Maryland Department of Health
Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB)

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Maryland Maternal and Child Health Title V Block Grant Public Feedback Summary Page

 

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) is seeking public input as it prepares for its FY 2026 Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Block Grant submission to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). This application is required for the continuation of federal funds for the state’s Title V program, which serves mothers, pregnant women, infants, children, adolescents, and children and youth with specific healthcare needs. The following information provides a summary of the Maryland MCH Block Grant annual plan, including activities to address priority needs and performance measures. 

The MDH received approximately $12 million dollars annually to assure access to preventative and primary health care services for the required population groups of: (1) preventive and primary care services for pregnant women, mothers, and infants; (2) preventive and primary care services for children; and (3) services for children and youths with specific health care needs (CYSHCN). Federal law requires each state to allocate a minimum of 30 percent of its funds for services for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) and that a minimum of 30% of federal funds be used to provide preventive and primary care services for children.

The following priority needs identified for the Maryland MCH block grant were based on the five-year needs assessment completed for the FY 2021-2025 MCH Block Grant cycle. The priority needs to cross the five population domains- Women/Maternal Health, Perinatal/ Infant Health, Child Health, Adolescent Health, Children and Youth with Specific Health Care Needs, with a sixth priority need that falls into the Cross-Cutting & System Building domain area:

  • Ensure all birthing people are in optimal health before, during, and after pregnancy.
  • Address the racial disparities in severe maternal morbidity rates among Black NH and White NH. 
  • Ensure that all babies are born healthy and prosper in their first year
  • Ensure that all children have an opportunity to develop and reach their full potential
  • Ensure children with asthma and their families have the tools and support necessary to manage their condition so that it does not impede their daily activities
  • Ensure that adolescents aged 12-17 receive comprehensive well visits that address physical, reproductive, and behavioral health needs
  • To improve the health of children and youth with special health care needs through early identification, comprehensive and coordinated care, and to support their successful transition into adulthood
  • Ensure that MCHP policies and processes are centered on equity and antiracism principles. 
​The federal MCHB offered 15 national performance measures (NPMs) covering the five population domains. States had to choose five of the 15 NPMs to address during the five-year cycle (2021-2025) with at least one NPM from each population domain. Maryland selected the following nine measures below:
  • NPM 13.1: Percent of women who had a preventive dental visit during pregnancy
  • NPM 14.1: Percent of women who smoke during pregnancy
  • NPM 3: Percent of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants born in a hospital with a Level III+ Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
  • NPM 4
    • A: Percent of infants who are ever breastfed
    • ​​​​B: Percent of infants breastfed exclusively through 6 months​

  • NPM 5:

    • A: Percent of infants placed to sleep on their backs
    • B: Percent of infants placed to sleep on a separate approved sleep surface
    • C: Percent of infants placed to sleep without soft objects or loose bedding​
  • NPM 6: Percent of children, ages 9 through 35 months, who received a developmental screening using a parent-completed screening tool in the past year.
  • NPM 10: Percent of adolescents, ages 12-17, with a preventive medical visit in the past year. 
  • NPM 11: Percent of children with and without special health care needs, ages 0 through 17, who have a medical home
  • ​NPM 12: Percent of adolescents with and without special health care needs who received services to prepare for the transition to adult health care
​​In addition, states were allowed to develop one or more state performance measures (SPMs) to address priority needs that were not adequately represented under the national performance measure.

Maryland developed the following SPMs:

  • SPM 1: Rate of overdose mortality for women ages 15-49
  • SPM 2: Excess rate between Black Non-Hispanic Severe Maternal Morbidity (SMM) events to White Non-Hispanic Severe Maternal Morbidity (SMM) events per 10,000 delivery hospitalizations
  • SPM 3: Receipt of Primary Care during Early Childhood
  • SPM 4: Number of Asthma emergency room visits per 1,000 for children aged 2-17 with a primary diagnosis of asthma
  •  SPM 5: Cross-Cutting Measure: Percentage of MCHB committee/workgroups that include members/ persons with lived experience 
The State also developed a five-year State Action Plan to assist in aligning program strategies and activities with identified measures and implement changes to strategies and activities as appropriate. FY25 is the last year of the current five-year cycle. A statewide needs assessment is underway to select new priorities and NPMs to begin in FY26.

If commenting, please review the priority needs and the above federal and state-negotiated performance measures and provide comments on suggested changes and potential actions to address any priority needs. To provide comments, email mdh.titlev@maryland.gov with the subject line:

PUBLIC COMMENT
All comments must be received by 06/27/2025 to be considered for the FY 26 MCH Block Grant Application.