Advocating for Systems Change
Lasting progress requires systems change.
We’re inspiring action by centering community perspectives, voices, and experiences.
Since our founding, policy and advocacy has been core to our work to advance maternal health. In 2010, our Founder & President Christy Turlington Burns joined other maternal health advocates on Capitol Hill to share her birth story and call for the passing of the GLOBAL MOMS Act, legislation that sought to improve access to life-saving care for women and infants around the world. Every Mother Counts has used the connection between storytelling and advocacy to inspire action and drive change ever since.
Today, we collaborate with policymakers, advocates, and community-based organizations across the United States to identify priority maternal health issues, encourage people to use their voices and platforms to advocate, and implement effective policies for quality, respectful, and equitable maternity care for all.”
The Impact of our Advocacy in 2025
800
letters sent by advocates from 37 states and Washington, D.C.
23
federal bills supported (including appropriations).
How We Approach Advocacy
1
We believe advocacy is a partnership—between individuals and policymakers, between our team and our partners—and we are committed to amplifying the voices and priorities of those closest to the issues.
2
We champion policies to advance safe and respectful maternity care, scale evidence-based, person-centered care models, such as the midwifery model of care, and build more just and accountable healthcare systems.
3
We support solutions that are designed to address the comprehensive needs of the communities in which they are situated, with a particular focus on community-based care and maternity care workforce development.
Our Policy Priorities
Perinatal Workforce Development
A strong and representative perinatal workforce is essential to ensuring everyone receives culturally responsive, respectful, and high-quality care. Yet, the current system does not adequately support, sustain, or scale many of the models of care most trusted by communities.
To address this, we are committed to advancing policies that:
- Develop, strengthen, and diversify the perinatal workforce
- Ensure pathways to entering the maternity care workforce are accessible and equitable
- Support maternity care providers to thrive in their roles (i.e. mentorship opportunities and sustainable reimbursement structures)
Community-Centered Service Delivery
Access to care is not just about proximity—it is also about trust, continuity, and ensuring systems are responsive to the needs of pregnant women and families. Today’s maternal health care system is fragmented, siloed, and too often inaccessible, particularly for Medicaid enrollees, uninsured individuals, immigrants, and those living in rural areas.
To address this, we are committed to advancing policies that:
- Center community-led leadership, knowledge, and solutions that reshape how care is delivered
- Improve service delivery and expand access to person-centered, culturally-responsive models of care, like midwifery, doula support, and freestanding birth-centers
- Demand accountability in healthcare systems, including mechanisms that hold systems accountable for incidents of disrespectful care, systemic bias, and mistreatment
We complement our state and federal advocacy work by supporting grantee partners that are driving systems change for maternal health in their communities.
In addition to the essential care they provide to mothers across the country, all of EMC’s U.S.-based grantee partners are engaged in systems change work to advance maternal health and birth equity. EMC is proud to support these efforts through our General Operating Support grants and by using our platform to shine a spotlight on our partners’ advocacy priorities, approaches, and impact.
Inspired to take action?
Make an Advocacy Plan
Check out our Advocacy Toolkit to help guide your own advocacy and organizing for maternal health.
Use Your Voice
Use our platform to urge your legislators to take bold action for maternal health in a few clicks!