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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 (534 total).

United States of Care. No date. The 100 Weeks Project journey map. ,

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/

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

Center for Mental Health in Schools. n.d.. A sampling of outcome findings from interventions relevant to addressing barriers to learning. Los Angeles, CA: Center for Mental Health in Schools, ca. 150 pp. (Technical assistance sampler)

Annotation: The purpose of this report is to provide technical assistance to individuals working to improve student performance in American public schools. Examples of specific techniques that address barriers to student learning and data to support these techniques are highlighted within this document. Areas covered include (1) enhancing classroom-based efforts to enable learning, (2) providing student and family assistance, (3) responding to and preventing crises, (4) supporting transitions, (5) increasing home involvement in schooling, and (6) outreach for greater community involvement and support. [Support in part by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

Contact: Center for Mental Health in Schools, UCLA School Mental Health Project, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, Telephone: (310) 825-3634 Secondary Telephone: (866) 846-4843 Fax: (310) 206-8716 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu Available from the website.

Keywords: Academic achievement, Barriers, Community participation, Knowledge level, Learning, Mental health, Parent participation

Center for Mental Health in Schools. n.d.. Technical assistance sampler on: Using technology to address barriers to learning. Los Angeles, CA: Center for Mental Health in Schools, 75 pp.

Annotation: This report examines the use of technology to overcome barriers to learning. Topics include information systems management, multimedia aids to facilitate intervention, in situ and distance learning, and model programs and guides. A list of additional references is also included. [Funded in part by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

Contact: Center for Mental Health in Schools, UCLA School Mental Health Project, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, Telephone: (310) 825-3634 Secondary Telephone: (866) 846-4843 Fax: (310) 206-8716 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu Available from the website.

Keywords: Barriers, Education, Information systems, Intervention, Learning, Mental health, Model programs, Technology

Wittenmyer J. n.d.. Amelioration of Health Problems of Children with Parents with Mental Retardation: [Final report]. Madison, WI: Wisconsin Council on Developmental Disabilities, 51 pp.

Annotation: This project attempted to improve the health status of children in families in which one or both parents have mental retardation by reducing the risks associated with lack of immunization, poor nutrition, undiagnosed medical or developmental problems, injuries, and inadequate early stimulation. Efforts included both direct services (such as immunization, screening, and home care programs) and a consultation and technical assistance program aimed at improving the accessibility of the service delivery system for these children. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

Contact: National Technical Information Service, O.S. Department of Commerce, 5301 Shawnee Road, Alexandria, VA 22312, Telephone: (703) 605-6050 Secondary Telephone: (888) 584-8332 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.ntis.gov Document Number: NTIS PB93-201051.

Keywords: Access to Health Care, Barriers to Health Care, Health Education, High risk children, High risk groups: Families, Mental Retardation, Parents, Parents with disabilities, Preventive Health Care, Primary Care

American Academy of Pediatrics and Dartmouth Institute of Health Policy and Clinical Practice. n.d.. AAP Child Health Mapping Project. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics, 1 v.

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.

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

Big Cities Health Coalition. n.d.. Winnable battles case studies. Washington, DC: National Association of County and City Health Officials, Big Cities Health Coalition, 115 pp.

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.

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

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. n.d.. Improving access to maternal health care in rural communities. Baltimore, MD: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 62 pp.

Annotation: This issue brief provides background information on rural healthcare access and focuses attention on the need for national, state, and community-based organizations to collaborate on developing an action plan to improve access to maternal health care and improve outcomes for rural women and their babies. It addresses the challenges that rural women face before, during, and after pregnancy and highlights promising approaches and opportunities to improve maternal health care in rural communities. Six case studies address several factors contributing to problems accessing maternal health care in rural communities, including workforce shortages and access to care challenges associated with social determinants of health. They illustrate efforts to stabilize rural hospital obstetrical services, regionalization and coordination of care, quality improvement initiatives, training and guideline development, provider recruitment and retention strategies, and expansion of care models

Contact: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244, Telephone: (800) 633-4227 Secondary Telephone: (877) 267-2323 Fax: Web Site: https://www.cms.gov

Keywords: Barriers, Case studies, Health care access, Health equity, Maternal health, Rural health, Rural population, Statistics

Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors. 2025. Best practice approach: Perinatal oral health (upd. ed.). Reno, NV: Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors; Washington, DC: National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center, 20 pp. (Best practice approaches for state and community oral health programs)

Annotation: This report provides a description of perinatal oral health, including its significance and background, barriers to accessing oral health care for this population, and a strategic framework for improving perinatal oral health. It also includes guidelines and recommendations, research evidence, 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: Access to health care, Barriers, Infant health, Initiatives, Oral health, Perinatal health, Pregnant women

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

South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health. 2025. Improving maternal and infant health: Increasing access to care in rural South Carolina. Columbia, SC: Institute of Medicine and Public Health , 114 pp.

Annotation: This report presents recommendations from a taskforce convened to address maternal and infant health challenges in rural South Carolina. The document examines the significant barriers facing pregnant and postpartum women and their babies in rural areas of the state, including provider shortages, hospital closures, transportation challenges, and nonmedical drivers of health such as poverty and food insecurity. It reviews successful programmatic efforts including Family Solutions, Hello Family Pay for Success, and the Management of Maternal Diabetes initiative, as well as policy approaches from other southern states that have expanded practice authority for certified nurse midwives and strengthened workforce incentives. The report provides detailed recommendations organized into four categories: care delivery (including mobile maternity units and telehealth expansion), workforce development (addressing pay equity and training), training and education for providers and communities, and addressing nonmedical drivers of health through transportation and social support services. It includes extensive data on maternal mortality rates, provider distribution maps, and economic analyses of the costs associated with poor maternal health outcomes, along with definitions of key terms and comprehensive references.

Contact: South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health , 1301 Gervais Street, Suite 1710 , Columbia , SC 29201, E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://imph.org

Keywords: Barriers, Infant health, Maternal health, Model programs, Postpartum care, Prenatal care, Rural health, South Carolina, State initiatives

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2025. Telehealth and postpartum care. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,

Annotation: This webpage discusses how telehealth can help address barriers to postpartum care, such as the cost and time associated with travel to in-person appointments, inability to drive after childbirth, and lack of childcare. It outlines potential postpartum telehealth services, including general health check-ins, lactation support, screening and treatment for postpartum depression, therapy appointments, and referrals to specialists. The page also spotlights Centerstone, a HRSA-funded program in Tennessee that has successfully used telehealth to reduce infant mortality and racial disparities in prenatal care by increasing access to visits and education programs.

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

Keywords: Barriers, Maternal health, Perinatal care, Postpartum care, Telehealth, Tennessee, state programs

National Network for Oral Health Access. 2024. User's guide for the implementation of the oral health core clinical competencies. Denver, CO: National Network for Oral Health Access, 50 pp.

Annotation: This guide for health center staff describes a set of interprofessional oral health core clinical competencies designed to foster integration of oral health care into primary care. The guide also provides information about three pilot projects’ experiences related to implementing the competencies. Contents include recommendations to inform planning, training systems, health information systems, clinical care systems, and evaluation systems.

Contact: National Network for Oral Health Access, 181 East 56th Avenue, Suite 410, Denver, CO 80216, Telephone: (303) 957-0635 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.nnoha.org Available from the website.

Keywords: Barriers, Clinics, Community health centers, Interdisciplinary approach, Oral health, Primary care, Program development, Service integration, Systems development

Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs . 2024. Systems mapping tools to advance birth equity. Washington, DC: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs ,

Annotation: This collection of online tools is intended to accelerate the work of communities, coalitions, and funders in strategically assessing their efforts, identifying opportunities, and committing to actions aimed at assuring conditions that lead to optimal births for all people. The tools include: (1) The Birth Equity Action Map, which describes actions needed by specific birth equity partners to improve birth and racial equity; (2) the Birth Equity Ecosystem Map, which visualizes the factors and conditions needed to achieve equitable outcomes; and (3) the Birth Equity Iceberg, which offers insights on the barriers that perpetuate inequitable outcomes and limit efforts to advance birth equity.

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: Barriers, Childbirth, Health care systems, Health equity, Racism

Bhatnagar P. 2024. Housing justice is reproductive justice: A review of housing justice as a structural determinant of black women and birthing people's reproductive health in Washington, D.C.. Washington, D.C: Mamatoto Village and Georgetown University Health Justice Alliance , 26 pp.

Annotation: This report highlights the common threads between housing and reproductive justice, emphasizing the importance of policy solutions that de-silo maternal health and address social and structural barriers. The first section describes how structural racism and structural disinvestment—including residential segregation, poor housing access and conditions, residential instability and gentrification, and the carceral apparatus—contribute to deleterious health outcomes among Black women and birthing people. The second section outlines how Black pregnancy is policed across the reproductive lifespan through forced evictions and displacement during pregnancy, double jeopardy of racism and discrimination in health care settings, and threatened Child Protective Services (CPS) involvement after birth. The third section highlights the status of housing reform in Washington, D.C. and potential opportunities for change. The report ends with Mamatoto Village’s housing justice framework, a summary of federal housing programs and policies, and links to annotated bibliography of key articles.

Contact: Georgetown University , Health Justice Alliance , 600 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001, Telephone: (202) 662-9000 Web Site: https://www.law.georgetown.edu/health-justice-alliance/

Keywords: Barriers, Blacks, Civil rights, Federal programs , Housing, Housing programs, Maternal health, Policy development, Pregnancy, Racism, Social factors, Underserved communities

Community Catalyst. 2024. Community perspectives on access, quality, and invasiveness of dental care. Boston, MA: Community Catalyst, 20 pp.

Annotation: This report provides information about a series of community listening sessions that Community Catalyst held with community members in three states. The purpose of the sessions was to gain a better understanding of community members' perspectives related to access to and experiences with oral health care. The report includes an overview of the methodology of these listening sessions, descriptions of key themes that arose, and recommendations for policy solutions to address the barriers community members identified.

Contact: Community Catalyst, 30 Winter Street, 10th Floor, Boston, MA 02108, Telephone: (617) 338-6035 Fax: (617) 451-5838 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: https://www.communitycatalyst.org Available from the website.

Keywords: Access to health care, Barriers, Community health, Oral health, Public policy

Berman Institute of Bioethics. 2024. Raising children with medical complexity: Issues in housing and household expenses. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins ,

Annotation: This website describes a project that was developed from stakeholder concerns about the fragility of stable and adequate housing for families of children with chronic and complex conditions raised at the 2019 Levi Symposium hosted at the Berman Institute. The project is ongoing.

Contact: Johns Hopkins, Berman Institute of Bioethics , Deering Hal , 1809 Ashland Avenue, Baltimore , MD 20205, Telephone: (410) 614-5550 E-mail: [email protected]

Keywords: Children with special health care needs, Financial barriers, Housing, Physical disabilities, State initiatives

Joy Taylor K, Nelson T, Allen EH, Hinojosa S. 2024. Guide to equity for the uninsured . Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 8 pp.

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

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

Taylor KJ, Hinojosa S, Allen EH, and Nelson T. 2024. Guide to equity in the children's health insurance program . Washington, DC: Urban Institute,

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

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

National Network for Oral Health Access. 2024. A health guide and support for dental visits. Denver, CO: National Network for Oral Health Access, 2 pp.

Annotation: This brochure provides information for consumers about dental visits. Topics include what do do after a dental visit, advocating for oneself during a visit, caring for oneself before and after a visit, how to address barriers to visiting the dentist, determining goals for a dental visit, how to prepare for a visit, and other ways to access oral health care. A companion guide for oral health professionals is also available.

Contact: National Network for Oral Health Access, 181 East 56th Avenue, Suite 410, Denver, CO 80216, Telephone: (303) 957-0635 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.nnoha.org Available from the website.

Keywords: Access to health care, Advocacy, Consumer education materials, Financial barriers, Oral health

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

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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.