In the early hours of September 10, the House Committee on Appropriations approved its fiscal year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies funding bill. While AMCHP is encouraged that the Committee rejected the proposed reorganization and additional funding reductions within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as the Senate did, we are deeply concerned that the bill still advances cuts to critical maternal and child health (MCH) programs, including Title V and Health Start. These reductions threaten the health and well-being of mothers, children, and families nationwide. AMCHP remains committed to working with lawmakers to ensure sustained investments in MCH programs that safeguard access to essential services and supports for communities. The text of the legislation, before the amendment adoptions, along with the accompanying report, is available for review.   

Select provisions in the bill include: 

Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) 

• $767.251 million for the Title V MCH Block Grant, which includes a $46.449 million decrease* to the Special Projects of Regional and National Significance (SPRANS) portion of Title V compared to FY25 
• $8 million for the Maternal Mental Health Hotline, an increase of $1 million above FY25 
• Eliminates funding for Healthy Start 

*We are deeply concerned about the proposed drastic decrease to SPRANS, the portion of Title V that funds competitive grants at academic institutions, public health departments, and nonprofit and community organizations that address national or regional needs, priorities, or emerging MCH issues. In FY 2024, $210.1 million of SPRANS funding supported 225 grantees across 59 states and jurisdictions, enabling programs in innovation, training, technical assistance, quality improvement, genetic services, newborn screening, and treatment for conditions such as sickle cell disease and hemophilia. A cut of this magnitude could have sweeping negative impacts on MCH populations, public health professionals, and the future workforce.   

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 

• $208.56 million for the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD), an increase of $2.5 million above FY25 
• $110.5 million for the Safe Motherhood/Infant Health line within the Division of Reproductive Health, which houses programs such as ERASE MM (federal support for maternal mortality review committees), Perinatal Quality Collaboratives, the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring Systems (PRAMS), and more. 
• $23 million for CDC’s Surveillance to Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies (SET-NET) 

These financial changes come at a time when the country continues to battle unacceptable infant and maternal mortality and morbidity rates. Communities across the nation rely on strong and well-resourced MCH programs to address the drivers of poor outcomes and close gaps in access to care. Sustained investment is critical to ensuring that states and communities can continue advancing research-based solutions and strengthening the systems that support mothers, children, and families. 

AMCHP continues to press for robust funding increases to maternal and child health programs, and our Government Affairs Team will continue to follow the FY26 appropriations process and provide additional updates. To hear more on the policy developments impacting MCH, please register for the AMCHP Policy & Partnership Town Hall Series. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Government Affairs Team with questions: Sherie Lou Santos (ssantos@amchp.org), Gabrielle Galusha (ggalusha@amchp.org), and Karina Collins (kcollins@amchp.org).