Last week, the Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) convened the Maternal & Child Health Appropriations Alliance (MCHAA), bringing together national partners to advocate for robust and sustained federal investments across all federally-supported maternal and child health (MCH) programs. Through coordinated congressional outreach, coalition members urged lawmakers to protect and strengthen the interconnected federal programs that support and improve the health and well-being of mothers, children, and families nationwide. 

AMCHP coordinated the development and delivery of MCHAA’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 appropriations sign-on letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committee leadership. The letter calls on Congress to develop the FY 2027 Labor, Health and Human Services (LHHS) bill with the highest possible funding levels for the myriad of interconnected federal programs that support MCH populations. Further, the letter highlights concerns about proposed reductions and eliminations to key MCH programs included in the President’s Budget Request, as outlined in our previous policy alert, including cuts to the Title V MCH Services Block Grant’s Special Projects of Regional and National Significance (SPRANS) and the elimination of Healthy Start funding. The letter urges Congress to fund SPRANS at no less than $244.7 million and Healthy Start at no less than $145.25 million. Additional highlights within the letter include the importance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Safe Motherhood and Infant Health portfolio, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Project Linking Actions for Unmet Needs in Children’s Health (Project LAUNCH), and SAMHSA’s Infant Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Grant Program. Read the letter and view the signers. 

Additionally, MCHAA organized a targeted Hill Day that brought together representatives from MCHAA’s organizational members for in-person meetings with congressional offices across both the House and Senate. During these meetings, coalition members highlighted how federal MCH programs work across agencies, including the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), CDC, and SAMHSA, to advance positive health outcomes for mothers, children, and communities nationwide. These conversations reinforced the priorities outlined in MCHAA’s FY 2027 sign-on letter and the need for sustained federal support across the full continuum of MCH services. 

AMCHP’s Government Affairs Team will continue monitoring FY 2027 appropriations negotiations and advocating for full funding and protection of MCH programs. For questions, please contact Sherie Lou Santos (ssantos@amchp.org) or Gabrielle Galusha (ggalusha@amchp.org).