The National Concern: Declining Birth Rates
In recent years, the conversation around America’s falling birth rates has gained urgency. The Trump administration made it clear they aimed to reverse this downward trend, spotlighting the nation’s family growth crisis. However, this issue goes deeper than just encouraging people to have more children—it’s about building an environment where raising a family is truly manageable and supported.
Desire vs. Reality: Why Americans Aren’t Having Enough Kids
Surveys show American women want an average of 2.7 children, but the actual birth rate sits at just 1.6—the lowest in three decades. This gap isn’t due to lack of desire; instead, it reflects the absence of sufficient support systems for parents. Economic pressures, lack of maternity benefits, and limited childcare options make growing families challenging.
Maternal Health Challenges in Arkansas: A Closer Look
Arkansas offers a sobering example of the struggles families face. The state has the highest maternal mortality rate in the country. I met Ashley Bearden Campbell, a mother who experienced a complicated premature birth and battled postpartum depression without realizing it at first. Her story is a stark reminder of how motherhood, especially in rural states, often involves facing high risks with little support.
Arkansas Leading the Way with Family-Friendly Policies
Despite its challenges, Arkansas is pioneering efforts to support families more effectively. Recently, the state passed paid maternity leave for public school teachers—one of the first conservative states to do so. This policy acknowledges that early parenthood needs dedicated support and isn’t just a workplace perk.
Arkansas has also expanded Medicaid to include doulas and community health workers, providing crucial prenatal and postpartum care. The Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act increased birth reimbursement rates by 70% and incentivized more providers to serve pregnant women. With leadership from Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Arkansas is showing what’s possible when maternal health is prioritized.
Scaling Success: The Heartland Forward Initiative
The momentum in Arkansas is amplified by the new Heartland Forward Maternal and Child Health Center. This center aims to replicate effective community-based care models from states like New Jersey and bring them to heartland regions, turning pilot programs into permanent solutions where they are needed most.
Three Priorities to Help Families Grow
Arkansas’ experience teaches us that supporting families is also smart workforce policy. To truly help parents have more children, states and the federal government must focus on:
- Expanding the Child Tax Credit: When the expanded credit expired in 2021, millions of children fell back into poverty. In Arkansas, this credit reduced child poverty by 40%, proving it’s a vital tool for working families.
- Universal Paid Family and Medical Leave: Paid leave should be accessible to all parents, from retail workers to teachers. Arkansas’ major employers and public sectors have made progress, and federal support can help spread these benefits nationwide.
- Investing in Childcare Infrastructure: Childcare is often more expensive than education, especially in rural areas where many families live in childcare deserts. With most mothers working, investing in affordable, accessible childcare is essential for family growth.
A Call to Action: Supporting Mothers Like Ashley
Ashley’s story embodies the struggles many American mothers endure—the isolation, the unrecognized postpartum depression, the lack of support. Arkansas is proving that change is possible when communities and policymakers invest in mothers. We need more states to join in building a foundation where choosing to grow a family feels not just possible but supported every step of the way.
