Maternal and Child Health Services - The Washington State Maternal and Child Health Block Grant (MCHBG) is a part of the Washington State Department of Health. The program operates in the Office of Family and Community Health Improvement in the Prevention and Community Health Division. The mission of the Washington State Department of Health (DOH/department) is to work with others to protect and improve the health of all people in Washington. Our vision is optimal health for all. Our programs and services help prevent illness and injury, promote healthy places to live and work, provide information to help people make healthy choices, and make sure our state is prepared for emergencies. The MCHBG provides the state with essential financial and technical support to run programs and develop policies that improve the well-being of parents, infants, children, and youth—including children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN), and their families. Title V efforts focus on community health and meeting the needs of mothers and families across the state. We support community-driven solutions and tailor system improvements to match what families actually need. All MCHBG work is connected to state priorities. Between fall 2023 and spring 2025, the department conducted a statewide needs assessment to identify priority needs for maternal and child health services and set objectives and strategies for a 5-year period. We identified 4 core principles to shape our work: 1. Align services and policies with community need 2. Promote coordination and integration across public health and health care systems 3. Focus on prevention and early intervention, to promote strength and wellness across a person’s life 4. Promote positive child, youth, and family experiences and wellness The needs assessment helped set following priorities for Washington: · Improve how we identify and prevent maternal health risks by expanding access to timely, high-quality care · Enhance caregiver and infant well-being by strengthening social-emotional and economic support for new parents and caregivers · Find and respond early to children’s health challenges by improving access to family-centered health care · Help children and families thrive by improving access to basic needs and community resources · Promote positive youth development and well-being by making it easier to get health care and use resources that build healthy habits and relationships · Improve the well-being of children and youth with special health care needs and their families by expanding access to comprehensive and coordinated health services and supports · Strengthen maternal and child health systems of care through better coordination and collaboration between state, local, and Tribal partners and families These state priority needs have helped us choose which national performance measures to focus on: · Postpartum visits · Breastfeeding (ever breastfed) · Housing instability (children ages 0–11) · Medical home (percent children ages 0-17) · Adolescent well visit rate · Care coordination for children and youth with special health care needs who have a medical home We are also tracking progress on the following state-specific performance measures: · Prenatal care initiation · Number of local health jurisdictions participating in system coordination for CYSHCN and prenatal-to-5 populations When possible, we braid the MCHBG funds with other funding to increase impact and support related work. We also participate in communities of practice and learning collaborative opportunities to learn about best practices in other states and improve the strategic quality of our work. More than half of MCHBG funding goes to 32 local health jurisdictions and 1 local hospital. This helps ensure the grant supports local needs across the state. Our local public health partners have used at least 30% of their funding for prevention, primary care, and family supports.
