R40 Maternal and Child Health Policy Analysis Program
The R40 MCH Policy Analysis Program supports: (1) analyses of policy changes that support improved access, quality, and integration of health care and services for MCH populations; (2) assessments of the key social determinants that may serve as barriers to effectively implementing policies which attempt to improve access, quality, equity, and/or integration of services among MCH populations; and (3) identification of key components of policy changes that effectively promote access, quality, and integration of systems of social, behavioral, and physical health among MCH populations. Policy analyses include describing the characteristics of various policy options (i.e., what are the policy levers, how does the policy work and what are the components, what are the current institutional and social forces that may either serve as barriers or opportunities to a policy’s capacity to effect desired change, what are the potential cultural perspectives associated with the policy option, economic issues, state of knowledge and data and existing gaps, level of government involved); evaluating the policy in terms of health impact with Title V populations – morbidity, mortality, scalability and timing, feasibility, fiscal and economic impact, and evaluating a policy after it has been implemented. Such analyses and assessments may rely on the existing literature and data or may require the collection of new information through activities such as surveys, focus groups, and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data. It is expected that projects funded under the Policy Analysis Program will yield peer-reviewed publications, with preceding contributions to the grey and white literature. Examples of possible MCH-related policy analyses topics include but are not limited to: Health care coverage and gaps in services for screening in primary care settings, including screening for maternal/postpartum depression and intimate partner violence, as well as developmental screening for children and youth; Health care coverage and gaps in services for adolescents and young adults with special health care needs and other complex medical issues who are transitioning from pediatric to adult health care systems; Key features of successful community and clinical partnerships that serve to advance the integration of behavioral health and primary care services for mothers and children; Key characteristics of collaborative public-private and community relationships that support the effective implementation of policy changes that attempt to improve access, quality, equity, and/or integration of services among MCH populations; Key domains within service models that are effective in improving access, quality, equity, and/or integration of services among MCH populations; Key elements that create sustainability of a program in ever-changing environments; Overview of research evidence that demonstrates the key components and characteristics of effective health care systems; Workforce training needs to prepare the next generation of researchers and practitioners to promote effective collaboration and coordination among health care systems; Utilization of CHIPRA quality measures by State Title V programs; Assessment of MCH Title V programs to inform the design and implementation of ACA; Coordination of efforts between Federal agencies such as Medicaid and MCH Title V; Key components in the effective regionalization of MCH health care delivery systems.
Office: Health Resources and Services Administration
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