Search Results: MCHLine

Annotation: This online tool presents an overview of the "100 Weeks Project" by United States of Care, an initiative dedicated to addressing maternal health, particularly postpartum care, with a goal of ensuring women have comprehensive benefits for a full year after pregnancy by 2030. It maps the entire maternal journey—preconception, pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum—focusing on the disproportionate challenges faced by Black women, who are significantly more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes. The resource highlights pain points within the healthcare system, such as fragmented coverage, racial bias, and a lack of support for mental health and breastfeeding, alongside "bright spots" like community organizations and culturally-concordant care. State-level data illustrates disparities in access to perinatal health workers, postpartum depression screening rates, and insurance coverage for essential services like doula and lactation consultation. Ultimately, the project uses firsthand narratives and clinical data to advocate for systemic change and improved support throughout the critical 100-week period.

Contact: United States of Care, Washington, DC , E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: https://unitedstatesofcare.org/

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Keywords: Access to care, Barriers, Blacks, Healthcare disparities, Maternal health, Preconception care, Pregnancy, Prenatal care: Postpartum care

Annotation: This resource provides a geographic representation of child health in the United States. Contents include national and state-specific data on pediatric health care delivery at the Primary Care Service Area level. A range of maps is available including the number of children under age 18 per pediatrician, the number of children in linguistically-isolated households, median household income, the number of pediatric residents and fellows, and estimated vaccine coverage rates. An interactive mapping tool is available to members of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Contact: American Academy of Pediatrics, 345 Park Boulevard, Itasca, IL 60143, Telephone: 800/433-9016 Secondary Telephone: 202/347-8600 E-mail: https://www.aap.org/en/pages/contact-us/contact-national-headquarters/ Web Site: https://www.aap.org Available from the website.

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Keywords: Access to health care, Children, Data sources, Geographic regions, Health care disparities, Immunization, Integrated information systems, Interactive media, Language barriers, Low income groups, Patient care planning, Pediatricians, Statewide planning, Work force

Annotation: These 12 case studies report on cutting-edge programs and innovative approaches to address the leading causes of death and disease in cities.

Contact: National Association of County and City Health Officials, 1100 17th Street, N.W., Seventh Floor, Washington, DC 20036, Telephone: (202) 783-5550 Fax: (202) 783-1583 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.naccho.org Available from the website.

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Keywords: Barriers, Case studies, Cities, Data sources, Health status, Health status disparities, Healthy People 2020, Public health infrastructure, Systems development

Annotation: This program is intended for dentists, dental assistants, dental hygienists, dental specialists, and other oral health professionals interested in learning about culturally and linguistically appropriate services. The program aims to provide professionals with the knowledge, skills, and awareness they need to provide high-quality oral health services to everyone, regardless of their cultural or linguistic background. The program also aims to support the implementation of National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Health and Health Care.

Contact: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20201, Telephone: (877) 696-6775 Web Site: http://www.hhs.gov Available from the website.

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Keywords: Diversity, Health care delivery, Health care disparities, Health equity, Oral health, Oral health equity, Professional education

Annotation: This survey provides information about the oral health of young children in Nebraska during the period 2021–2022. Topics include the statewide Head Start survey, the statewide third grade survey, the Lancaster county third grade survey, oral health disparities, and trends. The oral health status of young children in Nebraska compared with the oral health status of young children in the United States as a whole is discussed.

Contact: Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, P.O. Box 95026, Lincoln, NE 68509-5026, Telephone: (402) 471-3121 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.dhhs.ne.gov Available from the website.

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Keywords: Data, Health care disparities, Nebraska, Oral health, State information, Surveys, Trends

Annotation: This training program applies core principles of health equity specifically to women's health workers in maternal and child health care settings. The training addresses persistent disparities in maternal health care across the country by examining how bias and racism emerge and present themselves in clinical care provided to women, birthing people, and their children. The program is designed for clinicians and women's health workers to help them understand and address the specific ways that inequities manifest in maternal and child health care delivery. The training focuses on identifying and addressing systemic barriers that contribute to maternal health disparities.

Contact: March of Dimes, 1550 Crystal Drive, Suite 1300, Arlington, VA 10605, Telephone: (888) 663-4637 Secondary Telephone: Web Site: http://www.marchofdimes.org

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Keywords: Health care disparities, Health equity, Implicit bias, Maternal health, Professional training

Annotation: This website provides information about the Healthy Start program, administered by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), that works to improve health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy in high-risk communities. The program focuses on enhancing mothers' health, preventing infant death, and eliminating health disparities through comprehensive, personalized care. The website offers several key resources, including a downloadable Healthy Start Fact Sheet providing program overview, links to evaluation reports showing program effectiveness, information about the Healthy Start EPIC Center for training and technical assistance, and access to the CAREWare database system for data management. Visitors can also find a program locator tool to find local Healthy Start sites, details about grant awards from 2019-2024 (including specific community-based doula initiatives), and contact information for additional questions. The site highlights program accomplishments, showing that Healthy Start participants receive early prenatal care, well-woman visits, and depression/interpersonal violence screenings at higher rates than national averages. The website also explains the structure of the Community Consortium approach and describes the Alumni Peer Navigator initiative that employs former program participants to help current families access needed services.

Contact: U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, Secondary Telephone: (833)852-6262 Web Site: https://mchb.hrsa.gov

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Keywords: Health care disparities, Health promotion, Healthy Start, Infant health services, Infant mortality, Maternal health services, Perinatal care, Prevention

Annotation: This report presents a roadmap of California's Birthing Care Pathway initiative launched by the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to address maternal health disparities and improve outcomes for pregnant and postpartum Medi-Cal members. It describes the current state of maternal health in California, highlighting concerning trends in pregnancy-related mortality and severe maternal morbidity with significant racial disparities affecting Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Pacific Islander individuals. The document outlines DHCS' strategic approach to improve maternal health through policy solutions developed with input from diverse stakeholders, including Medi-Cal members. Key components include strengthening provider access, enhancing clinical care coordination, providing whole-person care, and modernizing maternity care payment systems. The report details recent Medi-Cal policy enhancements for perinatal care and describes California's participation in the federal Transforming Maternal Health Model to further strengthen delivery systems in selected Central Valley counties.

Contact: California Department of Health Care Services, P.O. Box 997413, MS 4400, Sacramento,, CA 95899-7413 , Fax: E-mail: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/Pages/contact_us.aspx Web Site: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/

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Keywords: California, Health care disparities, Maternal health, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Model programs, Perinatal care, Policy development, Postpartum care, Quality improvement, State initiatives, Trends

Annotation: This roadmap provides detailed information on policies and strategies that foster nurturing environments for infants and toddlers and reduce disparities in access and outcomes. Published annually, the roadmap is designed to help state leaders (1) Assess the wellbeing of its infants and toddlers and prioritize state policy goals; (2) Identify evidence-based policy solutions proven to impact policy goals; (3) Monitor states’ adoption and implementation of effective policies and strategies; and (4) Track the impact that policy changes have on improving the wellbeing of children and families and reducing disparities between racial and ethnic groups. A summary of each state’s progress is included.

Contact: Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center , Vanderbilt University , Peabody College of Education and Human Development, Nashville, TN 37203, E-mail: https://pn3policy.org/contact/ Web Site: https://pn3policy.org/

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• 2023

Keywords: Child health, Data collection, Early childhood development, Family leave, Health care access, Health status disparities, Home visits, Infant health, MCH programs, Policy, Prenatal care, State initiatives, State policy

Annotation: This guide presents an overview of inequities in access to health care and insurance coverage in the U.S. and highlights policy and accountability levers that advocates and other change-makers can use to advance equity. Among the topics addressed are providers and service delivery, financing, barriers to obtaining health insurance, barriers to accessing health care, disparities in coverage, accountability and oversight, and policies and actions that could lesson barriers. Links to additional sources of information are included.

Contact: Urban Institute, 500 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, DC 20024, E-mail: https://www.urban.org/about/contact-us Web Site: http://www.urban.org

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Keywords: Access to care, Barriers, Health care disparities, Health equity, Health insurance, Initiatives, Policy, Uninsured persons

Annotation: This guide presents an overview of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), including system inequities, and highlights policy and accountability levers that advocates and other change-makers can use to advance equity. Among the topics addressed are financing, providers and service delivery, barriers to accessing and maintaining CHIP coverage, barriers to accessing health care services in CHIP, accountability and oversight, and policies and actions that could lesson barriers. Links to additional sources of information are included.

Contact: Urban Institute, 500 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, DC 20024, E-mail: https://www.urban.org/about/contact-us Web Site: http://www.urban.org

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Keywords: Access to care, Barriers, Children', Health care disparities, Health equity, Initiatives, Policy, s Health Insurance Program

Annotation: This report examines disparities in tobacco use and tobacco-related health outcomes across population groups in the United States, finding persistent inequities by race and ethnicity, income level, education level, sexual orientation and gender identity, occupation, geography, and behavioral health status. Using a multidisciplinary perspective, it reviews scientific evidence about drivers of tobacco-related health disparities, including social and environmental influences, the tobacco industry's targeted marketing practices, and the physiological and genetic factors that may influence use of flavored tobacco products. The report outlines promising interventions to reduce disparities, such as comprehensive smokefree laws, restrictions on flavored tobacco products including menthol cigarettes, barrier-free cessation services, and reducing nicotine levels in tobacco products to minimally addictive levels, while emphasizing that achieving health equity requires both tobacco-specific interventions and broader efforts to address underlying social and structural inequities.

Contact: U.S. Office of the Surgeon General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Ave., SW, Humphrey Bldg., Suite 701H, Washington, DC 20201, Telephone: (240) 276-8853 Fax: (202) 401-7529 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/index.html

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Keywords: Federal initiatives, Health behavior, Health equity, Health status disparities, Passive smoking, Prevention, Research, Risk factors, Smoking, Smoking cessation, Smoking during pregnancy, Tobacco use

Annotation: his webinar explored breast cancer disparities and their impact on different communities. Health centers play a critical role in providing comprehensive care, especially in tackling disparities in breast cancer screenings and care among underserved communities. Viewers will discover how Community Health Workers (CHWs) can bridge gaps and facilitate screenings and care. Learn practical strategies and best practices to implement CHW programs within your practice effectively.

Contact: National Nurse-led Care Consortium, 1500 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102 , Web Site: https://nurseledcare.phmc.org/

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Keywords: Community health workers, Data collection, Health care disparities, Prevention, Screening, Social deterimants of health, Women', s health

Annotation: During Black Maternal Health Week, podcast host Christie Allen welcomes two distinguished guests: Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, and Carole Johnson, Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Together, they discuss the groundbreaking Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative, the Momnibus legislation, and the urgent need for comprehensive support for maternal health across the United States. This episode is part of the AIM for Better Birth 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.

Contact: Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health, 409 12th Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20024, E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: https://saferbirth.org/

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Keywords: Advocacy, Blacks, Health care disparities, Health equity, Legislation, Maternal health, Maternal mortality, Policy development

Annotation: This scorecard examines women's health and reproductive care across all U.S. states, analyzing performance through 32 measures organized into three dimensions: health outcomes; health care quality and prevention; and coverage, access, and affordability. It reveals significant regional and racial disparities in health system performance, with northeastern states generally performing better than southeastern and southwestern states. Key findings include: Massachusetts, Vermont, and Rhode Island ranking highest overall while Mississippi, Texas, and Nevada rank lowest; maternal mortality rates being highest in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana, with rates disproportionately affecting Black and American Indian/Alaska Native women; mental health conditions representing the leading cause of preventable pregnancy-related deaths; women in states without Medicaid expansion facing higher uninsured rates and more frequently skipping care due to cost; and abortion restrictions potentially limiting future access to maternity care providers. The report highlights how state policy choices impact women's health, noting that southeastern states with abortion restrictions generally have fewer maternity care providers, higher maternal mortality, and lower screening rates.

Contact: Commonwealth Fund, One East 75th Street, New York, NY 10021, Telephone: (212) 606-3800 Fax: (212) 606-3500 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.commonwealthfund.org

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Keywords: , Barriers, Health disparities, Health services, Maternal health, Maternal mortality, Measures, Statistical data, Women', s health

Annotation: This workbook provides guidance for implementing preconception and interconception care, which focuses on optimizing the health of individuals before and between pregnancies to improve maternal and infant outcomes. It summarizes the evidence on the importance of addressing modifiable risk factors prior to pregnancy, such as chronic disease management, nutritional status, substance exposure, and preventive health services. The workbook highlights concerning trends in maternal morbidity and mortality in the U.S., with stark racial disparities, and presents Missouri-specific data on conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and obesity that contribute to adverse outcomes. Evidence-based recommendations are provided for key components of preconception and interconception care across health care settings, including family planning, preventive screenings, chronic disease management, breastfeeding support, and depression screening. The workbook offers clinical tools and resources for providers to implement this care to promote optimal health for birthing people.

Contact: Missouri Perinatal Quality Collaborative , Missouri PQC, Missouri Hospital Association , 4712 Country Club Drive, Jefferson City, MO 65109-4541, Telephone: 573-893-3700 E-mail: https://mopqc.org/contact Web Site: https://mopqc.org

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Keywords: Guidelines, Health care disparities, Missouri, Preconception care, Prevention, Primary care, Risk factors, State initiatives

Annotation: This workbook provides guidance for implementing evidence-based practices to improve postpartum care during the transition from hospital discharge to outpatient follow-up. It summarizes trends in U.S. maternal mortality, with more than 50% of pregnancy-related deaths occurring in the postpartum period. The workbook outlines ACOG's updated recommendations for postpartum care as an ongoing process through 12 weeks after birth, including an initial visit within 3 weeks and a comprehensive visit by 12 weeks. It presents Missouri-specific data on the timing and causes of pregnancy-related deaths, low postpartum visit attendance rates, and shortages of obstetric and mental health providers. Key objectives and strategies are provided for improving postpartum transitions, such as implementing discharge templates and processes, increasing postpartum visit attendance, screening for medical and mental health conditions, providing linkages to specialist and community-based care, and leveraging Medicaid coverage extensions. The AIM Postpartum Discharge Transition Bundle components and resources for implementation are included.

Contact: Missouri Perinatal Quality Collaborative , Missouri PQC, Missouri Hospital Association , 4712 Country Club Drive, Jefferson City, MO 65109-4541, Telephone: 573-893-3700 E-mail: https://mopqc.org/contact Web Site: https://mopqc.org

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Keywords: Guidelines, Health care disparities, Missouri, Patient discharge, Postpartum care, Quality improvement, State initiatives

Annotation: This blog post details policy and programmatic strategies states are implementing to strengthen the perinatal health care system, improve maternal health outcomes, and address disparities, particularly noting that Black women are 2.6 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women. Based on an analysis of states’ strategic plans, the key priorities for supporting pregnant and postpartum women include (1) ensuring access to timely and high-quality care, citing examples such as Iowa’s Obstetrics Mobile Simulation Training Program and North Carolina’s Region IV Provider Support Network; (2) developing and sustaining the perinatal workforce, citing examples such as Illinois DocAssist, a free statewide psychiatric access program, and New Jersey’s Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center; and (3) supporting high-quality care coordination, citing examples such as California’s Enhanced Care Management Birth Equity Population of Focus under CalAIM and Texas’s High-Risk Maternal Care Coordination Services Program.

Contact: National Academy for State Health Policy, 10 Free Street, Second Floor, Portland, ME 04101, Telephone: (207) 874-6524 Secondary Telephone: (202) 903-0101 Fax: (207) 874-6527 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.nashp.org

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Keywords: Access to care, Blacks, California, Healthcare disparities, Illinois, Iowa, Maternal health, New Jersey, North Carolina, Perinatal care, Policy, State initiatives, Strategic plans, Texas

Annotation: This issue brief describes the role of the doula; explains how doula support can reduce maternal health disparities and improve birthing outcomes; and provides examples of state Medicaid programs that cover doula care. The brief also addresses policy considerations; funding challenges, barriers to doula coverage, and considerations for states seeking to expand doula care.

Contact: Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC Web Site: https://maternalhealthlearning.org/

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Keywords: Access to care, Doulas, Financing, Health care disparities, Labor companions, Maternal health, Medicaid, Policy, State initiatives

Annotation: This action brief discusses the importance of prioritizing respectful maternity care, calling attention to the need to support dignity, autonomy, and companionship in pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care. The brief highlights five anti-discriminatory action steps highlighted in the White House blueprint for addressing the maternal crisis and links to a wide variety of programs and resources aimed at improving maternal health outcomes. Statistical data related to maternal maltreatment and a description of factors affecting progress are included

Contact: Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC Web Site: https://maternalhealthlearning.org/

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Keywords: , Barriers, Federal programs, Health care disparities, Health equity, Initiatives, Maternal health, Models, Perinatal care, Quality improvement, Racial discrimination