Episode 9: The $17 Million Blind Spot. Why TMaH is the Most Important Acronym You've Never Heard About

If I told you there was a $17 million dollar check sitting on a table with your name on it, you’d probably pull up a chair, right? Now, what if I told you that check is already signed, the seats are being filled, but midwives a key component of the funding objectives aren't even in the room?Episode 9 explores the TMaH—Transforming Maternal Health state grants with a focus on Alabama. In 2025, fifteen State Medicaid Associations were awarded $17 million each. States are now in the three-year Pre-Implementation Phase. This is the 'assessment and planning' period that will dictate exploration and implementation concepts funded until December 31, 2034.What is a required objective? Workforce expansion. But here is the problem:What happens when a State Medicaid Association staff has zero familiarity with midwife scope of practice or credentials?What happens when the grant applications aren't in the public domain, and midwives don't even know the funding exists?This is about power. If midwifery is being held hostage by barriers to practice and inequitable reimbursement, TMaH is the key to the lock. But you can't wait for an invitation that might never come. If we don’t organize now, 'workforce expansion' will be defined for us, not by us.In This Episode Ginger, Denise and guest Dr. Elizabeth Munoz DNP, CNM break down strategy to move from the sidelines to the conversation. We discuss:How to track down your state’s TMaH roadmapOrganize your Affiliate WHY aligned with funding objectivesBring objective actions to collaborate as an expected organizationFederal program overview https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/tmahAlabama TMaH webpage https://medicaid.alabama.gov/content/2.0_Newsroom/2.7_Special_Initiatives/2.7.7_Transforming_Maternal_Health_TMaH_Model.aspxCo-hosts: Dr.'s Ginger Breedlove, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN & Denise Fryzelka, PhD, CNM, FACNMEmail The Possibilist Midwives, with questions: [email protected] Product of Grow Midwives, LLC https://growmidwives.com/Follow on FaceBook for daily posts https://www.facebook.com/growmidwivesofficial/Grow Midwives YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/@growmidwivesProducer: Isaac Booth; Music by Moby CollaborationGM Annual Conference: Virtual Only, July 23rd - William Ury, KeynoteThanks for listening, following & sharing with your friends!(c) Grow Midwives, LLC January 2026