What is the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program (MCAH)?
For over 70 years, California’s Maternal Child and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Program has been authorized by Title V of the Social Security Act to provide health services to mothers, children and families. The State MCAH program works with local MCAH programs in all 58 California counties and the cities of Berkeley, Pasadena, and Long Beach, to develop, deliver and support comprehensive public health systems and services for women and children, including children with special health care needs.
The health systems and services funded by the MCAH program are designed to enable the prevention and early identification and treatment of birth defects, chronic disease, and other health risks that left undiagnosed and untreated, end up increasing costs for health care, education and social services.
The California MCAH Program uses scientific evidence-based methods in the development, targeting, and evaluation of its programs. These efforts rely upon strategic partnerships with nationally recognized public health and medical experts in health care and university settings; local health jurisdiction programs; partnerships with other State and Federal programs; and the ongoing development and analysis of program and population-based data systems.
Statewide MCAH public health priorities are continuously assessed and formally re-established every five years through a comprehensive statewide needs assessment process conducted in close collaboration with local health jurisdictions and other stakeholders.
What does the MCAH Program do?
Improves birth outcomes and the health of our babies
· Black Infant Health Program (BIH) provides health education, health promotion, social support and service coordination to pregnant and parenting African Americans.
· Breastfeeding Program promotes and supports public health and health care efforts to make breastfeeding the normal method of infant feeding in California as it provides proven benefits to the mother, infant, and society.
· California Perinatal Quality Care Council (CPQCC) monitors quality indicators of hospital care for infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Units and works with hospitals to improve outcomes.
· Comprehensive Perinatal Services Program recruits obstetric care providers to provide enhanced care for low income pregnant woman.
· Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Program – a community-based program that conducts record reviews for infants who have died to identify preventable causes of death.
· Perinatal Substance Use Prevention promotes screening, assessment, and referral to treatment for substance using pregnant women through partnerships and collaboration.
· Regional Perinatal Program of California works with hospitals and health care providers to promote access to the appropriate level of perinatal care based on medical condition for pregnant women and their infants.
· Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Program educates parents, families, and child care providers on how to reduce the risk of SIDS and help families and others deal with the tragedy of SIDS.
Reduces deaths and diseases and improves the health of our moms
· California Diabetes and Pregnancy Program works with medical personnel and community liaisons to promote improved pregnancy outcomes for high-risk pregnant women with pre-existing diabetes and women who develop diabetes while pregnant.
· Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative integrates and coordinates healthy eating and physical activity promotion within MCAH and local public health and health care programs.
· Preconception Health and Health Care works with local programs on ways to improve the health of women before they get pregnant and developed a website, everywomancalifornia.org that offers resources, tools and best practices for individuals, health care providers, and communities.
Reduces deaths and chronic diseases and improves the health of our children
· California Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems is one of 59 projects nationwide that received a federal grant to build and implement a statewide comprehensive early childhood system focusing on access to medical homes, mental health and social-emotional development, early care and education services, parent education, and family support services.
· Childhood Injury Prevention Program - provides technical assistance and training to local MCAH programs to integrate injury prevention interventions into programs, policy development and outreach activities to change behaviors and the environment
· Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health in Schools collaborates with state and local agencies to provide health and physical education and social, psychological and health services to school age children and adolescents throughout California.
· Oral Health Program ensures the oral health needs of pregnant women, mothers, children and adolescents, especially within low-income families, are addressed by expanding access to dental care and preventive services.
Reduces teen pregnancy
· Adolescent Family Life Program (AFLP) – Located in over 40 local health jurisdictions, AFLP provides case management, home visitation, and health education to pregnant and parenting teens and their families and raises community awareness of the problem of adolescent pregnancy.
· Teen Pregnancy Prevention – funds educational programs and community organizations to do primary prevention to enhance knowledge, attitudes and skills of adolescents and young men and women and to reduce teenage and unintended pregnancy and absentee fatherhood, promote responsible parenting and assist adolescents in accessing clinical services.