City of Milwaukee Health Department
Press Release

City of Milwaukee Health Department Unveils Long-Term Strategy to Improve Maternal and Infant Health

New plan aims to reduce infant deaths, improve maternal health, and better connect care for Milwaukee families

By - Nov 11th, 2026 09:15 am

MILWAUKEE – The City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) today released its 2026–2030 Maternal and Child Health Strategic Plan, outlining its strategy to address persistent health disparities, reduce infant mortality, and improve outcomes for mothers, babies, and families across Milwaukee.

The plan aims to strengthen coordination among Milwaukee’s healthcare providers, community organizations, and public health agencies, helping families better navigate services and access care.

The plan establishes three priorities that will guide MHD’s work through 2030:

  • Improve maternal health
  • Reduce infant mortality
  • Reduce preterm births

To achieve these outcomes, MHD will focus on four goals: advancing health equity, strengthening partnerships and infrastructure, improving access to coordinated care, and building the department’s capacity to lead and sustain this work.

Developed through research, public health data, and community engagement, the plan builds on existing efforts, including MHD’s Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR), which examines factors contributing to fetal and infant deaths and opportunities for prevention.

Implementation will take place in phases through 2030, beginning with community engagement, strengthening partnerships, and identifying opportunities to improve coordination. MHD will work with residents and community partners to put the plan into action and measure progress.

“Every child in Milwaukee deserves a healthy start, and every family deserves access to the care and support they need,” said Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson. “We have incredible people and organizations working toward that goal every day. This plan brings us together around a shared commitment to improving the health of mothers, babies, and families and building a healthier future for Milwaukee.”

“We have tremendous expertise and resources dedicated to maternal and child health in Milwaukee, but too often, those efforts are disconnected,” said Commissioner of Health Mike Totoraitis, PhD. “This plan is about changing that. By strengthening partnerships, improving how families access care, and working toward shared goals, we have an opportunity to make a lasting difference in the health of mothers and children across our city.”

Read the plan and related resources:

About the City of Milwaukee Health Department

The City of Milwaukee Health Department works to protect and improve the health and well-being of Milwaukee residents through public health services, education, partnerships, and policies that support healthier communities. Learn more at www.milwaukee.gov/health.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

Mentioned in This Press Release

Leave a Reply

You must be an Urban Milwaukee member to leave a comment. Membership, which includes a host of perks, including an ad-free website, tickets to marquee events like Summerfest, the Wisconsin State Fair and the Florentine Opera, a better photo browser and access to members-only, behind-the-scenes tours, starts at $9/month. Learn more.

Join now and cancel anytime.

If you are an existing member, sign-in to leave a comment.

Have questions? Need to report an error? Contact Us