Department of Public Health Title V Program Visits

Since 1935, Title V has promoted the nation's goals for healthy mothers and children. The MCH Block Grant Program provides funds to states for this purpose. It is currently administered by the US Department of Health and Human Services agency called the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and, in Massachusetts, by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

The grants' purpose is the creation of Federal-State Partnerships to develop state and local systems to meet critical challenges facing women, children and families. The Title V visit supports the fellows in gaining first hand knowledge of the Maternal and Child Health program available to families of children and youth with developmental disabilities across the lifespan.

• significantly reducing infant mortality
• providing comprehensive care for women before, during, and after pregnancy and childbirth
• providing preventive and primary care services for children and adolescents
• providing comprehensive care for children and adolescents with special health care needs
• immunizing all children
• reducing adolescent pregnancy
• preventing injury and violence
• putting into community practice national standards and guidelines (for example, for prenatal care, healthy and safe child care, and health supervision of infants, children and adolescents)
• meeting the nutritional and developmental needs of mothers, children, and families

LEND fellows have the opportunity to visit one of the following Title V programs as part of their community based experiences:

Title V Program Visited
SSI and Public Benefits Training and Technical Assistance	Care Coordination Program
The Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund and CICRF Commission Meeting	Community Support Line
F.O.R. Families	Massachusetts Maternal and Infant Mental Health Project
Medical Review Team	Early Intervention Services
Massachusetts Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Project	Newborn Hearing Screening Massachusetts Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Project
SSI and Public Benefits Training and Technical Assistance	Early Intervention
Family Initiatives	Family Initiatives Program
The Catastrophic Illness in Children relief Fund and CICRF Commission Meeting	WIC
Massachusetts Technology Resource Assistance Team	Pediatric Palliative Care program
Massachusetts Community AIDS Resource Enhancement