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Strengthen the Evidence for Maternal and Child Health Programs

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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 (271 total).

U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Genetic Services Branch. n.d.. Rules for the road: A handbook for consumers in leadership roles. Rockville, MD: U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Genetic Services Branch,

Annotation: This handbook captures the values and beliefs of health care consumers in leadership positions in human services organizations. The handbook, which is available online only and may be printed, sets forth principles to help guide health care consumers as they assume leadership positions and provides guidance or negotiating issues that may come with their new roles. The handbook delineates eight fundamentals for practice and discusses each of them.

Contact: U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, Telephone: (888) 275-4772 Secondary Telephone: (877) 464-4772 Fax: (301) 443-1246 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.hrsa.gov Available from the website.

Keywords: Consumers, Health care, Leadership, Service delivery systems

CrossBear S, LeGore S. n.d.. Family involvement in child-serving systems and the need for cross-system collaboration. Rockville, MD: U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 10 pp.

Annotation: This brief reviews what has been accomplished to date in the development of the family voice in all child-serving systems including substance abuse, mental health, child welfare, juvenile justice, trauma support, education, and primary care. The review indicates what needs to occur to create true cross-systems collaboration supporting family involvement, so that youth and their families can fully access the service and supports they need to obtain and maintain optimum health.

Contact: U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane , Rockville, MD 20857, Telephone: (877) SAMHSA-7 Secondary Telephone: (877) 726-4727 E-mail: Web Site: https://www.samhsa.gov Available from the website.

Keywords: Child health, Child welfare, Collaboration, Families, Family centered care, Health care systems, Interagency cooperation, Parent professional relations, Service coordination, Service delivery systems

Palmer A, Caglia J, Paulemon W, Mazon R, McWeeny W, Geertz A, Nakon L. 2025. Postpartum care systems: Strategically collaborating to advance and align solutions across sectors. Washington, DC: Grantmakers In Health,

Annotation: This article from Grantmakers In Health (GIH) describes a collaborative effort by funders to address gaps in postpartum care following the extension of Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months after birth. The piece discusses how a workgroup of funders—including Pritzker Children's Initiative, Merck for Mothers, and Community Health Acceleration Partnership—formed in 2023 to identify opportunities for improving postpartum care systems. The article includes a visual diagram that illustrates the multi-layered challenges in postpartum care on three levels: individual, community, and system. This concentric circle diagram shows how issues such as standards of care, access to quality care, care fragmentation, and policy misalignment (at the system level) interact with community-level challenges like administrative burden and workforce shortages, as well as individual-level factors including awareness of needs, social and economic barriers, and fear of medical debt. Through stakeholder interviews, the workgroup discovered significant fragmentation of services and the absence of comprehensive care standards beyond the traditional six-week postpartum period. In response, the funders issued a request for proposals aimed at creating a centralized hub to catalog and connect postpartum care initiatives, with the goal of developing comprehensive standards and addressing what they term the "postpartum cliff."

Contact: Grantmakers In Health, 1100 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20036-4101, Telephone: (202) 452-8331 Fax: (202) 452-8340 Web Site: http://www.gih.org

Keywords: Access to healthcare, Barriers, Collaboration, Funding, Health care reform, Library collection development, Medicaid, Policy, Postpartum care, Requests for proposals, Service delivery systems, Standards

Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs. 2025. State systems development initiative – Turning data into impact. ,

Annotation: This fact sheet describes the State Systems Development Initiative (SSDI) program, which aims to improve maternal and child health outcomes in 59 states and jurisdictions by increasing capacity to collect, analyze, and use reliable data for Title V MCH Services Block Grant policy and program development. The document explains that SSDI is funded through the Special Projects of Regional and National Significance portion of the Title V Block Grant, distributing up to $100,000 annually to state and jurisdiction awardees to support expansion of data linkages, improved access to data on fair access to care, and translation of data into action. It outlines SSDI's alignment with the Title V MCH Services Block Grant by serving as the sole program supporting the data systems and capacity that Title V programs rely on for planning, implementation, and evaluation. The fact sheet emphasizes that all 59 states and jurisdictions receive SSDI support, providing examples of impact including linking datasets to improve data accuracy, expanding public health dashboards, and identifying areas with poor outcomes for targeted interventions.

Contact: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, 1825 K Street, N.W., Suite 250, Washington, DC 20006-1202, Telephone: (202) 775-0436 Fax: (202) 478-5120 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.amchp.org

Keywords: Data analysis, Data collection, Grants, MCH programs, Services delivery systems, State initiatives, Title V

Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs. 2025. State maternal health innovation – strengthening systems. Washington, DC: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, 2 pp.

Annotation: This fact sheet describes the State Maternal Health Innovation (MHI) Program, a federal investment launched in 2019 as a Special Project of Regional and National Significance by the Health Resources and Services Administration. The program supports states in building comprehensive, data-driven, and collaborative maternal health systems through competitive grants that enable states to develop tailored strategies reflecting their unique populations and care landscapes. It describes the program's alignment with the Title V MCH Services Block Grant by filling a critical gap in facilitating relationships, coordination, and innovation capacity to move state maternal health systems from fragmentation toward alignment. The fact sheet emphasizes that the State MHI Program is the only federal program funding states to weave together relationships into cohesive maternal health systems and warns that without continued funding, state alliances and innovations would stagnate while maternal health efforts would become fragmented.

Contact: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, 1825 K Street, N.W., Suite 250, Washington, DC 20006-1202, Telephone: (202) 775-0436 Fax: (202) 478-5120 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.amchp.org

Keywords: Federal programs, Funding, Grants, MCH Programs, Model programs, Service delivery systems, State initiatives

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.

Contact: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, 465 Medford Street, Boston, MA 02129-1454, Telephone: (617) 886-1700 Web Site: https://www.carequest.org Available from the website.

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

Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs . 2023. Roadmap for collaboration among Title V, home visiting, and early childhood systems programs . Washington, DC: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs,

Annotation: This website provides a collection of resources centered around the Association of Maternal and Child Health Program's framework for collaboration among Title V, Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV), and other Early Childhood Systems (ECS) programs. The framework focuses on systems building and provides tools for staff from each of the programs to use in aligning their program goals and resources towards a common early childhood goal. The resource is a digitally-accessible update of “A roadmap for collaboration among Title V, home visiting, and early childhood systems programs”, en electronic document developed in partnership with the U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau that debuted in 2020.

Contact: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, 1825 K Street, N.W., Suite 250, Washington, DC 20006-1202, Telephone: (202) 775-0436 Fax: (202) 478-5120 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.amchp.org

Keywords: Early childhood development, Early childhood education, Home visiting, Service delivery systems, State programs, Title V programs

Alderman L, Dills J, Mullenix A. 2023. Using systems thinking tools to improve maternal health. Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center, 11 pp.

Annotation: This issue brief explains how systems thinking principles can be used as a tool to help solve complex, seemingly intractable challenges and inequities in maternal and child health (MCH). Examples include the Iceburg model, as applied to reproductive health care; system support mapping, for use with the MCH workforce; and a conceptional model for preconception care using causal loop diagraming.

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

Keywords: Interdisciplinary approach, Cooperation, Health equity, Methods , Models, Service delivery systems, Systems development

Holman C, Glover A, Liddell J, Garnsey A, Boise P, Piskolich A. 2023. Patient experiences of Montana's maternal healthcare system. Missoula, MT: University of Montana Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities , 20 pp.

Annotation: This report presents findings from a statewide survey and interviews on patient experiences of maternity care in Montana as part of a broader maternal health system needs assessment. It measures experiences of respectful care and autonomy in decision-making using two patient-informed, valid, and reliable scales - the Mothers on Respect Index and the Mothers Autonomy in Decision Making Scale. While most participants reported high levels of respectful care, about a third experienced low-to-moderate levels. Patients with social risk factors, such as food insecurity, housing instability, and social isolation, reported lower levels of respectful care and autonomy compared to those without these risk factors. The report provides recommendations for healthcare systems, providers, and community organizations to strengthen practices that support respectful, person-centered care. These include using the assessment tools to inform quality improvement, engaging in provider education on bias and shared decision-making, and building patient support networks.

Contact: Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, 111 North Sanders Helena , Helena, MT 59601-4520 , Telephone: (406) 444-5622 Fax: Web Site: http://dphhs.mt.gov

Keywords: Maternal health, Montana, Needs assessment, Patient care, Rural health, Service delivery systems, State surveys

Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission. 2022. Report to the Congress on Medicaid and CHIP. Washington, DC: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, 196 pp.

Annotation: This report focuses on aspects of Medicaid's mission to ensure access to high-quality health services and the program's future as a major health care payer driving health system change toward value. The report focuses on topics of interest to Congress, including Medicaid’s responsiveness during economic downturns; concerns about high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality; improving hospital payment policy for the nation's safetynet hospitals, and the integration of care for people who are dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare.

Contact: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, 1800 M Street, N.W., Suite 360 South, Washington, DC 20036, Telephone: (202) 350-2000 Fax: (202) 273-2452 E-mail: https://www.macpac.gov/contact-us/ Web Site: http://www.macpac.gov Available from the website.

Keywords: Access to health care, Adolescents, Children, Children', Costs, Financing, Health care reform, Health services delivery, Medicaid, Medications, Mental health, Oral health, Organizational change, Pregnant women, Reimbursement, Systems development, s Health Insurance Program

Cantor A, Nelson HD, Pappas M, Atchison C, Hatch B, Huguet N, Flynn B,McDonagh M . 2022. Effectiveness of telehealth for women's preventive services . Rockville, MD: U.S. Agency for Healhcare Research and Quality, 156 pp. (Comparative Effectiveness Review number 256 )

Annotation: This review evaluates the effectiveness, use, and implementation of telehealth for women’s preventive services for reproductive healthcare and interpersonal violence (IPV). It examines patient preferences and engagement in telehealth and explores how this form of health care delivery affects health outcomes, particularly for those who are geographically isolated or in underserved settings or populations. The use of telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic is highlighted.

Contact: U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, Telephone: (301) 427-1364 Web Site: http://www.ahrq.gov Available from the website.

Keywords: Health care systems, Health care delivery, Health screening, Prevention services, Telecommunications, Telehealth, Telemedicine, Women', s health

Mayer BD, Agolini I, Wright R, Casamassimo P. 2022. Value-based care in pediatric dentistry. Chicago, IL: American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Pediatric Oral Health Research and Policy Center, 15 pp.

Annotation: This brief includes information on the value-based care (VBC) model. Under this model, health professionals are paid based on the overall quality of care they provide, not on the number of services rendered or the number of patients served. The brief describes three models (fee for service, capitation or managed care, and VBC) and presents recommendations for VBC programs that provide children with oral health care. Challenges to developing a VBC system are addressed.

Contact: American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Research and Policy Center, 211 East Chicago Avenue, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60611-2637, Telephone: (312) 337-2169 Secondary Telephone: (800) 544-2174 Fax: (312) 337-6329 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: https://www.aapd.org/research/policy-center/ Available from the website.

Keywords: Child health, Health programs, Managed care, Models, Oral health, Quality assurance, Service delivery systems

Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors. 2021. Best practice approach: Teledentistry--Opportunities for expanding the capacity and reach of the oral healthcare system. Reno, NV: Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors, 16 pp. (Best practice approaches for state, community, and territorial oral health programs)

Annotation: This report discusses the role of teledentistry in reducing barriers that communities and populations face when seeking oral health care. It is intended to serve as a framework for states and territories to use in identifying opportunities and strategies for how to incorporate teledentistry into their oral-health-delivery systems. Topics include background and rationale, guidelines and recommendations, best practice criteria, and state practice examples.

Contact: Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors, 3858 Cashill Boulevard, Reno, NV 89509, Telephone: (775) 626-5008 Fax: (775) 626-9268 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: https://www.astdd.org Available from the website.

Keywords: Health care delivery, Health care systems, Oral health, Service integration, Teledentistry

Oral Health Progress and Equity Network. 2021. Blueprint. [no place]: Oral Health Progress and Equity Network, 1 website.

Annotation: This technical report presents a blueprint for structural improvement designed to rebuild the national oral health care system with the goal of providing equitable oral health care for everyone. The tool encompasses five “levers” (worksheets) that include national-, state-, and local-level action items in the following areas: amplify consumer voices, advance oral health policy, integrate oral health care and medical care, emphasize prevention, and bring care to the people.

Keywords: Health equity, Oral health, Prevention, Service delivery systems, Service integration

Menon M, Huber R, Russell R. 2021. Lessons learned from the ECCS CoIIN Coordinating Center's evaluative efforts . Boston, MA: National Institute for Children's Health Quality, 170 pp.

Annotation: This report presents findings from a five-year nationwide initiative to improve population-based children's developmental health and family well-being outcomes across 12 states. The evaluation focuses on four key areas: building connections between state and local early childhood systems, expanding early childhood systems through infrastructure and capacity building, implementing policy changes, and developing partnerships. The report examines efforts to increase age-appropriate development skills among 3-year-old children and reduce developmental disparities. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

Contact: National Institute for Children's Health Quality, 30 Winter Street, Sixth Floor, Boston, MA 02108, Telephone: (617) 391-2700 Secondary Telephone: (866) 787-0832 Fax: (617) 391-2701 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.nichq.org

Keywords: Collaboration, Community coordination, Developmental screening, Early childhood development, Federal initiatives, Model programs, Partnership, Policy development, Service delivery systems, State initiatives

DentaQuest Partnership for Oral Health Advancement. 2020. Fast-track to teledentistry: Removing barriers to care while maximizing overall health. Boston, MA: DentaQuest Partnership for Oral Health Advancement, 19 pp. (White paper)

Annotation: This paper provides information on the benefits of teledentistry and how to make it more accessible. It discusses the impact of not receiving oral health care, new uses of and approaches to teledentistry, potential savings for states from increasing the use of teledentistry, and the promise of teledentistry. What states can do to make it easier for health systems, hospitals, and safety net clinics to adopt teledentistry initiatives is also discussed, including expanding the workforce, updating reimbursement policies, enhancing legal clarity, and making it easier for health professionals to share patient information.

Contact: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, 465 Medford Street, Boston, MA 02129-1454, Telephone: (617) 886-1700 Web Site: https://www.carequest.org Available from the website.

Keywords: Access to health care, Health care delivery, Initiatives, Legislation, Oral health, Reimbursement, Service delivery systems, Teledentistry

U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau. 2020. Request for Information: A Blueprint for Change: Guiding Principles for Advancing the System of Services for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) and Families . Rockville, MD: U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau, 8 pp.

Annotation: This document requests input on a blueprint designed to inform programs and policy at the community, state, and federal levels on how systems of care for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) can be operationalized in the key areas of health equity, access to services and supports, family/child well-being and quality of life, and financing of services. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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 Available from the website.

Keywords: Adolescents with special health care needs, Children with special health care needs, Health care systems, Public health services, Service delivery systems

Corona A, Leahy M, Taft K. 2020. A roadmap for collaboration among Title V, home visiting, and early childhood systems programs: Accelerating improvements in early childhood outcomes. Washington, DC: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, 30 pp.

Annotation: This document makes recommendations for improved program alignment among Title V, home visiting, and early childhood systems programs and suggests steps to take for collaborative action planning. A case study of the Indiana State Department of Health's internal organizational structure for improved early childhood collaboration is included.

Contact: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, 1825 K Street, N.W., Suite 250, Washington, DC 20006-1202, Telephone: (202) 775-0436 Fax: (202) 478-5120 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.amchp.org Available from the website.

Keywords: Early childhood development, Early childhood education, Home visiting, Service delivery systems, State programs, Title V programs

Spain AK, Anderson M, McCrae JS. 2020. Getting connected: Referrals for family support in early childhood. Chicago, IL: Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, 9 pp.

Annotation: This brief reports on the functions of a central referral system, the Help Me Grow model, as a resource for families, community-based organizations, and health care providers to connect families to a variety of services and local resources that benefit young children. Based on interviews and focus groups with parents, pediatric primary care providers, community providers, and Help Me grow local staff, the brief offers perspectives on first steps in the referral process, identifying needs, and asking for help. It is one in a series of briefs evaluating community approaches to preventing or mitigating toxic stress.

Contact: Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, 1313 East 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, Telephone: (773) 753-5900 Fax: (773) 753-5940 Web Site: http://www.chapinhall.org

Keywords: Community based services, Families, Models, Referrals, Service delivery systems, Social support, Young children

Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Oral Health. [2019]. Finding the keys to Arizona's oral health issues: Arizona 2019-2022 oral health action plan. Phoenix, AZ: Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Oral Health, 30 pp.

Annotation: The Arizona Oral Health Action Plan 2019–2022 provides guidance for improving the oral health of all Arizonans. It introduces issues related to oral health in Arizona and discusses the following topics: understanding oral health disparities among children, pregnant women, adults, and older adults; improving oral health equity; cross-cutting oral health care systems; and improving health and oral health in the state.

Contact: Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Oral Health, 150 North 18th Avenue, Suite 320, Phoenix, AZ 85007, Telephone: (602) 542-1891 Fax: (602) 364-1494 Web Site: http://www.azdhs.gov/prevention/womens-childrens-health/oral-health/ Available from the website.

Keywords: , Adult health, Arizona, Older adults, Oral health, Service delivery systems, State planning

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