access- Year-one award
- $197,271,578
- Lead agency
- Oregon Health Authority
- Maternal care in the plan
- Names maternal care without a maternal line item
- Status
- Awarded
What Oregon's plan says about maternal care
The Oregon Health Authority runs the program, which received $197.3 million for year one. The plan's need statements are specific: "Oregon's rural communities have on average double the rates of inadequate access to prenatal care compared to urban areas," and "people in Gilliam and Curry counties must travel on average 35 miles to the nearest birthing hospital, on roads that can be treacherous during winter weather or fire season." It also notes that "two hospital obstetric (OB) units in rural Oregon have closed in recent years, and other rural hospitals have indicated that they may need to close their OB units soon without substantial funding or intervention." Its maternity focus is to "improve access to perinatal services in rural Oregon by investing in… FQHCs, RHCs, and birthing centers' abilities to provide perinatal care through partnerships with nearby hospitals."
What was funded
The Catalyst round funded 85 organizations and 103 projects: $80.1 million in year one and $76.1 million in year two, $156.2 million in all, with the year-two share depending on further CMS awards. Alongside it, the state has made direct awards of $35 million to rural hospitals, $10 million to rural health clinics and $5 million to local public health authorities. The maternal awards the state has identified:
- Oregon Perinatal Collaborative at OHSU, Catalyst: $1,082,492.68 in year one, $2,020,680.80 over two years
- Mobile obstetrics simulation unit, Oregon Perinatal Collaborative: $610,000
- 24/7 obstetric addiction advice line, OHSU: $398,000
- Nurse home visiting expansion, Family Connects Oregon (postpartum): $631,000
- Nurture Oregon site expansions, including mobile services in new rural counties and postpartum doula services: $937,313 across four organizations
The last four figures are the state's current year-one estimates for its Immediate Impact awards.
What is open, and what comes next
Nothing maternal is open; the Catalyst round closed May 26, 2026. Year-two Catalyst funding depends on CMS. The Oregon Office of Rural Health at OHSU, which supports the program, says "at the end of Year 2, the Oregon Health Authority will open a funding opportunity for regional rural health projects," and the state plans larger competitive regional grants between 2028 and 2030.
Who can apply, and where a partner fits
Lead applicants were hospitals, rural health clinics, FQHCs, behavioral health and dental clinics, EMS and similar organizations with a physical location or in-person services in Oregon. Technology vendors "are not eligible to submit proposals but may be included as partners or sub-recipients with eligible organizations." The state runs a vendor interest database so awardees can find partners.
Where Ouma fits
How tele-MFM fits Oregon's model
Oregon's maternity focus is partnership: clinics, health centers and birth centers providing perinatal care with the help of nearby hospitals. When the nearest hospital's OB unit is closing or 35 miles away, a telehealth maternal-fetal medicine partner fills part of that role. Ouma provides contracted maternal-fetal medicine coverage and ultrasound interpretation to rural and critical access hospitals. Ouma is licensed to practice in all 50 states and is Medicaid-enrolled in 20 states as of August 2026.
See every state's plan side by side or what a partner letter for an application looks like.
Frequently asked questions
Is Oregon's $156.2 million all year-one money?
No. It's the two-year Catalyst total: $80.1 million in year one and $76.1 million in year two, with year two depending on CMS.
Can a telehealth company lead a project in Oregon?
No. Technology vendors can be partners or sub-recipients of an eligible lead organization.