About Us

About Us

As the only governmental program responsible for ensuring the health and well-being of the entire population of women, infants, and children, the Title V program plays a critical role in coordination, capacity building, and quality oversight at the community and state levels.  By connecting people to services, programs to programs, and agencies to agencies, Title V programs maximize resources and increase quality and effectiveness.

MCH Mission

The mission of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) is to provide leadership, in partnership with key stakeholders, to improve the physical and mental health, safety and well-being of the maternal and child health (MCH) population which includes all of the nation’s women, infants, children, adolescents, and their families, Including fathers and children with special health care needs.

Our Impact

Numbers Reached and How we Reach Them: The Title V program touches the lives of every infant, child, and family in the United States in important ways.  Every newborn is screened for heritable disorders before leaving the hospital.  Infants and toddlers are vaccinated against preventable diseases. Mothers are assessed for postpartum depression and receive breastfeeding support.

Millions of young children in child care benefit from their caregivers’ health and safety training. School children with other access to dental care receive sealants and oral health screenings. Children with special health care needs (CSHCN) and their families have access to high quality, specialized medical care and supportive services that allow children full integration in family and community life.

In 2009:

*2,513,320 pregnant women were served by the MCH Block Grant and an additional 118,258 served, mostly through Healthy Start

*4,134,329 infants were screened through the Title V Block.  Services were provided to an additional 62,125 infants through Healthy Start and early identification services through such programs as LEND

*27,611,884 children were served through the MCH Block Grant and an additional 89,654 mostly through Healthy Start and LEND

*1,944,766 children with special health care needs received services through the MCH Block Grant and an additional 148,761 mostly through LEND.

*3,132,908 women and men were served through the MCH Block Grant and an additional 485,809 mostly through the first Time Motherhood/New Parents.

MCH History and Focus

With roots going back nearly a century, the Maternal and Child health Bureau (MCHB) of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has the primary responsibility for promoting and improving the health of our nation’s women, children and families. The Federal commitment to addressing maternal and child health can be traced first to the Children’s Bureau (established in 1912) and then to Title V of the social security Act (enacted in 1935), which focuses on MCH services. Today, MCHB administers a broad range of programs that address the needs of the nation’s MCH population, the largest of which is Title V, The Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant, which includes State Formula Block Grants, Special Projects of Regional and national Significance (SPRANS) grants and Community Integrated Service Systems (CISS) grants.