$558M for Maternal & Child Health: Biden-Harris Invests in Home Visiting Programs

Investing in Maternal & Child Health: New Funding to Prevent Deaths & Support Families

The U.S. Department ⁣of Health and Human Services (HHS) is substantially expanding its commitment to maternal and child health through new investments in vital home visiting programs and initiatives to prevent pregnancy-related deaths. these efforts aim to improve outcomes for women, infants, and families across ⁢the nation.

Strengthening support for Families Through Home Visiting

Recently, HHS announced over $60 million in awards for the Maternal,⁤ Infant, and Early childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV). This program brings evidence-based support directly to families, offering services that demonstrably improve ⁣lives.

Specifically, MIECHV is proven to:

Enhance school readiness and academic achievement for children.
‍ Improve the health and well-being of mothers.
⁤ Increase access to crucial health insurance coverage.
Reduce the incidence of child injuries, abuse, and neglect.

You can find a complete list of MIECHV awardees here.

Addressing the Maternal⁤ Mortality Crisis

Alongside the home visiting program expansion, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investing $118.5 million over five years to bolster the public health infrastructure dedicated to preventing pregnancy-related deaths. This funding will significantly expand the reach of ⁤Maternal Mortality Review ⁤committees (MMRCs).

What are MMRCs?

MMRCs are state- ‍and territory-based teams of experts who meticulously review ⁢deaths occurring within one⁤ year of pregnancy’s end. They determine if these deaths were preventable and, crucially, recommend strategies to prevent future ⁤tragedies.This new investment ⁤will grow ⁣support for MMRCs from 46 to 52 states and U.S. territories.It also advances the CDC’s Enhancing Reviews and Surveillance to Eliminate Maternal Mortality (ERASE MM) program, launched in 2019. ERASE MM focuses on strengthening and standardizing the work of⁤ these vital committees.

You can learn more about ⁤the ⁣ERASE MM program White⁣ House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis.⁤ The Blueprint provides a comprehensive framework for improving maternal health ⁢outcomes nationwide.”Every pregnancy-related ‍death is a tragedy for the family and ⁢the community,” says Wanda Barfield, MD, MPH, director of CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health. “thanks to MMRCs, we know more about the causes and circumstances around pregnancy-related deaths, and we have actionable recommendations to prevent⁣ future deaths. This investment will support more jurisdictions in their critical work to save mothers’ lives.”

For a detailed overview of progress ‍made under the White house Blueprint, you can access the recent fact sheet here.

These combined efforts represent a significant ‍step forward in protecting the health⁤ and well-being of mothers, infants, and families across the United States. ⁣ By investing in evidence-based programs and strengthening our public health infrastructure, we can work towards a future⁢ where every pregnancy and birth is safe and healthy.