Welcome to the MCH Innovations Database, is a searchable repository of “what’s working” in MCH (aka practice-based evidence) which includes effective practices and policies from the field that are positively impacting MCH populations. Practices are assessed along a continuum and receive a designation of Cutting-Edge, Emerging, Promising, or Best depending on their work’s demonstrated impact, among other criteria. Policies are assessed along four dimensions of Evidence, Equity, Relevance, and Impact and then given a designation of Evidence-Informed Policy Development, Policy Implementation, or Policy Evaluation.
For additional MCH specific evidence-based/informed strategies, check out the MCHbest Database which summarizes the science of what works from the peer-reviewed literature.
Best Practice
Family Connects
The Family Connects model is an evidence-based and successfully demonstrated program that connects parents of newborns to the community resources they need through postpartum nurse home visits.
Read MoreBest Practice
Infant-Toddler Court Teams, based on the ZERO TO THREE Safe Babies Court Team Approach
Infant-Toddler Court Teams are a collaborative practice that improves, aligns, and integrates systems and builds community capacity to advance the health and well-being of very young children and families who become involved with the child welfare system. The practice is driven by an overarching vision of prevention, in which systems-integration and capacity building strengthens family protective factors and addresses the social determinants of health.
Read MorePromising Practice
NAS Surveillance Program
In 2013, Tennessee became the first state in the nation to require reporting of NAS for public health surveillance purposes. Providers are required to report all diagnoses of NAS within 30 days of diagnosis.
Read MoreCutting-Edge Practice
Alaska Virtual Home Visiting Summit
The Alaska Virtual Home Visiting Summit brought together home visitors and early intervention providers from across the state for a two day virtual training on healing and self-care and understanding the evolving practices and challenges around virtual home visits and domestic and interpersonal violence (IPV).
Read MoreBest Practice
NC Project AWARE/ACTIVATE Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education/ Advancing Coordinated and Timely InterVentions, Awareness, Training, and Education
North Carolina’s Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) also locally known as NC Project ACTIVATE (Advancing Coordinated and Timely InterVentions, Awareness, Training, and Education) addresses the three tiers of mental health (promotion, prevention, and intervention) through a continuum of education, universal screening, and appropriate services and supports for all students in response to varying levels of need.
Read MoreEmerging Practice
Integrating Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) into School-Based Health Centers
This innovative program in Denver, CO works to eliminate barriers, improve education, and increase access to PrEP for adolescents, regardless of insurance or ability to pay for services, in an urban school-based setting.
Read MoreEmerging Practice
Expanded eligibility for WV CYSHCN through enhanced screening
Our program Expanded eligibility for WV CYSHCN through enhanced screening using the CSHCN Screener© and questions from the National Survey of Children’s Health as a framework to implement a flexible definition of children with special health care needs to broaden the scope of children who are identified and to inform care coordination services across systems of care.
Read MorePolicy Evaluation
Shared Plans of Care for Children and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs
The Shared Plans of Care for Children and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs policy involves the Colorado Department of Public Health’s Title V program partnering with Local Public Health Agencies to provide care coordination to children and youth with special health care needs (birth - 21 years) and their families.
Read MorePolicy Implementation
Non-Punitive Approach to Substance Use in Pregnancy
This policy was developed in New Mexico in response to the federal CARA amendment to the federal CAPTA law that stated all state child welfare agencies are required to ensure every baby born exposed to substances receives a Plan of Care and that the numbers of babies receiving Plans of Care are reported to the Federal Agency.
Read MorePolicy Development
DC Maternal Mortality Review Committee
The DC Maternal Mortality Review Committee was created by the DC City Council in consultation with the DC Department of Health (DOH) to identify the causes of maternal mortality in DC and determine actions that can be taken to decrease the rate.
Read MoreCutting-Edge Practice
Virtual programming and mental health support for CYSHCN families
The goal of the program was to provide telehealth services to the Binder Autism Center, endocrinology and Cystic Fibrosis patients and their families. Throughout the pandemic, we offered virtual services to the patients and the families of St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital. We achieved this goal by facilitating virtual, social skill development groups, cooking, yoga, and karate classes, open parent support groups, parent workshops etc. The framework was in place, the BAC always offered individual, group, and parent services.
Read MoreCutting-Edge Practice
Virtual Support for Families of Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) During the COVID-19 Pandemic
When the COVID 19 pandemic hit in March, with a statewide shut down and virtual only services, Arizona Hands & Voices (AZHV) quickly transformed their operations to provide families with one-to-one and group support from teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH), Deaf mentors and DHH Guides by adapting their Guide By Your Side (GBYS) Program for a virtual setting.
Read MoreThis project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U01MC00001 Partnership for State Title V MCH Leadership Community Cooperative Agreement ($1,696,335). This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.