Title V Maternal and Child Health
Services (MCH) Block Grant
BACKGROUND
The Title V Maternal and Child Health Services (MCH) Block Grant provides funds to states to improve
the health of women and children, including those with special health care needs. The program is
authorized under Title V of the 1935 Social Security Act and is administered by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of
the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services.
For more information about Maryland's Title V initiatives, please visit the Federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau
State Data System website where a state snapshot is available to
download.
TITLE V PRIORITIES
States are required to develop a five year state action plan that addresses the health needs among
three population domains:
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Preventive and primary care services for all pregnant women, mothers, and infants up to age
one;
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Preventive and primary care services for children; and
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Services for children with special health care needs that are family-centered and
community-based.
In addition, activities within these population domains must be provided among the three levels of the
Maternal and Child Health Pyramid of Services:
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Direct services are preventive, primary, or specialty clinical services to pregnant
women and children, including CYSHCN. Block Grant funds are used to reimburse or
fund providers for these services through a process similar to paying a medical billing claim or
managed care costs that are not reimbursable by another funding source (i.e. Medicaid).
Examples include, but are not limited to preventive, primary, or specialty care visits,
emergency department visits, prescription drugs, occupational and physical therapy, speech therapy,
durable medical equipment and medical supplies, medical foods, dental care and vision care.
-
Enabling services are non-clinical services that enable individuals to access health
care and improve health outcomes. Enabling services include, but are not limited
to case management, care coordination, referrals, translation/interpretation, transportation,
eligibility assistance, health education for individuals or families, environmental health risk
reduction, health literacy and outreach.
-
Public health services and systems are activities and infrastructure to carry out the
core public health functions of assessment, assurance and policy
development. Examples include the development of
standards and guidelines, needs assessment, program planning, implementation and evaluation, policy
development, quality assurance and improvement and population-based disease prevention and health
promotion such as newborn screening, immunization, injury prevention, safe-sleep education and
smoking cessation.
FUNDING MATCH
The Title V Block Grant Program requires that for every $4 of Title V federal funding, the state must
match $3 in additional funding. This 'match' results in the availability of more than 8 million
additional dollars for maternal and child health programs in Maryland at both the state and local levels.
Title V requires that a minimum of 30% of federal Block Grant funds be used to support 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. States may spend no more than 10% of federal Title V
funds on administrative costs.
ANNUAL APPLICATION
As required, the Maryland Maternal and Child Health Bureau reports annually to the federal
Health Resources and Services Administration on programs and initiatives supported with Title V funds,
progress made on the required national performance measures, and activities for the coming
year. Details related to Maryland’s most recent annual application can be found online at:
The public comment period for the FY 2022 Title V Application is now open. Access the application here.
Access the public comment survey here
STATEWIDE NEEDS ASSESSMENT
The Maternal and Child Health Bureau conducts a statewide needs assessment every five years. The needs
assessment provides direction and guidance on Title V activities for the next five years by identifying
state maternal and child health priority issues and related national performance
measures. Maryland completed its most recent five year needs assessment in
2020.
The public comment period for the 2020 Needs Assessment runs from June 16-July 17, 2020. You may
access the comment page at
https://tinyurl.com/MDTitleV
June, 2020