Maternal and Child Health Services - Guam's Title V Program is implemented by the Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS), a line agency of the Government of Guam that reports to the Governor. Title 10, Division 1, Chapter 3, Article 4 of the Guam Code Annotated designates DPHSS as Guam's lead agency for administering Title V. The Guam DPHSS is dedicated to reducing health risks, improving access to quality healthcare, and enforcing health standards. Its mission statement is "to assist the people of Guam in achieving and maintaining their highest level of independence and self-sufficiency in health and social welfare." The DPHSS guides programs and services that focus on preventing illness and injury, providing resources for healthy choices and regular health screenings, promoting healthy living and working environments, and ensuring preparedness for emergencies. The Guam Title V Program serves a diverse population, reflecting the rich tapestry of Guam's community. The civilian population of Guam was an estimated 153,836 in 2020 (U.S. Bureau of the Census). The majority of the population are Pacific Islanders and Asians (81.5%),which is comprised of other non-Chamorro Micronesians (13.2%), Filipinos (29.1%), and other Asians (6.4%), along with different ethnic groups (8.5%), and 10% with multiple ethnicities. Through Title V funding, the program leads, implements, funds, and partners in activities to reduce mortality and morbidity among women and children, eliminate health disparities in health outcomes and access to services, and increase access to health care. As demonstrated in the Annual Report narratives, Guam's partnership with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) through the Title V Block Grant has allowed to improve the health status of Guam's mothers, infants, children and adolescents, including children and youth with special health care needs and their families. In 2024, Guam's Title V Block Grant proudly served 2,835 mothers, infants, children, and adolescents, including children and youth with special healthcare needs, and will work to sustain efforts through the strategies and activities proposed in this application. An essential activity of the Title V Program is collecting, analyzing, and disseminating MCH data. The data helps the Title V Program identify areas of need and emerging issues, assess program effectiveness, measure improvement, and channel federal and local funding where it can be most impactful. This data is also vital for our partners. An area of particular importance in data collection and analysis is the identification and designation of Guam as a health professional shortage area (HPSA) and medically underserved area/population (MUA/P). Title V worked with the State Primary Care Office (PCO) to complete Guam's HPSA designation assessment. The Guam Title V Program is driven by a five-year needs assessment and continual assessment during interim years. MCH priorities were identified through this assessment process, which encompassed all five health domains (women's/maternal health, perinatal/infant health, children, adolescents, and children with special health care needs) and addressed disparities.
