Search Results: MCHLine

Annotation: This web page from the South Carolina Department of Public Health addresses the state's high maternal mortality rate, which ranks 8th in the United States, noting that nearly 90% of pregnancy-related deaths—the majority of which occur in the postpartum period—are preventable. The site highlights stark disparities, with the mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black women being nearly double that of non-Hispanic White women, and lists the top three leading causes as Infections, Mental Health Conditions/Substance Use Disorder (SUD), and Embolism. The site includes an illustrated list of the urgent maternal warning signs developed by the Council on Patient Safety in Women's Health Care. The page also links to the Tracking Reproductive Health Dashboard and a booklet for new parents.

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Keywords: Data, Maternal mortality, Postpartum care, Prevention, South Carolina, State health agencies, State initiatives

Annotation: This blog post features an interview with Cheri Pies (conducted in 2011) concerning the translation of the life course health development framework into the practice of state and county health departments. It describes the integration of the life course perspective into maternal and child health program delivery, emphasizing a paradigm shift away from traditional medical models toward addressing the social determinants of health. The document outlines specific local initiatives, such as Building Economic Security Today and the Building Blocks Collaborative, which utilize life course principles to improve financial stability and cross-sector health equity. Substantial discussion is provided regarding the barriers to applying this theoretical framework, including categorical funding streams, and the importance of longitudinal research and evaluation to measure intergenerational health outcomes. The interview is one of six in the Life Course History series.

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Keywords: Barriers, Child health, County health agencies, Health equity, History, Life Course, Maternal health, Models, Preventive health services, Research, Social determinants of health, State health agencies

Annotation: This issue brief highlights Action 2.7 from the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, focusing on addressing systemic discrimination in healthcare through guidance on prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, disability, and sex. The document examines how structural racism, interpersonal racism, and discrimination impact maternal health outcomes, with particular attention to the lasting effects of historical policies like redlining and current disparities in treatment and health outcomes across different populations. It provides detailed data on mistreatment during maternity care, highlights the intersectionality of discrimination, and outlines specific state-level innovations and evidence-based strategies being implemented to combat discrimination in maternal healthcare settings, including cultural competency training programs and equity-focused quality improvement initiatives.

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Keywords: Age factors, Cultural competence, Ethnic factors, Health equity, Maternal health, Model programs, Racial factors, Racism, Social discrimination, Sociocultural factors, State initiatives, Training

Annotation: This report examines the performance of Medicaid managed care organizations in addressing the maternal mortality crisis and racial health disparities among pregnant and postpartum women with low incomes. It presents findings from a scan of 12 states conducted in 2023 that analyzed the transparency of publicly available performance metrics and reports from state maternal mortality review committees. The document identifies significant gaps in public data regarding individual organization accountability and the lack of coordination between state health agencies. Substantial recommendations are provided for federal and state policymakers to improve transparency through the use of data dashboards, beneficiary-facing scorecards, and standardized performance improvement projects.

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Keywords: Data, Managed care, Maternal health, Maternal mortality, Medicaid, Racial factors, State health agencies, Statistical analysis, health care disparities

Annotation: This report summarizes the health care transition (HCT) strategies that Title V agencies documented in their 2021 applications and 2019 annual reports. The document highlights examples of states' HCT innovations and offers recommendations for future health care transition strategies in state Title V action plans.

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Keywords: Adolescents, Federal agencies, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Transition planning, Transition to independent living, Transitions, Young adults

Annotation: This report describes prenatal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) receipt in the United States in 2016 by state and by maternal age, race and Hispanic origin, and education. For each topic, key points are provided, and bar graphs illustrate statistical information.

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Keywords: Age factors, Educational factors, Hispanic Americans, Maternal nutrition, Nutrition programs, Pregnant women, Prenatal nutrition, Racial factors, Statistical data, WIC program

Annotation: This strategic plan includes goals, strategies, activities and performance measures to support efforts of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau's Division of MCH Workforce Development to assure that all children, youth, and families will live and thrive in healthy communities served by a quality workforce that helps assure their health and well-being.

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Keywords: Federal MCH programs, Federal agencies, Strategic plans, Training, U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Work force

Annotation: This web site contains archived presentations from Dr. Peter Van Dyck, former director of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The presentations, given on July 13, 20, and 27 2011, cover public service pathways as a career choice; the history of maternal and child health (MCH), and lessons in leadership. The presentations are all part of MCHB's Legacy of a Leader series.

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Keywords: Child Health, Federal MCH programs, Federal agencies, History, Leadership, Maternal health, Public health

Annotation: This paper examines the logic behind the typical recommendation by medical practitioners that only pregnant women over the age of 35 be tested for Down syndrome and other genetic disorders using amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS) since these tests can cause miscarriage. The authors argue that such logic is incomplete, since the cost of such testing rises with age, just as the benefit does: While undergoing an amniocentesis always entails the risk of miscarriage of a healthy fetus, these costs are lower at early ages, because there is a higher probability of being able to replace a miscarried fetus with a healthy birth at a later age. In this paper, the authors present an economic model of amniocentesis choice to explore this tradeoff.

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Keywords: Amniocentesis, Chorionic villi sampling, Cost effectiveness, Economic factors, Genetic disorders, Genetic screening, Guidelines, Maternal age, Prenatal screening

Annotation: This online toolkit contains downloadable resources highlighting programs and practices to help local health departments with their work related to maternal and child health and adolescent health. The toolkit is divided into the following categories: programs, publications, toolbox, public health advocacy, press room, and membership. Users may also request help (including help finding a tool), bookmark tools, and submit tools.

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Keywords: Adolescent health, Advocacy, Child health, City agencies, Community agencies, Internet, MCH, Maternal health, Programs, Public health, Resource materials, World Wide Web

Annotation: This report examines data from the National Vital Statistics System for fetal death of 20 weeks gestation or more. Topics include the impact of fetal mortality on families, recent trends, differences among racial and ethnic groups, rates among twins or other multiple pregnancies, relationship between fetal mortality and maternal age, and fetal mortality rates by number of previous pregnancies.

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Keywords: Ethnic factors, Fetal death, Fetal mortality, Maternal age, Multiple pregnancy, National surveys, Population surveillance, Pregnancy loss, Racial factors, Statistical data, Statistics

Annotation: This fact sheet summarizes the key facts, history, maternal and child health services block grant program, and Healthy Start program of the Human Resources and Services Administration's Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

Keywords: Federal MCH programs, Federal agencies, Maternal and Child Health Bureau

Annotation: This data brief provides information about changes over time in the ages at which women have their first child. The brief addresses the following questions: (1) are first-time mothers older?, (2) does the average age of first-time mothers differ by race and Hispanic origin?, and (3) how does the United States compare with other countries in average age at first birth?

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Keywords: Delayed childbearing, Hispanic Americans, Maternal age, Racial factors, Trends

Annotation: This policy brief emphasizes the importance of integrating a life course perspective, which emphasizes the importance of health across the the human life span, into maternal and child health (MCH). It describes how the life course model focuses on the importance of intervention during critical periods in time, and how the environment and other factors have a cumulative impact on health. The brief then describes how the MCH life course model can be transformed into concrete policies and programs. Initial ideas for developing a life course framework, along with starting strategies, are included.

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Keywords: Age factors, Child health, Health care reform, Human development, Life course, MCH health, Maternal health, Models, Policy, Program development, Program improvement, Risk factors

Annotation: This book consists of a background study of the historical and international trends in adolescent pregnancy and the effects of early pregnancy on the mother's and, eventually, the child's education, work history, and life-long earnings. Seven coordinated studies then focus on specific elements in the data and use statistical projections that take into account other social factors, such as education, race, marital status, cultural background, and neighborhood crime incidence, to estimate the consequences of early pregnancy for the mothers, for the fathers, for the children (health, abuse, incarceration, life chances), and for society. Numerous tables and graphs illustrate the data.

Keywords: Adolescent employment, Adolescent fathers, Adolescent mothers, Adolescent pregnancy, Adolescents, Child abuse, Child support, Child welfare, Demography, Economic factors, Educational attainment, Employment, Family income, Health care utilization, Incarcerated youth, Low income groups, Maternal age, Pregnant adolescents, Psychosocial predictors, Social support, Statistics, Unplanned pregnancy, Unwanted pregnancy

Annotation: This monograph details the experiences, strategies developed, and lessons learned of an action learning collaborative convened by the Association of Maternal and Child Health programs and CityMatch, from October 2006 through February 2008, to promote healthy weight in women of reproductive age. For each of the eight programs featured, the report gives a team description, impact of collaborative, project description, lessons learned, and recommendations.

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Keywords: Body weight, Community programs, Maternal age, Model programs, Obesity, Women's health

Annotation: This audio recording and transcript features Dr. Cecilia Tichi, Chair of Modern Culture in the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress presenting a history of Julia Lathrop, the first chief of the U.S. Children's Bureau. The talk -- titled Justice, Not Pity, is taken from Lathrop's quote, The justice of today is born of yesterday's pity -- highlights Lathrop's upbringing and educational background; her interest in social democracy and reform; and her work at Hull House -- a settlement house in Chicago. The recording and transcript include descriptions of numerous slides used during the presentation that took place in September 2007.

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Keywords: Child health, Federal agencies, History, Maternal health, Reform, Social change

Annotation: This paper, part of the Putting What Works to Work project, explores the complex relationship between the age at which a woman has a child and how her child fares. Two primary areas are discussed: (1) what is the magnitude of differences on measures of development between children born to adolescent mothers aged 17 and younger and children born to older women; and (2) what differences between the kindergarten children remain after taking into account characteristics of the child, the mother, and the household. Topics addressed include differences in child, family, and mother's background characteristics by age of mother; differences among children by age of mother at first birth; cognition and knowledge and language and communications differences in children born to adolescent mothers. The report is divided into the following sections: summary, introduction, key findings, research to date, data, sample, measures, methods, results, discussion, conclusion, and literature cited. Statistical information is provided in charts and tables throughout the paper.

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Keywords: Adolescent mothers, Cognitive development, Early childhood development, Emotional development, Ethnic factors, Family characteristics, Infant health, Language development, Maternal age, Racial factors, Socioeconomic factors, Statistics

Annotation: This publication provides an overview of the federal Maternal and Child Health (MCH) program's evolution in consultation, technical assistance, policy development and dissemination, and data collection and analysis, from the establishment of the Children's Bureau in 1912 to the present. The publication uses four selected areas—newborn screening, mental retardation, heart disease, and school health/health of school age children—to illustrate how the MCH program development principles have incorporated scientific and technological advances into promoting the health of the nation's children and families. The publication discusses the problems that the MCH program will face in the future, including unresolved problems from the 20th century and new problems. References are included in the document. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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Keywords: Adolescents, Child health, Children, Children's Bureau, Families, Fathers, Health promotion, Healthy People 2010, Heart diseases, History, Infants, MCH programs, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Mental retardation, Neonatal screening, Parents, Pregnant women, Program development, School age children, School health, Social Security Act, Title V, Title V programs

Annotation: This report discusses the fiscal year budget for the District of Columbia, emphasizing the funding available for programs to benefit children, youth, and families. The report begins with background information including a historical timeline on the budget process. It explains how to advocate for children, youth, and families. Subsequent chapters provide detailed information on programs and budget in the following areas: welfare and other government benefit programs, child welfare, early childhood development, juvenile delinquency and crime prevention, homelessness, recreation, maternal and child health, mental health, the Children and Youth Investment Fund, and the Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund. A glossary, a list of city government officials and agencies, and a list of other important addresses and phone numbers are included at the end.

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Keywords: Advocacy, Budgets, Budgets, Child health, Child welfare, Children, City agencies, District of Columbia, Early childhood development, Families, Homelessness, Juvenile delinquency, Maternal health, Mental health, Prevention, Program evaluation, Recreation, Tobacco, Welfare programs, Youth