St. Anthony Regional Hospital has secured Centers of Excellence funding for the fourth consecutive year to improve access to care for mothers and their babies in the region. For the 2024-25 program year, St. Anthony is receiving $212,500 from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The funding is part of a pilot program initiated by Gov. Kim Reynolds in 2021 to enhance rural healthcare services. St. Anthony has used grant funding in prior years to expand access to prenatal and postpartum services in west-central Iowa, particularly in areas where labor and delivery options have dwindled. The funding has helped sustain programs like postpartum support groups, prenatal classes, and outreach to hospitals that no longer provide maternity services. In 2023, St. Anthony’s Birth Place delivered nearly 350 babies from 14 counties in Iowa.
