Our Accomplishments

The Maternal and Child Health Bureau's FY2019 Accomplishments Include:

Maryland Family Planning Program: Conducted 98,042 family planning & reproductive health visits for 66,183 clients of whom 74% are low-income and/or uninsured – served through a network of over 64 clinic sites statewide

Clinical Specialty Services: Contributed towards clinical services for 8,353 children and adolescents including visits and genetic counseling in genetic centers, complex care centers, and in pediatric hematology and hemophilia programs

Infant Follow Up Services: 6,416 newborns identified in the newborn bloodspot screening program, infant hearing program, sickle cell program, and birth defects program and received follow up services including linkage to care

Maryland WIC Program: Each month, nearly 124,000 pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women and children up to age five receive nutrition services through a network of 85 sites statewide

The MCH Bureau conducted a targeted survey of pediatric providers about Sickle Cell Trait. Most providers indicated familiarity with Sickle Cell Trait, though the extent of knowledge appears limited. Survey results suggested there may be opportunities for provider education on current understanding of health risks related to Sickle Cell Trait, including potential long-term health consequences. Survey results were presented at the 2019 Annual National Convention of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America.

MIECHV SEN Training: The Maternal, Infant, & Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program partnered with stakeholders to develop a one-day Substance Exposed Newborns (SEN) training for home visitors, supervisors and community health workers. To inform the training, an expert advisory committee of key stakeholders representing professionals that interact directly with substance-using pregnant women and their children. The training was developed in direct response to the opioid crisis plaguing Maryland and the increased number of SEN identified by DHS. The training was piloted in 2018, and six regional trainings were held in the first half of 2019, successfully training 288 individuals to date.

Updated July 2020