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Strengthen the Evidence for Maternal and Child Health Programs

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Search Results: MCHLine

Items in this list may be obtained from the sources cited. Contact information reflects the most current data about the source that has been provided to the MCH Digital Library.


Displaying records 1 through 20 (879 total).

Pennsylvania Department of Health. n.d.. Local governance leads to strong families and strong communities. Harrisburg, PA: Pennsylvania Department of Health, 20 pp.

Annotation: This report looks at the philosophy of Pennsylvania's "Strong Families/Strong Communities" campaign, which stresses the importance of local governance and community strategies to state initiatives designed to preserve families and strengthen communities. It provides descriptions of state strategies and programs that involve community action designed to improve child and family outcomes.

Keywords: Child advocacy, Community based services, Community programs, Families, Family preservation programs, Local initiatives, Outreach

Bogenschneider K, Small S, Riley D. n.d.. An ecological, risk-focused approach for addressing youth-at-risk issues. Chevy Chase, MD: National 4-H Center, 24 pp.

Annotation: This paper presents a prevention model to reduce problem behavior in adolescents by identifying risk factors and protective factors in an adolescent's environment and targeting gaps between the two at all stages of the adolescent's environmental system—individual, family, peers, school, work, and community. The paper reviews current research on risk and protective factors that influence the well being of youth and suggests implications of this research for developing comprehensive community based prevention programs.

Keywords: Adolescent behavior, Community programs, Environmental influences, Models, Prevention programs, Protective factors, Risk factors

Brown M. n.d.. Oklahoma Pediatric Injury Control Project: [Final report]. Oklahoma City, OK: Oklahoma State Department of Health, 12 pp.

Annotation: The purpose of the Oklahoma Pediatric Injury Control Project was to increase the functional capacity of the Maternal and Child Health Service of the Oklahoma State Department of Health to address the problem of pediatric injuries. The objectives of the project address the leading causes of childhood mortality in Oklahoma - motor vehicle crashes, submersions and burns. The overall methodology focused on utilization of intra- and interagency coalitions. Specific strategies included car seat loaners programs, drowning and burn prevention education activities, and smoke alarm programs. The project successfully carried out objectives related to prevention of motor vehicle injuries, drowning and burns. By empowering collaborating agencies and programs, the project has assured continuation of a focus on prevention of pediatric injuries in Oklahoma. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

Keywords: Burns, Car Seats, Child, Community-Based Education Programs, Drowning, Injuries, Injury Prevention, Morbidity, Mortality, Motor vehicle crashes, Parents, Poisons, Safety

Calkins R. n.d.. Planning and Establishment of a Parent-Child Development Center=Family Based Education Centers: [Final report]. Honolulu, HI: Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate Center for Development of Early Education, 50 pp.

Annotation: This project developed a model integrated service system of educational, health, and social service programs for families of Hawaiian children (prenatal to age 5 years) who are disproportionately at risk for health, social, and educational handicaps. Four Native Hawaiian Family Based Education Centers were established, with three core educational components: A home visiting program, a traveling preschool program, and a center-based preschool. Activities included conducting an extensive assessment of community needs and developing ongoing ties with institutions of higher learning in the State. Strong health promotion and social service programs complemented the educational focus, and a case management system helped families assess their own goals in each of these areas. Community participation and ownership of the program were critical components. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

Keywords: Community-Based Education Programs, Data Collection, Early Intervention, Education, Family-Based, Hawaiians, Home Visiting, Infant Mortality, Learning Disabilities, Low Birthweight, Parents, Prenatal Care

Danielson C. n.d.. Healthy Foundations [Final report]. Des Moines, IA: Iowa Department of Public Health, 51 pp.

Annotation: The project's goals were to: (1) Develop and implement structures and processes in defined community areas to plan and implement a family-centered, community-based health care delivery system for children; (2) develop data system capacity and function statewide to ensure family-centered, community-based primary care services for children; and (3) share experiences in family-centered, community-based system change in the area of primary health care for children with other State, regional, and national maternal and child health providers. At the State level, strategies were directed toward developing a system of children's primary health care delivery that was family centered and community based. At the local level, child health steering committees in established projects were to continue to plan and implement child health system changes in their service areas. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

Keywords: Access to Health Care, Child Mortality, Community Based Health Services, Databases, Family Centered Health Care, Information Systems, Primary Care, Standards of Care, State Programs

Children's Aid Society. n.d.. A history of innovation. New York, NY: Children's Aid Society, 1 v.

Annotation: This timeline tracks historic highlights from the Children's Aid Society's (CAS) founding in 1853, tracing changes in poverty in New York City along with the evolution of CAS programs and services. Topics include emigration programs such as the Orphan Train, foster care and adoption programs, lodging houses, industrial schools, convalescent homes, health centers, and farm schools.

Keywords: Children, Community programs, Comprehensive programs, History, Homeless persons, New York, Oral health, Poverty, Schools

Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors. [2025]. State oral health programs: Advancing oral health for all. Reno, NV: Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors, 2 pp.

Annotation: This flyer provides information about state oral health programs (SOHPs). It explains what SOHPs are and what they do and discusses their impact on statewide oral health. It also offers information on how SOHPs implement and advance oral health surveillance and planning, prevention of oral disease among children, community protection (monitoring and promoting water fluoridation), workforce support, policies that promote safety and quality, and public education. Also discussed are why oral health matters and the importance of strong partnerships to improve oral health.

Keywords: Collaboration, Community health, Fluoride, Oral health, Prevention, Programs, Public education, Public policy, Safety, Surveillance

Houghton A, Bole A, Balbus J, Shah N, Sanders-Jackson A, Wiskel T, Abel A,Boyden H, Debowska E, Jensen L, Lichter K, Olson C. 2025. Climate resistance for health care toolkit. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health , 380 pp.

Annotation: This toolkit provides comprehensive guidance for healthcare organizations to enhance their climate resilience planning and emergency preparedness efforts. It presents strategies, actions, tools, and resources organized around key elements including risk assessment, health equity, community engagement, infrastructure vulnerabilities, healthcare collaboration, and communications. Developed by the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity in partnership with healthcare professionals, the toolkit includes case studies of successful climate resilience initiatives at healthcare facilities across diverse settings.

Keywords: Collaboration, Community based services, Disaster planning, Emergencies, Environmental health, Model programs, Risk management

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. 2025. The collaborative effect: Transforming oral health in North Carolina. Boston, MA: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, 24 pp. (Impact report)

Annotation: This report provides information on the Community Oral Health Transformation (COrHT) initiative, an effort to improve oral health equity and oral-health-care delivery across North Carolina. the Initiative sought to align community needs with person-centered, integrated care principles through cross-sector collaboration, advocacy, and systems transformation. The report discusses challenges to attaining optimal oral health for many people, provides COrHT background and selection criteria, and includes an impact assessment. A path forward is presented.

Keywords: Advocacy, Community health, Initiatives, North Carolina, Oral health, Oral health equity, Service delivery systems, State programs

Wyoming Department of Health . 2025. Postpartum health – After baby & beyond. Cheyenne, WY: Wyoming Department of Health,

Annotation: This web page from the Wyoming Department of Health and Wyoming Medicaid provides information and resources for Wyoming Medicaid moms and new parents navigating health and benefits during the postpartum period. The resource offers guidance on timing and expectations for postpartum and newborn health checkups and details how to access an electric breast pump through the Healthy Babies, Happy Moms Program. For new families, the site provides safety information, including safe sleeping recommendations to reduce the risk of SIDS. The page also addresses maternal mental health and Substance Use Disorder (SUD), providing immediate assistance lines and links to community treatment providers. Furthermore, it highlights extensive free state programs, such as the Wyoming Hand in Hand home visitation program and the Parents as Teachers program, and lists resources for financial and coverage support, including SNAP, WIC, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and assistance with utility costs.

Keywords: State programs, Community based services, Infant care, Low income groups, Maternal health, Mental health, Newborns, Postpartum care, Wyoming

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2024. CDC scientific statement on community water fluoridation. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4 pp.

Cofano L, Isman B, Jacob M, Payne K, Wood C. 2024. Guidebook for policy consensus tool: Steps to create a successful oral health consensus-building session (Rev. ed.). Washington, DC: Children's Dental Health Project; Reno, NV: Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors, 33 pp.

Annotation: This two-part policy tool is designed to support a facilitated process for state oral health stakeholders to collectively make decisions about priorities based on suggested criteria. It also provides a planning checklist to move forward strategically. Part one assists state oral health programs in assessing opportunities for socio-political, policy, and systems change. It considers scientific data collection, professional judgment, community input, and feasibility in needs assessment and policy development to improve oral health resources and services. Part two focuses on developing policy actions or systems-development plans to take advantage of or create new opportunities to advance the public’s oral health. The guidebook contains a series of templates that can be reproduced and adapted to meet specific project needs. This tool was previously issued as "The policy tool guidebook: Steps for creating a successful oral health policy tool session" (2009).

Keywords: Children, Collaboration, Community coordination, Health policy, Manuals, Needs assessment, Oral health, Public health programs, Strategic plans

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center, Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors. 2024. Making a pitch for introducing oral health issues to MCH director or Title V coordinator. Washington, DC: National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center, 1 p.

Annotation: This document provides information for crafting a pitch to introduce issues to a maternal and child health (MCH) director or Title V coordinator. It provides an overview of a pitch, lists steps to follow to produce a good pitch, and provides a sample pitch that can be modified to fit specific needs. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

Keywords: Community programs, MCH programs, Oral health, State programs, Title V programs

School-Based Health Alliance. 2024. Toolkit to increase well-child visits and vaccinations In school-aged youth. Washington, DC: School-Based Health Alliance,

Annotation: This toolkit provides information and tools to assist school-based healthcare programs in providing all children access to preventive health care and required/recommended vaccinations. Emphasizing the importance of health equity in schools, the toolkit describes the ways in which school/district administrators, superintendents, community healthcare providers, and school-based healthcare staff can participate as partners in improving. Case studies of successful partnerships are included.

Keywords: Partnerships, Child health, Community participation, Immunization, Prevention, School age children, School based programs, Vaccination, Vaccines

Nijagal MA, Khoong EC, Sherwin EB, Lance E, Saleeby E, Williams AP, Thomas MR. 2024. Perinatal community health workers: Lessons From California. Washington, DC: Health Affairs ,

Annotation: This article examines lessons learned from California's experience with perinatal community health workers (CHWs) and provides recommendations for policy makers designing similar programs. It discusses how perinatal CHWs can help address disparities in maternal health outcomes by providing culturally appropriate support throughout pregnancy and postpartum periods. The authors, drawing from 15 years of experience in California's Medicaid system, outline key considerations including adequate reimbursement rates, payment flexibility for services provided in both clinical and community settings, program coordination to prevent inefficiencies, standardized data collection methods, and support systems to prevent CHW burnout. The document includes specific examples from programs at San Francisco General Hospital and Los Angeles County, and discusses implications for state Medicaid programs participating in CMS's new Transforming Maternal Health Model.

Keywords: Barriers, California, Community health workers, Maternal health, Models, Payment, Perinatal care, Policy development, Postpartum care, Reimbursement, State programs

Allen C; Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health. 2024. You can't get there from here: Actionable strategies for rural perinatal health from IHS. Washington, DC: Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health , (AIM for Safer Birth Podcast Series)

Annotation: In this episode of the AIM for Safer Birth podcast series, host Christie Allen continues her conversation with Dr. Tina Pattara-Lau, Maternal and Child Health Consultant at the Indian Health Service (IHS) as they explore the ongoing transformation of maternal health care within rural communities. Dr. Pattara-Lau delves deeper into the impact of culturally responsive care, the integration of traditional practices, and the expansion of telehealth services. They further discuss the strides being made in overcoming access barriers, fostering community trust, and implementing innovative care models tailored to the unique needs of American Indian/Alaska Native populations. The AIM for Safer Birth series dives deeper into the rising severe maternal morbidity and maternal mortality rates in the United States through a data-driven, quality improvement lens.

Keywords: Alaska natives, American Indians, Barriers, Community participation, Cultural sensitivity, Health care access, Initiatives, Model programs, Rural health

Allen C; Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health. 2024. You can't get there from here: Rural perinatal health through the the IHS lens. Washington, DC: Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health , (AIM for Safer Birth Podcast Series)

Annotation: Podcast host Christie Allen delves into the unique challenges and innovative solutions in rural and Indigenous maternal health care with Dr. Tina Pattara-Lau, Maternal and Child Health Consultant at the Indian Health Service (IHS). Dr. Pattara-Lau shares her experiences and insights on improving patient access to quality care through culturally safe practices, partnerships, and innovative models such as telehealth and community-based care. They discuss the systemic barriers, the importance of culturally safe practices, and the role of community partnerships in enhancing care for American Indian/Alaska Native populations, emphasizing the need for continuous quality improvement and sensitivity to cultural and traditional practices. This episode is part of the AIM series of podcasts that dive deeper into the rising severe maternal morbidity and maternal mortality rates in the United States through a data-driven, quality improvement lens.

Keywords: Alaska natives, American Indians, Barriers, Community participation, Cultural sensitivity, Health care access, Initiatives, Model programs, Rural health

Silverman K, Benyo A. 2024. Building healthy futures: Addressing mental health and substance use disorders during pregnancy and postpartum. Hamilton, NJ: Center for Health Care Strategies, 26 pp.

Annotation: This report examines the critical impact of mental health and substance use disorders on maternal mortality and morbidity in the United States, highlighting how suicide and substance use-related overdoses account for over 20 percent of postpartum deaths. It presents promising approaches from states including Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, New Hampshire, and California that integrate maternity care with behavioral health services and social supports. The report outlines six key recommendations for improving care: supporting dedicated multidisciplinary care teams, centering people with lived experience to drive health equity, normalizing substance use care, training all staff on bias and stigma, expanding the community-based workforce including doulas and peer recovery specialists, and implementing harm reduction and street medicine approaches. The authors emphasize that with nearly every state now providing 12 months of postpartum Medicaid coverage, there are unprecedented opportunities to implement integrated, trauma-informed, non-punitive care models that can significantly reduce maternal mortality and improve outcomes for families.

Keywords: Substance abusing pregnant women, Community participation, Disorders, Health care reform, Initiatives, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Medicaid, Mental health, Model programs, Perinatal addiction, Perinatal care, Postpartum care, Quality improvement, Risk factors, Service integration, Substance use disorders

Family Connects Chicago . 2024. Family Connects Chicago 2024 report . Chicago, IL: Family Connects Chicago , 18 pp.

Annotation: This report describes the Family Connects Chicago program, a free in-home nurse visiting service available to all Chicago families with newborns born at participating hospitals. It explains how the program offers physical checkups for birthing parents and infants, connects families with community resources, and addresses health disparities, particularly the higher rates of maternal and infant mortality among Black families in Chicago. The report highlights FCC's 2023 results, including 2,649 nurse visits across 77 Chicago community areas, with 96% of participating families finding the program helpful. It features a map showing completed home visits by region and discusses the six Community Alignment Boards that help FCC understand and meet neighborhood-specific needs. The report includes photographs of diverse families with newborns and contains information about participating hospitals, program impacts, and ways to get involved or learn more about the program.

Keywords: Community based services, Family support services, Home visiting, Illinois, Maternal health, Model programs, Newborn infants, Nurses, Postpartum care

Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors. 2023. MCH Title V national performance measure for oral health (2nd ed.). Reno, NV: Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors, 6 pp.

Annotation: This summary discusses changes to the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant application, needs assessment, and reporting process and resulting opportunities to promote oral health in states. It describes the national performance measure on oral health, a national outcome measure for oral health, and recommended strategies for action. State performance measures are also discussed.

Keywords: Block grants, Community action, Measures, Needs assessment, Oral health, Outcome and process assessment, Program improvement, Quality assurance, Title V programs

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The MCH Library is one of six special collections at Georgetown University, the nation's oldest Jesuit institution of higher education. The library is supported through foundation, private, university, state, and federal funding. This information or content and conclusions are those of the authors and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by Georgetown University or the U.S. Government. Note: web pages whose development was supported by federal government grants are being reviewed to comply with applicable Executive Orders.