A clinical–community integration framework recognizes six critical stakeholder groups: clinicians, community members and organizations, spanning personnel and infrastructure, national and/ or state leadership, local leaders, and funders. The Maternal and Child Health Bureau’s Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (RMOMS) program, piloted in 2019 by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, was designed to address the need to strengthen access to services and to improve maternal outcomes in rural areas. The initial Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) required four partners, including a minimum of two rural or critical access hospitals, one federally qualified health center (FQHC) or FQHC lookalike, the state-funded home visiting agency or the Healthy Start program if available, and the state Medicaid agency.6 These four required partners align with, and signal application of, a community–clinical integration framework.

The Bootheel Perinatal Network (BPN), one of the first three funded RMOMS programs, is built on the clinical–community integration framework. This chapter highlights the BPN program as a case example of clinical–community integration. The discussion offers insights and considerations for other organizations interested in advancing critical work in maternal health with clinical and community partners.