maternal health care

Rep. Aaron Pilkington, Rep. Kendon Underwood

Arkansas panel votes down requiring paid maternity leave of employers that cover abortion costs

BY: - February 22, 2023

An Arkansas Senate committee voted down a proposed law that would have required companies that pay for employees to receive abortions in other states to also provide 12 weeks of paid maternity leave. Rep. Aaron Pilkington (R-Knoxville) said he introduced House Bill 1006 after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and left access […]

Smiling pediatrician showing digital tablet to mother and baby in exam room

Arkansas committee OKs required paid maternity leave from employers that cover abortion costs

BY: - February 9, 2023

A proposed Arkansas law would require companies that pay for employees to receive abortions in other states to also provide 12 weeks of paid maternity leave. The bill passed the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee unanimously on Thursday and will go to the House floor for a vote. Rep. Aaron Pilkington (R-Knoxville) said […]

Arkansas joins national maternal health care alliance

BY: - October 3, 2022

Arkansas recently became the 48th state to join a national maternal health support organization that provides evidence-based standards of medical care to pregnant people, with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the Arkansas Department of Health spearheading the move. States qualify for enrollment in the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM) by […]

Most Arkansas pregnancy center grant applicants awarded requested state funds

BY: - September 26, 2022

Twelve of the 16 applicants for Arkansas’ $1 million grant program meant to assist pregnancy resource centers will receive the full amounts requested in August, according to data the state Department of Finance and Administration released Monday. Two organizations will only get some of the money they requested, and the final two will get none, […]

Pregnancy centers outline advertising plans in Arkansas grant applications

BY: - September 23, 2022

Many of the Arkansas crisis pregnancy centers that applied for state funding hope to use the money for digital advertising, including targeted ads aimed at Arkansans who might have an unplanned pregnancy, according to the applications. Applicants also hope to use a portion of the taxpayer-funded grant to pay for physical advertising, rent and utilities, […]

A pregnant woman on a couch talking to another person.

Arkansas groups seek more than $275,000 total from state fund aimed at encouraging birth

BY: - August 29, 2022

This story was updated on Aug. 31, 2022. Twelve Arkansas pregnancy resource centers are among 16 groups that applied for a share of the state’s $1 million grant program created this year to help fund crisis pregnancy centers, adoption agencies and maternity homes. The other applicants include an adoption agency, a maternity care home, a […]

A counselor holds a pregnant woman's hands during a session.

Arkansas’ $1M pregnancy resource center grant untouched so far

BY: - August 18, 2022

Arkansas’ crisis pregnancy centers so far have declined to apply for a new $1 million grant program created by the state Legislature to help fund their operations. The application period opened Aug. 1 and ends Aug. 26, but no one has applied for the money aimed at helping those facing unintended pregnancy and encouraging them […]