MARCH Center of Excellence

MARCH wordmark

The Maternal American Indian Rural Community Health (MARCH) Center of Excellence is a platform for researchers, tribal nations, rural communities and key stakeholders to work toward improving maternal health and achieving maternal health equity.

The program will include community research partnerships to improve opportunities for training and to enhance collaboration across South Dakota. The goal is to create and expand upon services and resources available to support American Indian and rural populations and improve maternal health.

Avera is one of only 10 research centers nationwide chosen to establish Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence.

Read the blog Collaborative Training to Improve Maternal Health Outcomes to learn how Avera health providers to go into communities to provide training opportunities that will help improve outcomes for moms and babies.

The program will include two core areas:

  • Community partnerships to create infrastructure to promote equity in research.
  • Training to improve cultural competency and research literacy and increase the knowledge and skills related with specific projects and professional development.

The third component of MARCH includes research to evaluate ways to promote access to quality perinatal health. Perinatal Health Research and Action for Maternal Equity (PHRAME) will create a map of barriers to perinatal care and facilitators to improve equity in women’s access and experiences.