The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) and the National Birth Defects Prevention Network (NBDPN) are excited to announce a new partnership to build capacity and engagement between Title V Maternal & Child Health (MCH)/Children & Youth with Special Health Care Needs Programs (CYSHCN) and birth defects surveillance programs. This September, AMCHP received a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities to assess organizational capacity and support partnership development between MCH and CYSHCN program directors and staff with jurisdictional birth defects surveillance programs. The grant will focus on supporting partnerships between Title V and birth defects programs to improve surveillance activities, prevention strategies, referral and linkages to health care and other services, collaboration, and program alignment.

Through this grant, AMCHP will partner with and support NBDPN to better understand the barriers and opportunities for collaboration between Title V and birth defects surveillance programs and develop a strategic plan for collaborative engagement between AMCHP and NBDPN. AMCHP and NBDPN will also partner on technical assistance activities, resources, and engagement opportunities to promote collaboration and intentional alignment between Title V and birth defects programs.

AMCHP and NBDPN are excited for the opportunity to strengthen collaborations between our organizations and respective memberships. This is a critical investment in partnerships that can improve systems for surveillance, referrals, care coordination and support for children with birth defects and their families across the life span.

To learn more, visit www.amchp.org and www.nbdpn.org. For more information about this partnership grant, email nbdpn@amchp.org