Maternal health innovation center breaks ground in Trenton

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The basics:

• NJ breaks ground on first-of-its-kind maternal health center
• $86.7M Trenton facility to serve families statewide
• Facility will provide care, research and workforce training
• Anchored by Rutgers, Capital Health, Trenton Health Team

It was a milestone day in Trenton as officials broke ground Tuesday on a first-of-its-kind Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center.

The project is the cornerstone of First Lady Tammy Murphy‘s Nurture NJ initiative, which aims to address the state’s maternal and infant health crisis.

“I have to say, I really can’t believe we’re here – standing before you today on this site with so many of you who have walked alongside us,” said Murphy to the gathered crowd, which included a number of lawmakers, officials, leaders, stakeholders and others. “I’m really filled with pride, gratitude, and a lot of emotion, actually.”

“What a moment – and what a day. This isn’t just a milestone for Trenton or for New Jersey. This is a transformational day for every mother and baby who deserves a safe, healthy and strong start to life.”

Key things to know about the MIHIC:

• Located at the southwest corner of Pennington Avenue and Warren Street
• The Maternal and Infant Health Authority will operate the facility
• $86.7 million in federal and state funding committed to the project
• Will conduct cutting-edge policy research, provide integrated wraparound supports and operate a robust data collaborative – all aimed at better serving Jersey families
• Three anchor institutions will power the initiative:
  • Rutgers University
    •  Overseeing academic training, research and workforce training in partnership with Mercer County Community College, Stockton University, The College of New Jersey and Thomas Edison State University – with support from Princeton University
    • NJEDA will collaborate with the Trenton Board of Education and Rutgers to establish career pathways and opportunities for Trenton public high school students
  • Capital Health
    • Delivering family, OB/GYN and pediatric services, mental and behavioral health care, and doula and lactation consultant support
  • Trenton Health Team
    •  Addressing social determinants of health, including housing, food security and transportation, with comprehensive case management, wraparound supports and parenting resources
• Will affiliate and closely collaborate with the state’s 12th Strategic Innovation Center, announced July 21.
  • • This Trenton-based component will focus on driving breakthrough solutions in maternal care equity, digital health, doula support, perinatal mental health and public benefits access
• Maternal and infant health SIC will include 5,000 square feet of space within in the MIHIC. Collaboration also will include Plug and Play’s world-class accelerator for early-stage companies

Murphy stressed how vital of an issue this is. She noted the progress made in New Jersey since the launch of Nurture NJ.

Highlights included:

• 70-plus pieces of maternal and infant health legislation signed into law by Gov. Murphy
• Has developed and implemented a number of groundbreaking programs and policies, including establishing the first-of-its-kind in the nation MIHIC
• The development of the Nurture NJ Maternal and Infant Health Strategic Plan, of which more than 80 of its recommendations have started or completed
• Over the past seven years, New Jersey has improved from 47th to 28th nationally in maternal mortality; 5th to 2nd in infant mortality; and 6th to 1st in neonatal mortality

“Today, we break ground on the Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center – the heartbeat of Nurture NJ,” said Murphy. “Shaped by the voices of families and rooted in Trenton, this Center will deliver care and collaboration like never before. It will save lives, raise standards, and show what’s possible when equity leads.

“And with the nation’s first Strategic Innovation Center dedicated to maternal and infant health, we’re not waiting for change – we’re creating it right here.”

“Today’s groundbreaking takes us one step closer to opening the Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center, which will serve as a unique and pioneering hub dedicated to creating innovative solutions for the maternal health crisis while tackling health care disparities once and for all,” said Gov. Phil Murphy. “Additionally, through the newly announced Strategic Innovation Center and the three lead anchor tenants, this center will offer essential maternal and infant health care services to the residents of Trenton and New Jersey, and serve as a research and innovation hub to reshape maternal health locally and statewide, while setting an example for the entire nation.”

A ‘true community hub’

The governor praised his wife for spearheading this important initiative. Meanwhile, the first lady thanked her husband for the steadfast support.

“Thank you for being my partner always and, particularly, in this project,” she said. “Thank you for your steadfast leadership on behalf of New Jersey’s families. I’ve watched you time and time again – and seeing how you fight those too often left behind.

“The progress we celebrate today stands on the foundation that you laid – and I, on behalf of so very many, are incredibly grateful. So, to everyone here today, you’re not just witnessing history – you’re helping shape it.”

Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center in Trenton on July 22, 2025

— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) July 22, 2025

“The Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center will serve as a true community health hub where parents and babies can receive the care that they deserve, helping uplift the neighborhood and the people who raise their families there,” said Lisa Asare, president and CEO of MIHIA. “The launch of the MIHIC as one of the state’s newest SIC’s strengthens its role as a hub for innovation, advancing maternal and infant health by supporting emerging industries and scalable solutions with statewide, national, and global impact – while also investing in the well-being of the Trenton community and broader New Jersey population.”

Making history

NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan noted, “Through its education and training programs, the MIHIC will also prepare students for highly skilled, good-paying jobs in the perinatal workforce, expanding access to care and helping close longstanding gaps in outcomes for mothers and infants, while driving inclusive economic growth that benefits communities across New Jersey.”

The first lady described this moment as a turning point.

“A promise that every mother and every baby matters – their lives, their voices and their futures,” she said. “So, let’s keep going. Let’s build. Let’s innovate. And let’s lead. Because when we invest in mothers and babies – we invest in our shared future.

“And now, let’s make history together.”