JACKSON – The University of Mississippi Medical Center is strengthening maternal and fetal health in Mississippi with a $2.145 million gift from the Roots and Wings Foundation to grow its certified nurse-midwife program.

The unrestricted donation allowed UMMC to immediately hire two certified nurse-midwives who were already working as labor and delivery nurses at the medical center.

Founded in 2020 by Judy and Gordon Faulkner, the Roots and Wings Foundation focuses on helping children “grow strong from the roots up.” Since its inception, the foundation has contributed nearly $4 million to UMMC, emphasizing care for children up to age 3.

“UMMC knows better than we do what will help moms and babies in Mississippi thrive — that’s why we give in an unrestricted, trust-based way,” said Shana Dall’Osto, executive director of the Roots and Wings Foundation. “We’re thrilled to support midwifery care, group prenatal care and other work that gives young children strong roots so they can live healthy, happy lives.”

UMMC once led the nation in midwifery education, creating a blueprint adopted by universities across the country. With Mississippi facing some of the highest maternal mortality rates in the nation, the medical center is expanding midwifery care to improve outcomes for mothers and babies.

Janice Scaggs, hired in 2020 as the first new certified nurse-midwife, has been key in integrating midwifery into UMMC operations. She was later joined by Kim Rickard in 2023 and Sara Humbert Wahl in early 2024. The Roots and Wings gift allows UMMC to continue this growth with the addition of two more nurse-midwives.

“This is the area we needed to address first,” said Dr. J. Martin Tucker, professor and Winfred L. Wiser Chair in Obstetrics and Gynecology. “Having unrestricted funding meant we could act quickly to keep Jessica and Meredith at UMMC, just as they were completing their CNM training.”

Meredith Morris and Jessica Martin, who have cared for women and newborns at UMMC for more than a decade, returned to the medical center after completing their certified nurse-midwife training in May 2024. The new positions allow them to serve their community in their trained capacity.

“Even before we went to school, we wanted to work here,” Martin said. “We wanted to stay with the women of Mississippi who need the holistic care we can provide as midwives.”

Wahl said mentorship and clinical guidance are crucial in the first five years for newly trained midwives. “There’s a massive difference between finding a place to practice as a CNM in your state and being able to work among other midwives, physicians and providers who understand your scope,” she said.

The new hires will integrate into several UMMC ambulatory clinics, including Grants Ferry and UMMC Madison, as part of a five-year plan to introduce at least eight CNMs into UMMC hospitals and clinics, aiming for round-the-clock service by 2027.

“Integrating midwifery care into a health care system from the top down improves outcomes for moms and babies,” Scaggs said. “We reduce unnecessary C-sections, decrease preterm deliveries, increase vaginal birth rates, boost breastfeeding and improve overall patient satisfaction.”

Midwives focus on supporting the natural processes of pregnancy and childbirth, while OB-GYNs manage complex or high-risk situations. Delivering comprehensive care requires a strong foundation.

“This gift gave us the flexibility to build something sustainable,” Scaggs said. “It allows us to create comprehensive, long-term plans. That kind of support is transformational.”

In 2023, a separate gift from Roots and Wings funded renovations to areas in the Wiser Tower and a partnership with Guideway Care to reduce barriers to care and improve maternal and fetal outcomes.

“Roots and Wings’ support for NICU waiting, lactation and bereavement rooms has made a profound impact,” said Sissy Frost, nursing director at Children’s of Mississippi.

Dr. Mobolaji Famuyide added: “It has helped us create a more comforting environment for families facing unimaginable loss, while advancing our mission to give every Mississippi child the best possible start.”

With the addition of two certified nurse-midwives, UMMC can expand ambulatory care, reach underserved areas and continue integrating midwifery as a vital part of maternal health care in Mississippi.

“We’re not just growing a program,” Scaggs said. “We’re laying the foundation to keep midwives in Mississippi – and to give mothers and babies the care they deserve.”