October 29, 2026
On October 28, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a new project called “Strengthening Rural Maternal Healthcare in Minnesota,” which is designed to propose solutions to the increasing problem of lack of nearby access to maternal healthcare, especially labor and delivery services for people in Greater Minnesota.
The project is the first focus area of the Rural Healthcare Stability Initiative, which was announced in August 2026 in conjunction with the oversight agreement between the Attorney General’s Office, Sanford Health, and North Memorial Health. The Rural Healthcare Stability Initiative is anchored with a $15 million commitment from Sanford Health.
Currently, more than 700,000 Minnesotans live in a county without labor and delivery services. More than 67,000 Minnesota women of childbearing age live more than a 30-minute drive from a labor and delivery ward — and 13,000 live over an hour from a labor and delivery ward.
Research has shown a direct correlation between the distance an expectant parent has to cover to get to a labor and delivery center, and the occurrence of complications or morbidities, such as needing a blood transfusion or emergency surgery. At the same time, studies show that rural hospitals with very low birth volumes also present higher risks of severe maternal morbidity.
Rural birth centers are closing across the country for a variety of reasons, but Minnesota is feeling the impact more than most other states: since 2010, Minnesota is one of only seven states to lose more than 20 percent of hospital-based obstetric services.
Addressing these challenges requires more than keeping individual labor and delivery units open. It calls for a coordinated approach that strengthens women's healthcare before, during, and after pregnancy; supports rural clinicians; and ensures patients have access to safe, appropriate care when and where they need it.
The project will map existing rural maternal healthcare services in Minnesota, and projected services after federal cuts take effect, against available standards for safe access to labor and delivery services, pre-natal and post-natal care, and propose collaborative solutions.
The Rural Healthcare Stability Initiative charitable fund will be administered by the Minneapolis Foundation.
For more information, click here.
October 29, 2026
On October 28, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a new project called “Strengthening Rural Maternal Healthcare in Minnesota,” which is designed to propose solutions to the increasing problem of lack of nearby access to maternal healthcare, especially labor and delivery services for people in Greater Minnesota.
October 29, 2026
MN Community Measurement (MNCM) has announced plans to expand the scope of its work from quality measurement and reporting to broader health information exchange (HIE) services.
October 29, 2026
Next Tuesday, November 3, is Election Day. Make sure you have a plan to vote, if you haven’t already.