May 8, 2025 - AMCHP

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May 8, 2025

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AMCHP Announcements

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Replicate a New Perinatal SUD Practice or Policy in the MCH Innovations Database

As part of AMCHP’s Perinatal Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Implementation & Policy Hub initiative, we are excited to announce that we have added 13 new Perinatal SUD practices and policies to the MCH Innovations Database!

This growing collection now includes evidence-based/informed practices and policies that support families impacted by perinatal SUD. Explore our summary resource to learn more about the new and existing perinatal SUD practices and policies.

To help bring these approaches to more communities, AMCHP is launching a new, perinatal SUD-specific Replication Project cohort, and we are inviting interested organizations to apply. This year, we will award $10,000 each to three (3) organizations to replicate a new or existing perinatal SUD-focused practice or policy featured in our database. During this 9-month cohort experience (June 2025 to February 2026), participants will receive:

Peer-coaching from a representative of the practice or policy to help adapt the practice/policy to your unique context
Tailored support from AMCHP staff around implementation science best practices via 1-on-1 calls and cohort webinars
Access to implementation-focused resources to support your project

Interested in applying for this opportunity?  

Complete a short interest survey by 5:00 PM ET on Friday, May 23. (Please note: the survey may close early depending on the number of qualified applicants.) We also encourage you to review the following resources and application materials:

Questions? Contact us at evidence@amchp.org.

New MCH Bridges Podcast Bonus Episode – Strengthening Maternal & Child Health Through Impactful Partnerships

Our newest MCH Bridges episode is now live! Bonus Episode – Strengthening Maternal & Child Health Through Impactful Partnerships

In this bonus episode of MCH Bridges, guest speakers Terrance E. Moore, Chief Executive Officer of AMCHP, and Marcus Allen, immediate Past-President of the AMCHP Board of Directors, discuss the meaning of effective partnerships and relationships and their role in strengthening maternal and child health (MCH).

Through a candid chat recorded live at the 2025 AMCHP Annual Conference, they walk us through Marcus’ experiences as the Director of Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs at the Virginia Department of Health and President of the AMCHP Board, and the importance of fostering collaborations rooted in purpose and focused on impact for all.

As we look ahead, Terrance and Marcus also discuss the future of partnerships and the most pressing priorities for AMCHP members, including tips for seasoned, new and emerging MCH professionals seeking to make a difference in their communities.

Tune in now for an insightful conversation about partnerships, balance, self-care, and joy!

Why tune in to MCH Bridges?

MCH Bridges is intended to help our listeners create new connections to MCH leaders, organizations, and ideas. We aim to inspire and guide listeners towards actions that will improve the systems that impact MCH populations. 

Who should listen to MCH Bridges?

MCH Bridges is designed for Title V MCH & CYSHCN leaders, state and jurisdictional health department staff, individuals and families with experience navigating maternal and child health systems, MCH faculty and students, public health professionals, and others wanting to learn more about supporting MCH populations.

Introducing AMCHP Policy Alerts: New Name, Same Purpose

We are pleased to share that AMCHP’s Legislative Alerts will now be known as Policy Alerts!

With this new name, we aim to better reflect the full scope of the content it provides. Policy Alerts deliver sensitive announcements and timely information on issues spanning Congress, the Executive Branch, and the Judiciary Branch that affect maternal and child health (MCH). These updates continue to inform our members and the broader MCH community of key legislative and regulatory developments, as well as AMCHP’s advocacy efforts to support essential MCH programs.

While the name is changing, the purpose remains the same: to ensure you are informed and equipped to engage in the ever-evolving policy landscape that impacts MCH.

Share Your Insights: AYAH Data Assessment Now Open!

Understanding and addressing the needs of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) requires strong, accessible, and actionable data. We’re excited to launch the Adolescent and Young Adult Health (AYAH) Data Assessment, part of the AMCHP project Building Capacity of State Public Health Departments to Access, Strengthen, and Use Data to Better Inform Service Provision for AYAs.

We want to hear from Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health (MCAH) program and epidemiology staff about:

How you use non-federal and qualitative AYAH data sources
Challenges and gaps in accessing and applying AYAH data
Support and resources needed to improve data use

Your feedback will shape future tools, training, and resources to better meet AYA health needs.

Who should participate: Program and Epidemiology staff supporting state/jurisdictional, local, and/or tribal AYAH programs
Time to complete: About 10 minutes

Take the Assessment

Questions? Contact epieval@amchp.org.

Recent AMCHP Announcements

AMCHP Information & Resources

Explore AMCHP’s Resource to Elevate Adolescent and Young Adult Health within MCH

AMCHP is excited to share our new resource, Keeping the “A” in MCH: How to Elevate Adolescence within your State MC(A)H Public Health System, designed to support Title V leaders, state adolescent health coordinators, and public health professionals working across the maternal and child health (MCH) field.

This resource offers practical guidance for how state systems can respond to the fast-changing challenges and opportunities facing young people today. It highlights what strong programs have in common when it comes to supporting adolescents and young adults. The nine spotlighted elements emphasize the importance of developmentally responsive programming, youth engagement, strategic coordination, and dedicated staff and resources. Drawing on decades of research and the experiences of young people, the guide reflects the complex needs of young people — and recognizes that their strengths play a key role in shaping their own health and development.

Whether you are building new partnerships, developing youth-focused programs, or strengthening your MCH strategies, this resource can help move your work forward.

Explore the resource and use our promotional toolkit to share it with your network to benefit your state.

New Resource Alert – AMCHP Fact Sheets on Maternal & Child Health Investments

AMCHP has launched a series of fact sheets on maternal and child health (MCH) investments. Topics currently include:

Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI)
Maternal Mortality Review
Medicaid
Newborn Screening (NBS)
Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS)
State Systems Development Initiative (SSDI)
State Maternal Health Innovation (MHI)

These fact sheets provide overviews of critical federally funded programs that complement the Title V MCH Services Block Grant and their impact on MCH populations. They also highlight the importance of preserving and bolstering these programs; a reduction or elimination in funding can have a detrimental effect on the nation’s ability to serve MCH populations, including the ability to access actionable data, support systems and infrastructure, identify and respond to issues, and understand and prevent critical conditions impacting MCH populations, their families, and communities.

You can access our new AMCHP Fact Sheets on Maternal and Child Health Investments webpage to download these fact sheets. We invite you to share them with other individuals and organizations with a shared mission of protecting and advancing the health of women, children, youth, families, and communities.

If you have any questions or need any support from our experts, please do not hesitate to contact us at communications@amchp.org.

Legislation & Policy

Explore our Maternal & Child Health Bill Tracker for more information about pending federal legislation to improve maternal health. Also, download AMCHP’s 2024 Federal Policy Agenda, which outlines where we have focused our advocacy work.

Subscribe to AMCHP’s Policy Alerts and Digest to stay up to date with the latest policy information.

AMCHP Leads Advocacy Efforts Supporting the Title V MCH Block Grant and Medicaid

AMCHP continues to advocate for $1 billion in FY 2026 funding for the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant and to protect Medicaid. On April 9, AMCHP Board President Dawn Bailey submitted testimony to Congress urging robust investment in Title V. AMCHP also co-led a sign-on letter with nearly 50 organizations, calling on Congress to reject proposals to cut, restructure, or restrict access to Medicaid.

Read the full Policy Alert to learn more about our advocacy efforts and access the testimony and sign-on letter.

AMCHP Policy and Partnerships Town Halls

Thank you to those of you who joined us for our AMCHP Policy and Partnerships Town Halls in April! You can find the full recordings of past Town Halls on our Government Affairs webpage.

Town Halls occur on the second Thursday of every month from 2-3 PM ET, including our next meeting, today May 8. We invite you to register for all future Town Halls at this registration link.

Opportunities & Funding

AMCHP Career Center: Connecting Talent with Opportunity

AMCHP lists the top jobs available in our industry. Access the AMCHP Career Center to search and apply for open positions or post your jobs and opportunities! Search for Jobs | Post a Job.

Publications & Resources

Explore MotherToBaby Fact Sheets, Developed in Partnership with AMCHP, and Join AMCHP’s Town Hall

MotherToBaby provides evidence-based information about the risks and benefits of various exposures, including medications, vaccines, chemicals, herbal products, substances, maternal health conditions, and more during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Its no-cost information service is available in English and Spanish to people who are pregnant and/or breastfeeding, their family members, health professionals, and the general public via chat, text, phone, and e-mail.

In partnership with AMCHP, MotherToBaby has developed evidence-based fact sheets on rheumatic heart disease, group A strep, and group B strep. These educational resources outline what is known about these exposures in pregnancy and lactation and provide more information to healthcare providers and patients who are affected by these conditions.

For more information about rheumatic heart disease, group A strep, group B strep, and other exposures in pregnancy and lactation, please visit MotherToBaby’s website to access free resources or contact a specialist. We also invite you to learn more about MotherToBaby during the upcoming AMCHP Policy & Partnerships Town Hall on May 8.