AMCHP is proud to serve as our members’ eyes, ears and voice in Washington, DC. We advocate in support of federal programs to improve the health of women, children and their families. AMCHP works with federal agencies, Members of Congress and their staff, and partners to garner support for the Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Services Block Grant and other MCH programs.
Policy Areas
Federal Policy Agenda
AMCHP’s policy and advocacy work are guided by AMCHP’s board of directors and our Legislative and Health Care Finance Committee, which is composed of AMCHP members and partners. Our agenda specifies where we will devote our advocacy resources and highlights key policy and advocacy activities for AMCHP.
With all that we could do to support state MCH programs and provide national leadership on issues affecting women, children, and families, we use this agenda to make explicit where we will assume leadership and partnership roles in terms of advocacy on an annual basis.
What is the Title V Maternal & Child Health Block Grant?
The MCH Block Grant, authorized by Title V of the Social Security Act, is the only federal program of its kind devoted solely to improving the health of all women and children in the United States. It is guided by the principles of evidence, flexibility, and results. In FY19, programs funded by the MCH Block Grant served 98% of infants, 92% of pregnant women, and 60% of children nationwide. Racial and ethnic inequities persist across several indicators, with Black infant mortality rates double the rates for white infants and the maternal mortality rate for black women being three to four times higher than the rate for white women. Title V programs work to address these inequities by increasing access to quality health care services and supports for women and children and facilitating health promotion efforts across the lifespan.
Another key component of the MCH Block Grant is the Special Projects of Regional and National Significance (SPRANS). SPRANS funding complements and helps ensure the success of state Title V, Medicaid, and CHIP programs by driving innovation and building capacity to create integrated systems of care for women and children. Examples of innovative projects funded through SPRANS include:
- The State Maternal Health Innovation program
- Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM)
- Guidelines for well-child care from infancy through adolescence
- Nutrition care during pregnancy and lactation
- Recommended standards for prenatal care
- Successful strategies for the prevention of childhood injuries.
Appropriations
A significant portion of AMCHP’s policy and advocacy work centers on the annual federal appropriations process. Guided by our Federal Policy Agenda, AMCHP works with our members, national partners, and Congress to ensure sufficient funding for critical federal maternal and child health programs, including the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant.
AMCHP Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant: Fiscal Year 2024 Ask Sheet
Learn more about AMCHP’s advocacy work on Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations with the linked AMCHP-led letters sent to leadership of the House and Senate Labor – Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittees.
- AMCHP Leads Coalition in Support of Senate Bipartisan Dear Colleague Letter Urging Fiscal Year 2023 Funding for Federal Maternal Health Programs
- AMCHP Leads Coalition in Support of Senate Dear Colleague Letter Urging Fiscal Year 2023 Funding for CDC’s Surveillance for Emerging Threats and to Mothers and Babies Network
- AMCHP Leads Coalition in Support of Bipartisan House Dear Colleague Letter Urging Fiscal Year 2023 Funding for Federal Maternal Health Programs
- AMCHP Leads Coalition in Support of Bipartisan House Dear Colleague Letter Urging Fiscal Year 2023 Funding for CDC’s Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies Network
- AMCHP Leads Coalition in Support of Bipartisan House Dear Colleague Letter Supporting Fiscal Year 2023 Funding for two Newly Authorized Federal Maternal Health Programs
- AMCHP Leads 55 National Organizations Urging Fiscal Year 2023 Funding for CDC’s Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies Network in Letter to House and Senate L-HHS Appropriations Leadership
- AMCHP Leads 108 National and Academic Organizations Supporting Title V Funding in Fiscal Year 2023 in Letter to House and Senate L-HHS Appropriations Leadership
Maternal Health Bill Tracker
Learn more about pending federal legislation to improve maternal health by searching the below table. This page will be updated regularly to track legislation through the 117th Congress. If you experience issues loading the tracker in Internet Explorer, we recommend using Chrome, FireFox or Edge. For questions, comments, or corrections, please email govtaffairs@amchp.org.
Policy & Partnerships Town Hall Series
Join the AMCHP Government Affairs team to learn about the latest updates in federal maternal and child health policy and to hear from our national, federal, and state partners in the AMCHP Policy and Partnerships Town Hall Series! We convene the second Thursday of every month, 2-3 pm EST. Click here to register for all scheduled Town Halls.
View past AMCHP Policy & Partnerships Town Hall recordings:
Congressional Maternal and Child Health Champions: Honoring Representatives Lucille Roybal-Allard and Jaime Herrera Beutler, Co-Founders of the Maternity Care Caucus
By Lauren Blachowiak, Government Affairs Manager, Public Policy and Government Affairs, Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) Long-time maternal and child health (MCH) champions Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA-40) and...
AMCHP Leads 109 National Organizations in Supporting Permanent, Nationwide 12-Month Postpartum Medicaid Coverage in Year-End Legislation
Dear Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Schumer, Leader McCarthy, and Leader McConnell: We, the undersigned 109 national organizations committed to improving the health and wellbeing of our nation’s families, commend your ongoing leadership to advance legislation to...
A Victory for Immigrant Children and Families: Undoing Recent Harms from the “Public Charge” Rule
By Stacy Collins, MSW, Associate Director, Health Systems Transformation “In keeping with our nation’s values, this policy treats all those we serve with fairness and respect. Though there is still much to do to overcome confusion and fear, we will continue to...
Our Team
