Maternal Child Health

MCH Newsletters

Title V Maternal Child Health Block Grant

Missouri Maternal and Child Health Priorities
FFY 2026-2030

Missouri receives funding from the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Bureau of the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to support, improve and promote the development and coordination of family-centered and community-based systems of care for mothers, children and youth, including children and youth with special health care needs, and their families. This funding, known as the Title V MCH Services Block Grant, provides a foundational framework and support for both state- and local-level MCH efforts and services. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Division of Community and Public Health is responsible for administering the Title V MCH Services Block Grant and programs carried out with Title V funding for the State of Missouri.
Funds from the Title V MCH Services Block Grant help:

  • Reduce maternal, fetal and infant deaths.
  • Provide better access to quality health care services for:
    • Women who need prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care;
    • Women and children with low incomes who need preventive and primary care services;
    • Women and children who have trouble finding care where they live; and
    • Children with special health care needs, including rehabilitative services.
  • Deliver family-centered, community-based, systems of coordinated care for children with special health care needs.
  • Maintain TEL-LINK, Missouri’s toll-free MCH hotline.
Every five years, a statewide MCH needs assessment is conducted, including a comprehensive review of MCH population needs, program capacity, and partnerships/collaborations that are critical components of a state’s system of care for addressing the needs of its MCH population. Based on the findings of the Five-Year Needs Assessment, the state identifies MCH priority needs to be addressed over the next five years. The Missouri Five Year MCH Needs Assessment process completed in 2025 led to the identification of seven national and one state priority areas, with eight core values guiding efforts across all priorities, performance measures, and strategies.

National Priorities

  1. Ensure access to patient-centered, coordinated, and comprehensive postpartum care.
  2. Promote preventative oral health care services during pregnancy.
  3. Promote safe infant sleep practices and environments to reduce sleep-related infant deaths.
  4. Enhance access to holistic oral health care services for children.
  5. Ensure coordinated, comprehensive, and ongoing health care services for children with and without special health care needs.
  6. Promote stable and supportive relationships with a caring non-parental adult to enhance adolescent psychological well-being and empower youth with the tools and training to reach their full potential.
  7. Promote a smooth and successful transition from child-centered to adult-oriented health care, promoting continuity of care, improving health outcomes, and empowering youth to manage their own health.

State Priorities

  1. Promote strengths-based services and supports to promote healthy family relationships and functioning, enhance resilience, foster social connections, and support children’s social and emotional development.

Core Values

(To be applied across all priorities, performance measures and strategies)

  1. Person-centered, strengths-based approach
  2. Family and youth partnership and engagement
  3. Success through enhanced skills, knowledge and capabilities
  4. Excellence
  5. Collaboration
  6. Access
  7. Integrity
  8. Accountability

Any questions regarding the Maternal Child Health Block Grant can be directed to MCH.MCH@health.mo.gov.

To view narrative reports and forms for Missouri and compare how Missouri is doing in relation to other states, visit the Title V Information System (TVIS) website.