The purpose of this program is to strengthen state and urban MCH programs’ capacity to deliver quality public health and health care services to improve MCH outcomes, with an emphasis on innovation, collaboration, impact, and effectiveness.

Through this program, one recipient will support

state Title V MCH leaders, including children with special health care needs (CSHCN) leaders (Focus area 1) and one recipient will support urban MCH leaders (Focus area 2) across the country to achieve national impact by each addressing the following four core functions: 1) Evidence-Based Practice and Data-Driven Programming: Identifying and implementing evidence-based and informed practices, evaluating programs, and assuring data-driven decision-making; 2) Current and Emerging Public Health Issues and Threats: Responding quickly to current and emerging MCH-related public health issues; 3) Collaboration and Coordination: Collaborating with state and local partners to ensure optimal alignment with state Title V priorities and to identify areas of common need, interest, and effort; and 4) Leadership and Workforce: Developing and assuring a highly skilled MCH workforce.

This program may also support state and urban efforts to advance priorities for the MCH population related to maternal mortality, infant mortality, mental health, substance use disorders, and childhood obesity.

For purposes of this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO), urban MCH leaders are defined as leaders of MCH programs in any city or county health department having jurisdiction over one or more areas with populations of 100,000 or larger.