Stacked stones on a beach with the ocean and cloudy sky in the background.

Bridging policy,
programs, and
care to strengthen
maternal-newborn and
perinatal health systems.

Better systems support better care.

Better care improves outcomes.

Better outcomes create the conditions for

lasting change.

Behind every policy, program, funding decision, and model of care are real people—care providers striving to deliver their best, families navigating some of life's most significant moments, and communities working toward healthier futures.

At Civitas, we believe the strongest maternal-newborn and perinatal health systems are built by connecting the realities of care with the decisions that shape it. By bringing together evidence, lived experience, and systems thinking, we help design policies, programs, and services that empower providers, respond to community needs, improve outcomes, and create meaningful, sustainable change.

Civitas Health Systems Consulting partners with governments, NGOs, Indigenous leaders and organizations, health organizations, funders, and international partners to design maternal-newborn and perinatal health systems that are equitable, responsive, and sustainable.

A scenic view of a deep river valley surrounded by tall, green mountains under a hazy sky at sunset.

Every decision made at the systems level shapes the experience of care.

Policies influence practice. Funding determines capacity. Governance affects accountability. Workforce planning shapes access.

When these elements work together, providers are empowered to deliver the care communities need. When they don't, even the most dedicated professionals struggle to achieve the outcomes they know are possible.

At Civitas, we help bridge the gap between policy, programs, and care—designing systems that are informed by evidence, grounded in lived experience, and built to improve outcomes for families.

Our approach brings together clinical insight, policy analysis, strategic planning, and relationship-based engagement. We help clients move from complexity to clarity — creating practical pathways that connect vision with implementation.

We do not apply generic frameworks. We work with each client’s context to develop solutions that are evidence-informed, community-responsive, and realistic to sustain.

Grounded in care.

Designed for systems.

Guided by relationships.

Built for impact.

How We Help

A newborn baby being held closely and gently by an adult, with the baby's head resting on the adult's chest. The adult's hand supports the baby's head, and another hand holds the body's arm. The baby has a peaceful expression and closed eyes.

Maternal-Newborn & Perinatal Strategy

We support governments, organizations, and partners to develop clear, actionable strategies that improve access, quality, coordination, sustainability, and outcomes across the maternal-newborn and perinatal continuum.

Group of five women and one man posing together inside a building, smiling at the camera, with a wall-mounted clock and a large chart or list in the background.

Midwifery & Perinatal Care Systems Development

We help strengthen midwifery and perinatal care systems by aligning policy, workforce, funding, education, governance, and service delivery so care is better supported, better integrated, and more responsive to community needs.

A healthcare worker, wearing blue scrubs and a stethoscope, interacts with a Filipino woman and her daughter in front of a brick wall. The daughter has a pink bow in her hair and wears a white dress with floral patterns. The woman has dark hair tied back and wears a tank top. The scene appears to be a medical outreach or community health event.

Models of Care & Service Design

We support the design and refinement of care models that are responsive to population needs, grounded in provider realities, and aligned with system priorities and resources.

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Policy & Program Development

We translate evidence, clinical realities, and community priorities into practical policies and programs that can be implemented meaningfully and sustainably.

Group of healthcare workers and volunteers in a medical setting. They are smiling and posing for the photo, some wearing scrubs and medical masks. The background shows a clinical environment with medical equipment and other healthcare staff working.

Workforce & Systems Planning

We support workforce and systems planning that helps organizations understand capacity, roles, service gaps, implementation needs, and the conditions required to deliver sustainable maternal-newborn and perinatal care.

Yellow gloves on the ground outdoors with pinecones and dry grass.

Indigenous & Global Maternal Health Partnerships

We support respectful, community-led work with Indigenous leaders, organizations, and communities, as well as international and cross-cultural maternal health partners, to strengthen maternal-newborn care in ways that reflect local priorities, self-determination, and culturally grounded approaches.

Civitas brings a rare perspective to maternal-newborn and perinatal health systems work: direct clinical experience, policy and program expertise, strategic leadership, and deep understanding of how systems decisions shape care.

We understand the needs of care providers, the realities of implementation, and the complexity of policy, funding, governance, and system change.

This allows us to help clients design strategies that are not only thoughtful, but workable.

Why Civitas

  • Over twenty years of experience grounded in maternal-newborn, perinatal, reproductive, and midwifery care.

  • Understanding how policy, funding, governance, workforce, and service delivery interact.

  • Turning evidence, lived experience, and clinical realities into meaningful policies, programs, and models of care.

  • Designing solutions that improve outcomes and can be sustained over time.

Trusted by Colleagues, Partners & Systems Leaders

  • “Strategic and compassionate perspective...”

    Renée Légaré, PhD
    Director, Master of Health Administration Program, Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa

  • “Practical expertise and thoughtful understanding...”

    Nicole MacDonald
    CEO, Indigenous Philanthropy Advisors

  • “Thoughtful and highly skilled support...”


    Ana Alonso
    International Program Lead, Maven Clinic

Working Across Systems

Civitas works across the full maternal-newborn and perinatal health ecosystem — from governments and funders shaping policy and investment, to organizations implementing programs, to providers delivering care in communities.

  • Supporting ministries, health authorities, regulators, and public organizations to develop policies, programs, funding approaches, and strategies that strengthen maternal-newborn and perinatal health systems.

  • Working alongside hospitals, community organizations, primary care providers, midwives, physicians, nurses, and interdisciplinary teams to ensure services reflect the realities of care delivery and community needs.

  • Advising organizations working to strengthen maternal-newborn and perinatal health systems through policy, strategy, implementation, and capacity building.

  • Organizations and businesses committed to social impact, reconciliation, and sustainable systems change.

  • Partnering with Indigenous leaders, care providers, and communities to support culturally grounded, community-led approaches to maternal and newborn care while respecting self-determination and local priorities.

  • Supporting associations, regulators, academic institutions, and education partners with strategy, workforce planning, governance, standards, and system advancement.

  • Supporting foundations, funders, and private sector partners to align investment, innovation, and implementation with meaningful and sustainable improvements in maternal-newborn and perinatal health.

Let’s build maternal-newborn and perinatal
health systems that work better for families, providers, and communities.

Whether you are developing a strategy, strengthening midwifery systems, redesigning services, aligning funding and workforce planning, or implementing new programs, Civitas can help connect policy, programs, and care in ways that support meaningful and sustainable change.

Let's start a conversation

With Respect for the Peoples and Lands Where Civitas Is Based

Civitas Health Systems Consulting is based on the unceded lands of the Tla’amin Nation, within Coast Salish territories. We honour the enduring relationships, responsibilities, and histories connected to these lands, and approach our work with humility, integrity, and respect for the Nations, communities, and territories we are invited to work with. We understand reconciliation, repair, and reparations as overdue responsibilities, and are committed to doing our part with care and accountability.