institute systematic changes to accommodate doulas; NJDOH should work with health care providers to increase accountability on racial equity initiatives.

Payment

The MAP suggests initiating new pilots to explore payment reforms and how they can be leveraged to further equitable and quality MIH. Additionally, many pilots that are already active are time-limited; the plan says these must be evaluated beyond their pilot periods, while private sector payers and stakeholders should consider whether new payment or care models are aligned with services they already offer so it is easier for consumers, communities and providers to understand what’s available and how to access it.

Find out more

In conjunction with the launch of the MAP, the Partnership for Maternal and Child Health is hosting four Facebook Live events featuring community partners and highlighting the plan.

All sessions will take place at noon EDT and run about 20 minutes. They can be found here.

July 13 – Part 1: Diversifying the Health Care Workforce
July 14 – Part 2: The Role of Data in Improving Maternal Mortality Rates
July 20 – Part 3: Holistic Care Saves Lives
July 21 – Part 4: Empowering Communities

How it happens: The state Division of Consumer Affairs should examine standards of care related to MIH; value-based care models should be assessed to ensure health providers that disproportionately serve communities with higher social needs are not penalized; increase the number of Baby-Friendly designated hospitals to at least one in all infant mortality hotspot areas.

Support

It’s not just the medical system that needs to recalibrate to affect changes in MIH. The approach should be “multi-sector,” according to the MAP, to address social determinants, as well. All families in the state should have a safe, secure place to live. On top of that, support should extend into childhood via child care, which the report identifies as a “critical” statewide industry. The MAP suggests that financial aid should be maximized so that there is access to high-quality child care in the state and that awareness should be built up around the Connecting NJ referral process.

How it happens: The New Jersey Economic Development Authority should provide targeted support to child care providers; housing developers, funders, advocates and stakeholders throughout the state should develop efforts across sectors to increase quality, affordable housing for pregnant individuals and women with young children.

The complete New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute released the Maternity Action Plan is available here.

Maternal, infant health grant program accepting applications

The New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation, and Technology (CSIT) recently opened applications for its $750,000 Maternal and Infant R&D Seed Grant Program. The initiative, made possible by a partnership between CSIT and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, is offering 10 grants of up to $75,000 each to help New Jersey-based, early-stage innovation companies to accelerate the development of technologies, products and services that support pregnant women and new mothers.

The effort builds on the Nurture NJ Strategic Plan, which is championed by First Lady Tammy Murphy along with the governor, to make New Jersey the safest place in America to deliver a baby, while specifically focusing on ending racial disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes. Nuture NJ was launched in 2019 by the Murphys as a comprehensive, whole-of-government effort to reduce maternal and infant mortality and morbidity and ensure equitable care among women and children of all races and ethnicities in New Jersey.

“Investing in research and new technologies strengthens our families by ensuring the health and safety of our mothers and their babies. I’m thrilled the Maternal and Infant Health R&D Seed Grant Program will advance our work to end racial disparities by funding New Jersey companies committed to supporting maternal and infant health through innovation,” the First Lady said.

First Lady Tammy Murphy launches Nurture NJ, a maternal and infant health awareness campaign, on Jan. 23, 2019 at Cooper University Hospital in Camden. – EDWIN J. TORRES/GOVERNOR’S OFFICE

“It aligns with the overall Nurture NJ initiative by providing seed grants to early-stage innovative companies who are working on developing product, service capabilities that are addressing maternal and infant health care challenges,” CSIT executive director Judith Sheft told NJBIZ.

Sheft stressed that the ideas can range from companies developing an app to help pregnant women make sure they understand all their medication requirements to a software solution to a new type of bottle or medical device for a parent to use in terms of helping their children.

Judith Sheft, executive director of the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation, and Technology — Sheft

“So, it’s kind of that whole range of things to help pregnant people during the time that they’re pregnant through the one-year post-birth,” said Sheft.

The program will support the investments in R&D and technologies supporting this initiative in targeted sectors, including life sciences, technology, and non-retail food and beverage.

Among the criteria for eligible applicants, they must be authorized and in good standing to conduct business in New Jersey, must have $1 million or less in 2021 calendar year sales revenue, and must have 25 or fewer full-time equivalent workers. Sheft emphasized that the applicants must be a real company to be eligible for the grants.

The application period opened July 1 and closes Aug. 26 at 5 p.m.

CSIT signed an agreement in May with the NJEDA for the agency to dedicate $250,000 from the Economic Recovery Fund toward this program with the Commission providing the remainder of the funding from its current budget.

The grant funding can be used to maintain R&D activities and cover general operating costs. The rules prohibit the funding from being used for direct counseling and clinical service projects, manufacturing of products for sale or commercial use, real estate rental expenses, patient clinical trial expenses, or construction costs.

Sheft said that while the grants will not be awarded until the first quarter of 2023, the review and selection process will take place during the fall. She stressed that all applications will be reviewed and receive fair consideration to be selected.

“And we look at things like, ‘what is your innovation,’” said Sheft. “So, it’s important for companies to be able to talk in their application about what is their innovation. How is it different from other things? Talk about the team and the project, their go-to market strategy, community engagement. What’s their implementation plan?”

“And we do give out bonus points for businesses that are New Jersey minority-owned certified businesses, women-owned certified businesses, veteran-owned certified businesses, as well as those located in Opportunity Zone-eligible census tracts or Government Restricted Municipalities,” Sheft added.

The program is modeled after CSIT and NJEDA’s successful Clean Tech Seed Grant and Catalyst Seed R&D Grant Programs.

“They have been oversubscribed by a factor, sometimes two to as many as six times the number of applicants as we’ve got award dollars available,” said Sheft. “So, there’s a real demand from early-stage R&D companies in New Jersey for this kind of support.”

Sheft said beyond such grant programs, officials are also trying to support these companies by making them aware and connecting them with other resources, including at the federal level. “Many of these kinds of projects, certainly on infant and maternal health, could also easily be applicable for getting federal dollars to add on top of the money that they could get from the Commission,” said Sheft. “So, we try to make sure that our early-stage companies know about the wealth of resources available to help them move their innovations forward.”

The panel is trying to encourage these innovators and entrepreneurs to think outside the box or even adapt a certain idea or technology to possibly create a solution in this sector. “We’re really encouraging people who might not have necessarily thought about this program to think about how something that they might be doing could be directed toward infant and maternal health,” Sheft explained. “Could you also be doing a version of your product for pregnant people, or new parents? And how might you be able to take something that you’re doing and target it in that direction?”

Eligible applicants can propose a project of up to one year in duration and with a maximum budget of $75,000. The grants will be awarded on a competitive basis with funds going to the highest scoring applicants provided the minimum score is met.

Each approved grant will be valid for a period of 12 months. Any unused approved grant amounts will be cancelled after the 12-month period and returned to the program budget for future use.

In addition to furthering the Nurture NJ initiative, this program continues the efforts by the Murphy Administration to grow the state’s innovation ecosystem, which NJBIZ extensively detailed last month.

“We are really delighted to be partnering with the EDA and the First Lady’s Office on this important initiative,” Sheft said. “This is a pilot program. And we’re just really hopeful that we’re going to see a lot of great applications to help racial disparities around the birthing activities in New Jersey.”

The application is available at www.njeda.com/maternal-and-infant-health-grant.

NJEDA forges cross-Atlantic connection with INFANT in Ireland

While visiting the Irish Centre for Maternal and Child Health Research at University College Cork during the state’s economic mission to Ireland, officials of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the research institute, the governor’s office announced April 26.

The agreement sets NJEDA and INFANT up to collaborate by sharing research findings, clinical work and best practices to support each entity’s goal to advance health outcomes for mothers and infants.

First Lady Tammy Murphy joined NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan and other members of the Garden State delegation for the trip to INFANT at UCC as part of her Nurture NJ initiative, the maternal and infant health awareness campaign that launched in 2019 to improve access to care for expectant Garden State mothers and babies.

“The INFANT Centre is tackling maternal and infant health issues in a creative and innovative way,” Murphy said in a statement. “Their model is something we can learn from as we develop the Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center in Trenton, and we hope INFANT can benefit from our experience as well.

From left, Gov. Phil Murphy, with First Lady Tammy Murphy and New Jersey Economic Development Authority CEO Tim Sullivan holds a Select USA Roundtable in Ireland during the state's economic mission on April 24, 2022. - EDWIN J. TORRES / NJ GOVERNOR'S OFFICE — From left, Gov. Phil Murphy, with First Lady Tammy Murphy and New Jersey Economic Development Authority CEO Tim Sullivan holds a Select USA Roundtable in Ireland during the state’s economic mission on April 24, 2022. – EDWIN J. TORRES / NJ GOVERNOR’S OFFICE

“Our research center will continue the work of Nurture NJ and put New Jersey on the cutting edge of maternal health, helping us to not only solve our maternal health crisis in the Garden State, but making us a national leader in the field,” she continued. “Together, we are committed to improving outcomes for our mothers and babies in both New Jersey and Ireland. We are thrilled to establish a lasting and fruitful relationship with INFANT, and look forward to sharing best practices and supporting each other’s work.”

According to the governor’s office, the visit also provides an assist as the state works to launch the Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center in Trenton, a key recommendation from Nurture NJ’s Strategic Plan. The NJEDA announced entering into an MOU with the John S. Watson Institute of Urban Policy and Research at Kean University in March to engage the community in the development of that project, which aims to improve health outcomes and serve as a central hub for New Jersey stakeholders who have their sights set on improving maternal health outcomes through the equitable delivery of services.

“Under Gov. [Phil] Murphy and First Lady Murphy’s leadership, New Jersey is making ground-breaking investments in research, innovation, and community revitalization practices that will help eliminate the staggering racial disparities currently present in maternal and infant health outcomes,” Sullivan said. “By learning from, and collaborating with, leading organizations like INFANT, New Jersey will be better equipped to address these disparities while making informed decisions about the development of New Jersey’s own Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center.”

The INFANT agreement follows a number of announcements from the Ireland trip made this week, which include a $126 million investment from rest stop operator Applegreen and accords with New Jersey City University and New Brunswick Development Corp. (DEVCO).

NJEDA makes moves to develop maternal, infant health center in Trenton (updated)

Steps are being taken to develop a first-of-its-kind Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center in Trenton that aims to improve health outcomes and to serve as a central hub for state stakeholders “dedicated to improving the health of New Jersey’s babies and mothers through equitable delivery of health care services.”

On March 10, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority announced its board authorized a Memorandum of Understanding with Kean University’s John S. Watson Institute of Urban Policy and Research the day before to embark on an iterative community engagement process that builds trust and support from city residents and organizational stakeholders for the project, in addition to understanding what services are needed for new and expectant mothers and children in the state’s capital.

“The Watson Institute has a long history of service to New Jersey’s urban centers. Our team looks forward to working with the stakeholders in the Trenton community to help bring this Center to fruition, leading to increased access to care for expectant mothers of color and their babies,” Kean University President Lamont Repollet said in a prepared statement.

The Watson Institute will evaluate the current landscape of offerings for expectant parents and young children in Trenton. Additionally, its involvement will focus on what services are most needed, from what location the Center can best serve communities with the most need, and what opportunities exist to leverage existing community assets.

As part of the community engagement effort, The Watson Institute will also partner will Stockton University researchers, the NJEDA said.

Following board approval to add funds to its existing real estate services contract, NJEDA also announced March 10 that it intends for JLL to undertake the initial real estate planning for the Center.

According to the NJEDA, the Garden State ranks 47th for maternal deaths, and has one of the widest racial disparities nationwide for maternal and infant mortality. In New Jersey, a Black mother is more than seven times more likely than a white one to die from complications during pregnancy. Black babies, meanwhile, are more than three times more likely than a white baby to die before their first birthday.

NJEDA issued a Request for Information about the Center in May of last year. The response, according to the agency, put emphasis on planning being community-driven: offering residents and stakeholders the chance to provide input regarding services offered and partnerships, and the opportunity to leverage already existing community assets.

“Because institutionalized racism has seeped its way into our maternal health outcomes, reaching our goal of ensuring that every mother and baby in New Jersey gets off to a healthy start will require a broad scope of work,” said First Lady Tammy Murphy. “The Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center in Trenton will play a leading role in this effort, providing care not only equitably and with leading maternal care practices, but also, from the very beginning, will be shaped by the input of the community it serves.

“Ultimately, we hope to solve our Black maternal and infant health crisis here in New Jersey and serve as the benchmark for maternal care nationwide,” she added.

The first lady has focused her efforts toward boosting maternal care in the state while Gov. Phil Murphy has been in office. In 2019, she launched Nuture NJ to improve access to care for New Jersey’s expectant mothers and babies.

The impetus for the Trenton center came from NutureNJ’s strategic plan, published in January 2021, which included among its nearly 100 recommendations establishing such an entity in the state’s capital, focused on innovation in terms of health and achieved through partnerships with New Jersey’s academic, funder, business and faith communities.

At NJEDA, initiatives related to Nurture NJ and the Center for Maternal and Infant Health are being led by Executive Vice President of Economic Security Tara Colton, who characterized the board action as an important step toward open communication around the project. “Maintaining an open dialogue with community members about their needs is fundamental to dismantling systemic inequities that exist with respect to access to care for expectant mothers of color and their children,” she said in a prepared statement.

Also playing a part in the development of the center: the state’s departments of Human Services and Health, which also helped in the implementation of recommendations identified in Nurture NJ’s strategic plan.

“We are very excited to work with the First Lady and the NJEDA on this innovative new initiative for our capital city,” said Human Services Acting Commissioner Sarah Adelman said. “The Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center in Trenton will play a key role in our administration-wide efforts to improve and transform maternal and infant health across New Jersey, especially for women of color. We look forward to partnering to make this Center a reality and working with Trenton’s moms to enhance their wellness and the health of their babies.”

Added New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli, “The Maternal and Infant Heath Innovation Center will be a game-changer for moms and babies, and one that takes into account the needs and wants of the community it serves.”

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 9:25 a.m. EST on March 14, 2022, to update the quote from New Jersey Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman.

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