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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

Annotation: This white paper discusses the worsening maternal morbidity and mortality (MMM) rates in the United States, which continue to disproportionately affect Black/African American and American Indian/Alaska Native women. The document addresses maternal health risks, the costs associated with maternal morbidity, and four crucial delays in care identified by the World Health Organization (WHO): delays in seeking medical care, reaching a facility, diagnosis/misdiagnosis, and receiving appropriate treatment. It discusses how digital healthcare solutions can advance maternal health by closing gaps in care, diminishing these four delays, empowering women to self-monitor, and equipping providers with more patient data for timely diagnosis. The paper describes the "Happy Mama" technology platform, which is designed to guide patients from preconception through 12 months postpartum while using FHIR-based interoperability standards to connect patient data with provider Electronic Health Records (EHRs).

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Keywords: Data collection, Health care disparities, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Remote patient monitoring, Telemedicine

Annotation: This resource outlines best practices for equitable maternal care, addressing the disparities experienced by women of color, particularly given the near 40% increase in maternal mortality since 2020. It identifies both individual-level strategies, such as screening and documenting social needs and practicing empathy, and systemic efforts, including offering implicit bias training, integrating health equity into quality improvement processes, and diversifying the maternal care workforce. The resource features hospitals in action, describing programs like the HoPE Doula Program and the Swedish Doula Services Program, which integrate community-based doulas to provide continuous support, advocacy, and connection to resources for pregnant and postpartum families. Additionally, it details the University of Chicago’s STAMPP-HTN (Systematic Treatment and Management of Postpartum Hypertension) program, a quality improvement bundle utilizing nurse educators and remote blood pressure monitors to improve immediate postpartum care for women with hypertensive disorders, which successfully eliminated follow-up disparities among Black and White women.

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Keywords: Community based services, Doulas, Health care disparities, Health equity, Hypertension, Maternal health, Postpartum care, Quality improvement, Resources for professionals

Annotation: The Birth Equity Action Map is an interactive mapping tool that describes urgent actions needed by specific system actors (i.e., birth equity partners) to improve birth and racial equity, and it highlights where the system funders can use their leverage to accelerate birth equity. The tool is designed to accelerate the work of communities, coalitions, and funders in strategically assessing their efforts, identifying opportunities, and committing to specific actions to strengthen the birth equity and early childhood ecosystem.

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Keywords: Access to health care, Childbirth, Health care disparities, Health care systems, Health equity, Interactive media, Maps, Maternal health, Perinatal care

Annotation: This systematic review examines the effects of cultural competence education for health professionals on patient-related outcomes, health professional outcomes, and healthcare organization outcomes. It included five randomized controlled trials involving 337 healthcare professionals and 8400 patients, with at least 3463 patients from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. The review found low-quality evidence showing some improvements in patient involvement in care and health behaviors, but no evidence of effect on treatment outcomes or most evaluations of care. The authors developed a four-dimensional conceptual framework comprising educational content, pedagogical approach, structure of the intervention, and participant characteristics to provide consistency in describing and assessing interventions. They conclude that while cultural competence education shows some promise as a strategy to address health inequities, more rigorous research with greater methodological uniformity is needed to establish its effectiveness.c

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Keywords: Cultural competency, Cultural diversity, Healthcare disparities, Minority groups, Resources for professionals

Annotation: This report examines the role of the Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Services Block Grant in addressing maternal and infant health disparities. It analyzes fiscal investments for pregnant women and infants across 59 states and territories using budget data from the Title V Information System. The document explores the ratio of federal to non-federal funding, identifies state-level variability in budgeting, and investigates correlations between spending patterns and rates of maternal and infant mortality. It presents findings on state overmatch contributions and provides recommendations for federal and state policy modifications to strengthen investment in the reproductive and perinatal continuum; appendix tables provide detailed state-level budget percentages and mortality data

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Keywords: Child Health, Financing, Health care disparities, Maternal health, Statistics, Title V, Trends

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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