On April 3, 2018, the American College of Nurse-Midwives joined more than 75 other health-related organizations to deliver an urgent letter to Congress calling for support of appropriations of at least $660 million for the Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Services Block Grant for Fiscal Year 2019. The Title V Block Grant is a cost-effective, accountable, and flexible funding source used to address the most critical, pressing, and unique needs of maternal and child health populations in each state, territory, and jurisdiction.
The Friends of the Title V MCH Services Program urged Senate and House Appropriations Chairmen and Ranking Members to support the funding, which will enable local, state, and national partners to accomplish the following:
- Reduce infant mortality;
- Assure access to quality care, especially for those with low incomes or limited availability of care
- Provide and ensure access to comprehensive prenatal and postnatal care to women (especially low-income and at-risk pregnant women);
- Increase the number of children who receive regular health assessments and, when indicated, diagnostic and treatment services and appropriate follow up;
- Provide and ensure access to preventive and primary care services for low-income children as well as rehabilitative services for children with special health needs; and
- Implement family-centered, community-based systems of coordinated care for children with special health needs.
Read the full letter here.
