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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 (356 total).

Handgun Control Inc., and Center to Prevent Handgun Violence. n.d.. We have a comprehensive program to combat gun violence. Washington, DC: Handgun Control, Inc., and Center to Prevent Handgun Violence, 1 p.

Minnesota Sudden Infant Death Center. n.d.. SIDS and the child care provider. Minneapolis, MN: Minnesota Sudden Infant Death Center, 2 pp.

Annotation: This brochure provides guidelines to help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in child care settings. It provides an overview of SIDS; a description of safe sleep practices for infants; and the rules that apply in the state of Minnesota when a death occurs in a child care setting. The brochure also describes sources of support and services that are available to providers who have lost an infant due to SIDS.

Keywords: Child care, Child care workers, Infants, Minnesota, Prevention, SIDS, Safety, State legislation

New York State Department of Health, Division of Chronic Disease Prevention and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. n.d.. Making it work toolkit. Albany, NY: New York State Department of Health, Division of Chronic Disease Prevention and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, multiple items.

Annotation: These toolkits for consumers and employers provide information to address the challenges of low income wage earners returning to work while continuing to breastfeed. Contents include five individual toolkits. A toolkit for mothers provides information on how to talk with supervisors, coworkers, and child care providers and how to store and handle breast milk, as well as checklists, tips, sample schedules, and food ideas. A toolkit for family members explains the role grandparents and partners play while dispelling myths that can be held by others, and how to give support and care for a breastfed infant. Additional toolkits are designed to help employers comply with state and federal laws; offer guidance for mothers and employers on interpreting the laws and resources; and provide sample letters and policies.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Employer initiatives, Legislation, Low income groups, New York, State programs, Supported employment, Workplace health promotion

Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Oral Health. 2025. Proof of school dental examination form. Springfield, IL: Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Oral Health, 1 p.

Annotation: This form is designed to assist school districts, oral health professionals, and parents in documenting the oral health status and service needs of children in kindergarten and second and third grades in Illinois. Topics include the presence of dental sealants, dental caries experience and restoration history, untreated caries, soft tissue pathology, and malocclusion; the need for urgent treatment, restorative care, and preventive care; and other service needs. The form is available in English and Spanish.

Keywords: Compliance, Forms, Health examinations, Illinois, Oral health, Oral health care, Public schools, School age children, School districts, Spanish language materials, State legislation

Oral Health Workforce Research Center. 2025. Dental hygiene: Why does scope of practice matter?. Renssalear, NY: Oral Health Workforce Research Center, 1 p.

Annotation: This fact sheet presents information about the importance of dental hygiene scope of practice (SOP). It explains what professional and legal dental hygiene SOP are and describes the benefits of a broad state dental hygiene SOP, including (1) dental hygienists being able to practice to the full extent of their training and (2) the enhancement of oral health care, especially in underserved areas.

Keywords: Access to care, Dental hygienists, Low income groups, Oral health, State legislation, Underserved communities

Gammer L. 2025. Federal regulation of fluoride in drinking water. St. Paul, MN: Network for Public Health Law, 17 pp. (Oral health fact sheet)

Annotation: This report provides information about federal regulation of fluoride in community drinking water. It offers an overview of why fluoridating drinking water is important and discusses how doing so reduces oral health disparities. It explains federal, state, and local governments' role in fluoride regulation. It also discusses federal actions to combat the Environmental Protection Agency's potential prohibition against fluoridating drinking water and opportunities for state and local governments to respond.

Keywords: Dental caries, Federal government, Fluoride, Legislation, Local government, Oral health, Oral health equity, Prevention, State government

Alabama Arise. 2025. The Alabama maternal health toolkit. Montogomery, AL: Alabama Arise, 16 pp.

Annotation: This toolkit for pregnant women and new mothers provides comprehensive information on accessing Medicaid coverage and maternal health services in the state of Alabama. It addresses Alabama's maternal health challenges, including the state's high maternal mortality rate and significant disparities affecting Black women. The toolkit outlines Medicaid eligibility criteria for pregnant women and describes the comprehensive services covered during preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum periods (extended to one full year after childbirth). It provides step-by-step enrollment instructions, required documentation, and contact information for assistance. The document describes maternity care access challenges in Alabama, noting that 8.9% of births occur in maternity care deserts and highlighting hospital closures affecting rural areas. It presents various state programs and initiatives working to improve maternal health outcomes, including the Alabama Maternal Health Task Force, Alabama Perinatal Quality Collaborative, Nurse-Family Partnership, and Birmingham Healthy Start Plus.

Keywords: Alabama, Eligibility, Legislation, Medicaid, Patient education, Perinatal care, Pregnancy, postpartum care, state programs

Arizona Oral Health Coalition Advocacy Committee. 2024. Advocacy toolkit. [no place]: Arizona Oral Health Coalition, 18 pp.

Annotation: This toolkit, which is geared toward oral health advocates in Arizona, is a collection of resources that can help with advocating for oral heath policies at the Arizona legislature. The toolkit is divided into three sections. The first section provides information about the Arizona legislature. The second discusses how a bill becomes a law. The third provides tools and tips related to the following topics: advocacy vs. lobbying, finding a lawmaker, the request-to-speak system, creating a message, and meeting with a legislator.

Keywords: Advocacy, Arizona, Legislation, Legislatures, Lobbying, Oral health, State government

Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors. 2024. Public health policies: A key element of state oral health infrastructure. Reno, NV: Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors, 2 pp.

Annotation: This brief provides information about development, championing, and implementing policies, laws, and systemic plans that support state and community oral health efforts. It discusses the importance of developing sociopolitical systems and implementing policy changes that support oral health plans and interventions. It also provides 10 recommendations on developing evidence-based policies and interventions at both the state and the local level.

Keywords: Community health, Oral health, Public policy, State legislation

Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors. 2024. Oral health coalitions & community advocates: A key element of state and local oral health infrastructure. Reno, NV: Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors, 2 pp.

Annotation: This tip sheet discusses the reliance of oral health programs on health coalition members and community advocates to create and implement state plans, promote evidence-based prevention and public health approaches, and advocate for new policies and laws. It also provides 10 recommendations for what these coalition members and advocates can do to support state oral health infrastructure and capacity building.

Keywords: Advocacy, Oral health, Public health infrastructure, Public policy, State legislation, State programs

Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health. 2024. Nebraska public health authorization dental services and evaluation report. Lincoln, NE: Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, 7 pp. (Report)

Annotation: This annual report evaluates dental hygiene services delivered by dental hygienists with public health authorization (PHRDHs) in Nebraska. The report highlights the function, activities, and locations served by PHRDHs in the state. It also provides background information on Nebraska dental hygienists' ability to obtain public health authorization since 2007 and the services that public health authorization allows PHRDHs to provide. In addition, the report discusses differences in the number of services PHRDHs provided in 2023 compared with 2022.

Keywords: Annual reports, Dental hygiene, Nebraska, Oral health, Public health, Service delivery, State legislation, State programs, Trends

National Academy for State Health Policy. 2024. State efforts to extend Medicaid postpartum coverage (state tracker). Portland, OR: National Academy for State Health Policy,

Annotation: This interactive map and chart summarizes state efforts to extend Medicaid postpartum coverage by tracking state laws, Medicaid waivers, and state plan amendments designed to prolong coverage during the postpartum period. Extending Medicaid postpartum coverage beyond 60 days to 12 months is a key state strategy intended to improve maternal health and address the maternal mortality crisis. This resource is intended for professionals addressing policy areas such as Women’s and Children’s Health, specifically focusing on Maternal and Family Health.

Keywords: Government financing, Maps, Medicaid, Policy, Policy development, Postpartum care, State legislation

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 2024. Status of state actions to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage. Washington, DC: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists,

Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. 2023. Advancing health equity through the legislative process. Arlington, VA: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, 2 pp.

Clark M. 2023. State trends to leverage Medicaid extended postpartum coverage, benefits and payment policies to improve maternal health. Washington, DC: Center for Children and Families,

Annotation: This report describes state trends in the use of Medicaid funds to improve maternal health, including Medicaid extensions that cover the 12-month postpartum period; the expansion of provider types to include doula care; and coverage of postpartum mental health screening and treatment. Guidance on how states can leverage Medicaid managed care contracts to Improve maternal health outcomes is included, along with a chart comparing the percentage of women who attend timely prenatal and postpartum visits in both expansion and non-expansion states.

Keywords: Financing, Health care reform, Medicaid, Policy , Postpartum care, Prenatal care, Quality improvement, State legislation, Trends

National Academy for State Health Policy . 2023. Medicaid policies for caregiver and maternal depression screening during well-child visits, by state. Portland, OR: National Academy for State Health Policy,

Annotation: This online tracker contains a map of the U.S. and accompanying chart highlighting each state's policy in response to the 2016 federal guidance allowing states to provide Medicaid coverage of maternal and/or caregiver depression screening during a well-child visit under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit. The map indicates which states either require, recommend, or allow maternal depression screening using the two-generational approach and, where applicable, provides the reimbursement rate for this fee-for-service.

Keywords: Depression, Financing, Maternal health, Medicaid, Policy, Postpartum depression, Screening, State legislation

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists . 2023. Medicaid reimbursement for postpartum LARC [by state]. Washington, D.C.: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists,

Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. 2023. Medicaid postpartum coverage extension tracker . Menlo Park, CA: Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation,

Annotation: This online resource tracks state actions to implement extended Medicaid postpartum coverage, including states that have implemented a 12-month postpartum extension, states that are planning to implement a 12-month extension, states with pending legislation to seek federal approval through a waiver, and states that have proposed or received approval for a limited coverage extension.

Keywords: Eligibility, Legislation , Medicaid, Postpartum care, State initiatives

Haldar S, Hinton E. 2023. State policies for expanding Medicaid coverage of community health worker(CHW) services. Mento Park, CA: Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation,

Annotation: This online report examines state policies for expanding Medicaid coverage of community health worker (CHW) services, including approaches to authorizing payment and encouraging use of CHWs within Medicaid programs. It presents findings from KFF's 22nd annual Medicaid budget survey conducted in 2022, which found that over half of responding states (29 of 48) allowed Medicaid payment for CHW services as of July 2022. The document details various coverage mechanisms including state plan authority, ACA Health Home options, managed care arrangements, and Section 1115 demonstration waivers. It provides specific examples of recently implemented state plan amendments and discusses state plans to expand CHW programs in fiscal year 2023, including new certification requirements and efforts targeting maternal health. The report includes a U.S. map showing state CHW coverage policies and a detailed table comparing features of state plan amendments in California, Louisiana, and Nevada.

Keywords: Community health workers, Medicaid, National surveys, Payment, Public policy, State legislation, State surveys

Bradford K, Costanza K, Fouladi F, Hill T, Njunen, Speer K. 2023. Supporting moms' health in the postpartum period. Denver, CO: National Conference of State Legislatures, 20 pp.

Annotation: This report from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) provides an overview of state policy options to support maternal health during the postpartum period. It highlights the critical need for ongoing care in the "fourth trimester" to prevent maternal mortality and morbidity, noting that the U.S. faces higher rates than other developed nations with persistent racial disparities. The report outlines five key policy areas: (1) extending Medicaid postpartum coverage beyond the federal minimum of 60 days; (2) increasing access to mental health services and substance use disorder treatment; (3) promoting access to long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) to help with pregnancy spacing; (4) supporting breastfeeding through expanded accommodations, insurance coverage of lactation support, and access to donor breast milk; and (5) investing in evidence-based home visiting programs to provide preventive services and support. The report provides specific state legislative examples and program highlights in each of these policy areas.

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