The Maternal and Child Health Appropriations Alliance (MCHAA), a coordinated voice for advancing federal investments in maternal and child health (MCH) with around 25 member organizations, is pleased to announce the launch of its site, available at www.mchappropriations.org.

The new site serves as a central hub for information about the Alliance’s mission, priorities, impact, recent activities, and opportunities for engagement. It also provides a platform for the Alliance’s work and for connecting stakeholders, including MCHAA members and partners, and MCH advocates, committed to advancing the health of mothers, babies, and families. 

You’re Invited – Join MCHAA for a second edition of its Maternal and Child Health Funding Week of Action, from October 25 – 31, 2026. Even if you are not a MCHAA member organization, you too can be a voice on social media to help amplify our call to Congress to pass the FY27 Labor-HHS and Agriculture bills with full, sustained funding for all MCH programs.  

Download the social media toolkit, which is also available on the site, with sample posts that you can use on your channels to help us highlight the reach, impact, and importance of MCH programs and reinforce the significance of protecting federal investments in the final FY27 Appropriations bills. 

Webinar Recording: AMCHP's Perinatal Substance Use Collaboration & Policy Action Map + Launch Webinar

Perinatal substance use does not happen in isolation. People’s experiences are shaped by the systems, policies, communities, and social conditions around them. Creating supportive, family-centered systems requires collaboration across sectors and policies that can improve outcomes for families.

As part of AMCHP’s Perinatal Substance Use Disorder Implementation & Policy Hub Initiative, we recently introduced the Perinatal Substance Use Collaboration & Policy Action Map. This resource was developed with support from the Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE) and Perigee Fund. To mark its launch, we hosted an informational webinar, which we’ve divided into three parts and made available for those who were unable to participate:



• Why and how was the Action Map created?
• A walk through of each of the components of the Action Map
• How you can use the Action Map. An example.

The Perinatal Substance Use Collaboration & Policy Action Map helps individuals and organizations visualize the larger perinatal substance use system, identify opportunities for collaboration, and advance evidence-based policies. Families and their experiences are at the center of the map, reflecting the importance of family-centered approaches to strengthening perinatal substance use systems.

The Action Map is designed for anyone working to improve supports, services, and outcomes for families impacted by perinatal substance use, including Title V and maternal and child health (MCH) workforce, public health professionals, policymakers, social services, Medicaid and payers, researchers, community partners, and families. It is accompanied by resources to help you explore and apply its recommendations, including:

• Project Overview
• Getting Started with the Collaboration Recommendations
• Perinatal Substance Use Policy Recommendations 
• Now available! Policy Recommendations for Your Sector
• References and Additional Learning
• Resource Library

Explore the Perinatal Substance Use Collaboration & Policy Action Map today! Start with what feels most relevant and feasible in your setting, and share the resource with colleagues and partners working to strengthen systems that support families affected by perinatal substance use. 

You can also support by spreading the word with your network. Please download AMCHP’s promotional toolkit to access sample email/newsletter language, social media posts, and graphics to make it easy to share the Action Map with your peers.

Congress

• Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions: Chairman Cassidy, Heinrich Introduce Legislation to Support Children with Dyslexia, Improve Literacy 

• Senator Andy Kim: Senators Kim and Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Deliver Essential Maternal Supply Kits to New Parents 

• Representative David G. Valadao: Congressman Valadao Urges Administration to Protect Critical Central Valley Head Start Programs 

• Representative Lou Correa: Correa, Smith Introduce Bipartisan Bright Beginnings Act To Expand Childcare For Children With Developmental Disabilities 

• Representative Norma Torres: Rep. Torres Introduces the Improving Access to WIC Act to Ease Access to Nutrition Support for Moms and Children 

Executive Branch

• The White House: Advancing women’s health to improve outcomes in all phases of life 

• Department of Health and Human Services: HHS Launches Health Center Healthy Lifestyle Commitment to Advance Nutrition, Prevention, and Healthy Living 

• Department of Health and Human Services: HHS Expands Sickle Cell Care Nationwide with Seven New Regional Hubs 

• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: Trump Administration Announces $92 Million to Coordinate Rural Hospital Networks, Improve Maternal Care, and Expand Medical Services Across Ohio 

• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: Trump Administration Announces Nearly $249 Million to Bring Healthcare Closer to Home for Rural Alaskans 

• National Institutes of Health: Researchers Develop Urine Test to Help Identify High-Risk Pregnancies Earlier 

• Federal Register: Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Public Comment Request; Information Collection Request Title: Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant to States Program: Guidance and Forms for the Title V Application/Annual Report, OMB No. 0915-0172-Revision 

• Federal Register: Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Public Comment Request; Maternal and Child Health Bureau Performance Measures for Discretionary Grant Information System, OMB No. 0915-0298-Revision 

Judicial Branch

• O’Neil Institute: Taylor et al. v. Kennedy et al. 

• Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health: Postpartum Medicaid Extensions Improve Follow-up Care for Women with Pregnancy Complications 

• Forbes: How To Thrive During The Fourth Trimester With Tips From Postpartum Experts And Seasoned Moms 

• Center for American Progress: In Rural Communities, Head Start Is Often the Only Licensed Child Care Option 

• American Medical Association: Closing the preeclampsia prevention gap with low-dose aspirin 

• Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: WIC Can Be Strengthened to Improve Pregnancy-Related Health 

Upcoming Events 

• October 29, 3-4:30 PM ET – Using the Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) Process to Address Stillbirth: Opportunities for Title V Programs, a webinar co-presented by the National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention (National Center) and AMCHP, highlights the power of the Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) process to support Title V programs in understanding and addressing stillbirth. Learn more and register.

• October 30, 8 AM-4:30 PM ET – 2026 Maternal & Child Health Conference, a convening hosted by the Broward Healthy Start Coalition that aims to educate professionals serving mothers and babies. Learn more and register.

• October 31 – Call for Proposals Deadline for 2027 International Aquatics & Water Safety Conference, hosted by the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) and the Association of Aquatic Professionals (AOAP), this conference will take place February 8–11, 2027 in Reno, Nevada. Childhood drowning is an injury-prevention and family-health issue, and MCH programs that bring expertise in surveillance, prevention systems, caregiver education, community implementation, and reaching families across the life course are invited to submit proposals and attend. Learn more and submit.

• November 1-4 – APHA 2026 Annual Meeting & Expo, the largest public health gathering of the year hosted by the American Public Health Association, convenes approximately 11,000 public health professionals and partners from around the world to engage, collaborate, and grow. Learn more and register.

• November 4, 2 PM ET – Expanding Access to Midwifery Care: Workforce, Policy, and Practice Solutions, the third virtual webinar in a four-part series entitled “Reimagining Access: Solutions to Strengthen Maternal Health Care Across Communities,” hosted by the March of Dimes Mom and Baby Action Network. This webinar will explore opportunities to strengthen the midwifery workforce through policy, reimbursement, workforce development, and health system integration strategies that expand access to person-centered care. Learn more and register.

• November 3, 1 PM ET – Journal Club: Doulas and Clinicians as Partners: Opportunities to Improve Perinatal Care, an interactive discussion hosted by March of Dimes that will explore current evidence on the impact of doula support on maternal and newborn outcomes, barriers to effective collaboration, and practical strategies to strengthen partnerships between doulas and healthcare teams. Learn more and register. 

• November 4, 2 PM ET – Expanding Access to Midwifery Care: Workforce, Policy, and Practice Solutions, the third virtual webinar in a four-part series entitled “Reimagining Access: Solutions to Strengthen Maternal Health Care Across Communities” hosted by the March of Dimes Mom and Baby Action Network. This webinar will explore opportunities to strengthen the midwifery workforce through policy, reimbursement, workforce development, and health system integration strategies that expand access to person-centered care. Learn more and register. 

• November 18, 2 PM ET – Before Labor & Delivery Units Close: Community Solutions for Obstetric Care Access, the final virtual webinar in a four-part series entitled “Reimagining Access: Solutions to Strengthen Maternal Health Care Across Communities,” hosted by the March of Dimes Mom and Baby Action Network. This webinar will focus on community-centered solutions, policy opportunities, workforce strategies, and innovative approaches that help communities maintain access to safe, high-quality obstetric care. Learn more and register.

• November 19, 12-1 PM EST – Pregnancy and Postpartum Psychosis: Know the Signs, Symptoms, and Next Steps, the third virtual webinar in a four-part series by the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance. In this session, experts will share statistics, signs, and symptoms; discuss protocols for treatment and recovery; and spotlight organizations that provide resources and raise awareness to support those impacted by pregnancy and postpartum psychosis. Learn more and register.

• December 17, 12 -1 PM EST – Inpatient Psychiatry Programs: When Perinatal Patients Need Hospitalization, the fourth virtual webinar in a four-part series by the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance. In this session speakers will discuss when an individual should seek inpatient care, the differences between general inpatient psychiatry care and specialized perinatal psychiatry programs, and how to prepare patients for inpatient care. Learn more and register.

• January 21, 2027, 10 AM-6 PM ET – Advanced Postpartum Psychosis Training, a one-day virtual course hosted by Postpartum Support International that is designed for psychiatrists, nurses, physicians, social workers, mental health providers, childbirth professionals, social support providers, and anyone interested in building skills for identification and treatment of postpartum psychosis. Learn more and register.

• February 9-11, 2027 – NRHA's 38th Rural Health Policy Institute, an event hosted by the National Rural Health Association that will provide an opportunity to hear elected officials discuss rural health priorities, engage in NRHA’s advocacy efforts, and learn how to put rural policy into practice. Learn more and register. 

• March 6-9, 2027 – 2027 AMCHP Annual Conference, one of the largest gatherings of maternal and child health leaders and thinkers in the U.S. Don’t miss out on our early bird rates! Register by January 16, 2027, to take advantage of our early bird pricing. Learn more and register.

• July 8-11, 2027 – 2027 PSI Conference, the largest Perinatal Mental Health Conference hosted by Postpartum Support International. This conference is for anyone interested in expanding their knowledge and skills in supporting parents’ mental health during the perinatal period. Learn more and register. 

Additional AMCHP Resources

• Visit our Government Affairs webpage for information on our appropriations work, our Federal Policy Agenda, recordings of past Town Halls, and archives of this newsletter. 

• Explore the AMCHP Resource Library. 

• Learn about pending federal legislation to improve MCH from our Maternal & Child Health Bill Tracker. 

• Check out our MCH Policy Essential Series Learning Modules. 

• Discover innovative policies in the MCH Innovations Database. 

• Explore career opportunities at AMCHP and find additional openings in maternal and child health on the AMCHP Career Center. 

• Share the subscribe link for this digest and other AMCHP content with your network so they can stay informed!