April 17, 2025 — TRENTON — Construction is set to begin this summer on New Jersey’s first Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center in Trenton — a major step toward safer, more equitable care for mothers and babies.
The Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority (NJMIHIA), established in 2023 to advance maternal and infant health, announced the groundbreaking in its first annual report. The report also highlighted new philanthropic support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to help the agency strengthen outcomes and equity across the state.
Located at Pennington Avenue and Warren Street, the Trenton facility will serve as NJMIHIA’s headquarters and a statewide hub for research, workforce development, and community-based services. Rutgers School of Nursing will lead training and research efforts, Capital Health will provide clinical services, and the Trenton Health Team will deliver wraparound supports addressing social needs like housing, food, and transportation.
Black women in New Jersey remain nearly seven times more likely than white women to die from pregnancy-related causes — a disparity the center aims to close. First Lady Tammy Murphy, whose Nurture NJ initiative inspired the project, called the effort “a transformational step toward safe, respectful care for every mother and baby.”