... where leaders, researchers, and practitioners in maternal and child health share stories about policies and practices to promote the health of all families.
With the start of 2020, we reflect on a period of life that many may choose to forget: adolescence! Although MCH is the universal acronym for maternal and child health, the field has made many strides to remind us that "A" is for Adolescents and should never be overlooked. AMCHP staff shares a few ways in which this developmental stage has gained more attention among the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA's) Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) and Title V investments, projects, and partnerships.
Within the past decade, home visiting programs for infants, young children, and families have greatly expanded. In 2018 alone, 286,108 families and 312,635 children received support through home visiting programs in the United States. Home visiting is a relationship-based service where professionals work with families to support their health and well-being, and assist them in achieving family goals. This article includes strategies that home visitors can use to build strong relationships with families and sustain their own well-being while doing the work.
What stemmed from a strong coalition of individuals on the autism spectrum, parents of young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and other traditional advocates, now has a new name and focuses even more directly on the lifespan of individuals on the autism spectrum. The Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support (CARES) Act of 2019 continues to be a crucial support to state Title V and the larger public health community.
Throughout the last decade, the field of maternal and child health has made many significant improvements. For example, significant energy has been poured into improving our understanding of the impact that social determinants of health (SDoH) has on children, families, and communities. Since 2010, the CDC, HealthyPeople.gov, and other public health organizations have worked to mitigate the risk factors and promote the protective factors related to SDoH that affect children, families, and communities through various programs and initiatives.
Significant changes and advancements for maternal mortality review committees (MMRCs) have occurred over the past decade. Thus, AMCHP asked the leaders and members of established, long-standing MMRCs from various states for their personal reflections on how the review process evolved, as well as their hopes for the future of review committees.
The start of a new decade is often a time of reflecting on past successes, challenges, and putting plans in place for the coming years. This last decade has seen the passage of historic laws to improve health care coverage, including the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). How well are we faring by the current law? What resources are Title V programs and other organizations providing to educate on the law?