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…
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…
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…
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.
The purpose of this AMCHP-National Association of State and Alcohol Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) project is to highlight common harm reduction strategies used by state Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Title V programs and alcohol and drug abuse agencies to address the needs of pregnant and parenting women (PPW) who use substances. The goal of…
Approximately one in 20 people report using cannabis while pregnant, making it the most used federally illicit substance by pregnant people in the U.S., according to SAMSHA. The potential harms of perinatal cannabis use to maternal, fetal, and newborn health are well-documented. This publication is intended as a resource for state MCH professionals in designing…
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 resource helps you stay informed about telehealth-related laws, regulations and Medicaid programs. The map and search options cover current laws and regulations for all fifty states and the District of Columbia.
Increasing women’s access to postpartum birth control has the potential to increase the health and well-being of women and their families, and immediate postpartum birth control can lead to a decrease in unplanned pregnancies, increased intervals between pregnancies, and a reduction in neonatal abstinence syndrome births (from drug exposure in the womb). Tennessee and California…
Extending Medicaid coverage to postpartum women beyond 60 days is emerging as a key state strategy to address the maternal mortality crisis. This interactive map and chart summarize proposed and approved legislation since 2018, Medicaid waivers, financial estimates, and other initiatives designed to extend coverage during the postpartum period.
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.
© 2025 National Institute for Children’s Health Quality. All rights reserved.