AMCHP Innovation Hub is an online platform that provides maternal and child health (MCH) professionals and advocates with resources and tools to explore, build, and share effective work grounded in evidence that contributes to improving the health and well-being of MCH populations and their communities. It is home to the MCH Innovations Database, a searchable…
Since 2020, the University of Illinois Health System (UI Health) has successfully implemented Two-Generation care clinics on the west and south sides of Chicago. This innovative care model combines dyadic care with behavioral health support and aid for social needs for postpartum families up to two years after birth. This model, known as UI Health Two-Gen, has…
Issue: Mental health disorders among pregnant and postpartum women are on the rise, yet many women do not seek or receive treatment due to numerous barriers. Those receiving care often get an inconsistent message about preventative measures or whether to continue psychiatric medications during pregnancy. Untreated mental illness among mothers can have profound consequences for…
In the U.S., over 60% of incarcerated pregnant people are in custody for non-violent drug offenses. Only 7 states had statutes related to treatment of substance use disorders in pregnant incarcerated populations despite the evidence that many incarcerated pregnant people struggle with substance use. (2023)
Last Updated September 2023 Some states first established maternal mortality review committees (MMRCs) to investigate deaths related to pregnancy in the early 20th century, when rates were the highest on record. These jurisdictions reviewed deaths in an effort to understand why many women died in childbirth and to respond to poor medical practices and inadequate care…
Reproductive health care for incarcerated individuals should be provided in accordance with the same guidelines and recommendations as for those who are not incarcerated, with attention to the increased risk of infectious diseases and mental health conditions common to incarcerated populations. Ensuring that incarcerated individuals receive respectful, consistent, high-quality reproductive health, pregnancy, and postpartum care…
Maternal mortality rates continue to increase in the United States, with significant racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in birth outcomes. States are using a variety of approaches to provide doula services within their Medicaid programs to address inequities. Doulas provide continuous physical, emotional, and information support to people before, during, and shortly after childbirth. Current evidence suggests that pregnant…
In 2023, recognizing that in the U.S., responsibility for healthcare systems and health outcomes largely fall to the states, the Policy Center introduced the inaugural maternal mental health reports to identify key data sets and track results by state. The 2024 report cards highlight progress and remaining areas of opportunity. In 2024, the overall national…
In the past 40 years, the number of women in prisons and jails in the United States has skyrocketed. Between 1980 and 2021, the percentage of incarcerated women increased by more than 525 percent, outpacing rates of incarcerated men during this time period. The most recent data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics shows yet another increase, with…
You can use the Maternal and Infant Health Mapping Tool to find county-level information on maternal and infant health. You can create and customize maps for your needs. This webpage contains both written instructions and video tutorials.
The Six Considerations Planning Tool supports Title V individuals and teams to intentionally center and partner with people with lived experience when considering potential solutions to challenges facing maternal and child health (MCH) populations. It does this by helping teams/individuals: 1. Brainstorm and document potential solutions 2. Identify other partners and individuals who should be…
Almost one in four pregnancy-related deaths is attributed to mental health conditions, including substance use disorder (SUD), making them the leading underlying cause of pregnancy-related deaths. This special issue of the Maternal and Child Health Journal builds on the evidence base, with 21 open articles that feature the latest research, program, and policy initiatives in…
This guide was developed to move the Illinois Maternal Health Digital Stories from data to action. Its intended audience is individuals or organizations interested in screening one or more of the digital stories and hosting a group conversation about how to improve maternal health. The guide includes steps for planning a screening, story-specific pages with…
This e-learning module focuses on exploring MCH policy and the policy process. This module is part of a series that provides Title V professionals with the tools, knowledge, and capacity to effectively engage in policy development, implementation, evaluation, and advocacy to ensure that policies affecting maternal and child health populations are effective, equitable, and evidence-based.
Technical workforce skills and evidence-based strategies are not necessarily sufficient to move the needle on maternal health outcomes; contextual factors such as challenging political environments, lack of leadership support, funding insufficiency, staff turnover, and historically inequitable programs and outcomes also influence the ability of MHIs and RMOMs to make an impact. These systems thinking and…
The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline provides 24/7, free, confidential support before, during, and after pregnancy. The Hotline offers callers:
Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) has developed a maternal health bill tracker. The tracker is designed to help anyone interested in maternal health policy stay on topic of the more than 30 federal bills introduced so far this year focused on improving maternal health in the U.S. The tracker provides key information…
This is a campaign from the Preeclampsia Foundation which focuses not just on repeating that preeclampsia survivors have risks beyond pregnancy, but recognizing its emotional impact and educating and empowering the community on what they can do to be their own best advocate beyond pregnancy.
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U7CMC53579, Maternal Health Training & Resource Center. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position nor policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.
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