A new maternal health initiative is set to transform access to care for thousands of women in underserved areas of Illinois. The State of Illinois has teamed up with Drive Health and Google Public Sector to introduce Healthy Baby, a multi-year pilot program that leverages artificial intelligence to deliver proactive maternal support.
The program will serve more than 56,000 participants across rural parts of Cook County, focusing on women who are pregnant, planning a family, or parenting children under three years old. Each participant will receive a Google Pixel 8a smartphone and a Fitbit Inspire 3 device, giving them access to Nurse Avery, an AI-powered assistant developed by Drive Health.
“Our mission has always been to create technology that breaks down barriers and democratizes healthcare access,” said Kevin Longoria, CEO of Drive Health. “Partnering with Google, the State of Illinois, and former Senator James Clayborne to launch Healthy Baby represents a critical milestone in our commitment to supporting the most vulnerable populations.”
The initiative targets gaps in maternal healthcare, particularly among Medicaid recipients, where consistent prenatal care remains a challenge. Only 25% of high-risk mothers on Medicaid receive regular care, and up to 40% experience behavioral health issues that often go undiagnosed or untreated. In Illinois, one-third of counties are designated as maternal care deserts, areas with limited or no access to pregnancy-related services.
Chris Hein, Field Chief Technology Officer at Google Public Sector, spoke on the importance of AI in bridging these gaps. “The Healthy Baby pilot represents a critical step in maternal healthcare, showing how AI can help deliver personalized, proactive health support directly to underserved mothers,” Hein said. “Using the AI agent, Nurse Avery, and delivering it through Google Pixel phones and Fitbit devices, the program provides real-time support – managing appointments, monitoring vitals, and offering health guidance directly.”
Through Nurse Avery, participants can access a wide range of services, from nutritional guidance and vaccination updates to chronic disease management and mental health resources. The AI platform also helps manage prenatal tasks like folic acid coordination and genetic risk assessment. Designed with inclusivity in mind, Nurse Avery supports voice commands and operates within HIPAA-compliant systems to ensure secure and private patient interactions.
According to national health data, more than 80% of maternal deaths are preventable. Statistics from the Office on Women’s Health also reveal that babies born to mothers who do not receive prenatal care are five times more likely to die than those whose mothers receive regular checkups.
Built on Google Cloud’s secure infrastructure, Healthy Baby is designed to provide tailored, evidence-based support while meeting stringent state and federal data protection standards.
By combining technology and healthcare expertise, this new partnership is working to close long-standing gaps in maternal care and improve outcomes for families across the state.
