Search Results: MCH Organizations

Annotation: The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) supports research designed to improve the quality of health care, reduce its cost, and broaden access to essential services. AHRQ supports the National Guideline Clearinghouse, a public resource for evidence-based clinical practice guidelines; the National Quality Measures Clearinghouse, a public resource for evidence-based quality measures and measure sets; the Patient Safety Network, a collection of patient safety news, literature, tools, and resources; and the Effective Health Care Program, a collection of research centers working to provide evidence on health care interventions.

Keywords: Clearinghouses, Clinical medicine, Foreign language materials, Guidelines, Health care delivery, Health disparities, Health policy, Medical technology, Patient care management, Program evaluation, Referrals, Research, Research, Safety, Service delivery, Spanish language materials, State Children's Health Insurance Program, Training, Treatment outcomes

Annotation: The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) partners with states across the country to promote the delivery of quality heatlh-care services and innovations in publicly financed health care, especially for individuals with complex, high-cost needs. CHCS facilitates problem-solving exchanges and peer learning among a diverse range of health care stakeholders to improve access, integrate fragmented services, reduce avoidable expenditures, and link payment with quality. CHCS works directly with state and federal agencies, health plans, providers, and consumer organizations to design and implement cost-effective strategies that improve care for people with complex and high-cost needs. The Center's technical assistance and training activities are organized under four broad priority areas: 1) Health care coverage and access; 2) Integrating care for people with complex needs; 3) quality, delivery systems, and payment reform; and 4) leadership and capacity building. CHCS maintains an online library of publications, technical tools, and other resources on accelerating health care delivery innovations.

Keywords: Electronic publications, Health care financing, Managed care, Medicaid managed care, Model programs, Prevention programs, State Children's Health Insurance program

Annotation: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is a consortia structure based on the agency's four key lines of business including (1) Medicare health plans operations, (2) financial management and fee for service operations, (3) Medicaid and children's health operations; and (4) quality improvement and survey and certification operations. Ten regional offices represent the agency in delivering key messages; putting into practice regulations, policy, and program guidance; and monitoring programs and evaluation of contractors/grantees. The website provides information on Medicare; Medicaid; the Children's Health Insurance Program; regulations and guidance; research, statistics, data, and systems; outreach and education; and tools. CMS was previously called the Health Care Financing Administration.

Keywords: Conferences, Data analysis, Diagnosis related groups, EPSDT, Federal agencies, Health care financing, Health insurance, immunization, Medicaid, Medicare, Program evaluation, Publications, Quality assurance, Spanish language materials, State agencies, State children's health insurance program, State programs, Statistics, Training

Annotation: The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) is a research and advocacy group for children and youth. It gathers data and disseminates information on key issues affecting children and adolescents, including development and implementation of federal and state policies. CDF provides information, technical assistance, and support to a network of state and local child advocates, service providers, and public and private sector officials and leaders. Initiatives have included adolescent pregnancy prevention programs, prenatal care campaigns, universal immunization programs, promotion of the Head Start program, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Publications include a monthly newsletter, CDF Reports. A publications list is available. CDF also coordinates the Black Community Crusade for Children, an effort to strengthen black community support for children, and publishes a newsletter of Crusade activities, Necessary. In addition, it coordinates the Student Heath Outreach (SHOUT) project, a student-run project whose goal is to reach all eligible children and sign them up for health insurance by engaging students, as well as school administrators, in the effort to spread the word about Medicaid and CHIP.

Keywords: Adolescent pregnancy, Blacks, Child advocacy, Child care, Child health, Children, Child safety, Data collection, Homeless persons, Infant mortality, Legislation, Minority groups, Prenatal care, State children's heatlh insurance program, Statistics

Annotation: CHOICE is a community-based organization dedicated to increasing awareness of and access to sexual health services, especially among underserved populations who traditionally experience barriers to care. CHOICE operates five bi-lingual (Spanish-English) hotlines and programs of community education and outreach. The hotlines include: the CHOICE Hotline for general reproductive and women's health information, serving the five-county Philadelphia area; the Pennsylvania Department of Public Health AIDS Fact Line for information about HIV/AIDS related issues which serves the entire state; the Children's Health Line which helps families obtain free or low cost health care and insurance coverage for their children; the CHOICE Teen Line, which provides sexual health counseling and education to young callers; and the Blueprint for a Safer Philadelphia Community Hotline that is part of a local effort to reduce youth homicides through a public health model. CHOICE is on the list of instructional resources recommended and approved by the Philadelphia School District to provide sexual health education in the City's public schools. CHOICE is currently active in 180 schools, after-school programs, community sites, hospitals, and churches. CHOICE offers online resources in English and Spanish.

Keywords: Advocacy, Advocacy, AIDS, Child care, Children, Family planning, Gynecology, Health education, Health insurance programs, HIV, Hotlines, Information services, Maternal care, Reproductive health, Sexuality education

Annotation: Family Voices aims to achieve family-centered care for children and adolescents with special health care needs. Family Voices provides families with tools to make informed decisions, advocate for improved public and private policies, build partnerships with professionals, and serve as trusted health care resources. Family Voices provides technical assistance, training, and connections among Family-to-Family Health Information Centers and partnering organizations. The website features health information and resources including publications, news, projects, events, and advocacy efforts.

Keywords: Advocacy, Children with special health care needs, Community programs, Consumer education, Family resource centers, Health insurance, Health policy, Legislation, Medicaid, Parent groups, Publications, Public awareness campaigns, Spanish language materials, State children's health insurance program, State programs

Annotation: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is the lead U. S. Department of Health and Human Services agency for improving access to health care for individuals and families nationwide. The agency includes the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, which funds the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, Special Projects of Regional and National Significance (SPRANS) activities and the Healthy Start Program. HRSA produces a catalog, and the HRSA Preview, which provides a comprehensive list of HRSA's competitive grant programs. The HRSA Geospatial Data Warehouse captures grants, scholarship and loan programs, designation of underserved areas, and service demonstration programs and integrates these with data acquired from external sources. The HRSA Information Center provides consumer information and referrals, a catalog of publications, and reference information. Some materials are available in Spanish.

Keywords: Access to health care, Child health, Consumer education, Federal agencies, Health insurance, Health promotion, Healthy start, HRSA, Models, Outreach, Policy development, Program development, Publications, Public health, Public policies, Spanish language materials, SPRANS, Women's health

Annotation: The Institute for Child Health Policy works to improve the health status of infants and children by integrating intellectual and organizational resources of the state university system to assist in the formulation and evaluation of health policies, programs, and systems. A major division of the Institute is the Center for Policy and Program Coordination, funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The institute sponsors conferences and training seminars and publishes a newsletter. Topics include Children's Medical Services, Florida's Healthy Kids, Florida KidCare, child health financing and reimbursement, and telehealth. Some materials are available in Spanish.

Keywords: Child health, Child health services, Children with special health care needs, Conferences, Distance education, Florida, Health care financing, Health insurance, Health policy, Infant health, Managed care, Outreach, Program development, Publications, Public awareness campaigns, Public policies, Spanish language materials, Training

Keywords: Health insurance, Information sources, Outreach, Program descriptions, Spanish language materials, Spanish language website, State children's health insurance program, State programs

Annotation: The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy center dedicated to state health policy and practice. NASHP conducts policy analysis, provides training and technical assistance to states, and–through its publications, web site, meetings, and annual state health policy conference–disseminates information designed to assist states in the development of practical, innovative solutions to complex health policy issues. Current projects include work with the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), health care for children in foster care, and the developmental services states provide young children and their families through Medicaid.

Keywords: Access to health care, Conferences, Health insurance, Health policy, Policy, Policy analysis, Policy development, Professional societies, Publications, State children's health insurance programs, State programs, Technical assistance, Training

Annotation: Pew Charitable Trusts, Children's Dental Policy promotes cost-effective policies that expand access to oral health care so that children receive the treatment they need to grow, learn, and lead healthy lives. Research and advocacy efforts focus expanding the number of professionals who can provide high-quality oral health care to children from families with low incomes, ensuring coverage Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program leads to care, expanding access to fluoridate water, and expanding programs that provide dental sealants so that all children who need them receive them. The website provides access to data visualizations, videos, reports, and analysis.

Keywords: Children, Data analysis, Dental sealants, Fluorides, Foundations, Health insurance, Low income groups, Oral health, Policy development, Program development, Research, Water, Work force

Annotation: The State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC) is a healthy policy research center within the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. SHADAC specializes in issues related to health insurance access, use, cost and quality with a particular focus on state implementation of health reform. Work includes providing technical assistance to agencies and individuals across the country, at both the federal and state government levels. SHADAC also conducts health policy research, which is translated into issue briefs, reports, and peer-reviewed journal articles. SHADAC also administers and maintains the SHADAC Data Center, which provides health insurance coverage, access, and cost estimates from federal population surveys. SHADAC is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Keywords: Access to care, Data collection, Electronic publications, Health insurance, Policy analysis, State programs, Surveys, Technical assistance, Uninsured persons