Local Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Programs

About Us

Program Profile

OUR GOAL: Provide State leadership and support to local MCAH departments.

OUR WORK: Develop systems that promote, protect and improve the health of our population. Increase access and utilization of health and social services, improve preconception health, reduce infant morbidity and mortality, promote breastfeeding and maintenance of a healthy weight, improve the cognitive, physical and emotional development of all children, and decrease adolescent pregnancies. Conduct monitoring and surveillance activities.

WHO WE SERVE: Women of reproductive age, mothers, infants, children, children with special health care needs, adolescents and their families.

SERVICES PROVIDED: Services are provided by public health professionals, which include public health nurses, social workers, mental health professionals, dieticians, other licensed clinicians and paraprofessionals.

FUNDING: Federal Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant and Federal Title XIX funds.

Local MCAH At a Glance

All LHJs must:

Employ an MCAH Director to oversee the implementation of Local MCAH programs.
Have a designated Perinatal Services Coordinator to assist providers to implement the Comprehensive Perinatal Services Program (CPSP) and conduct activities to improve systems of care for pregnant and postpartum women.
Conduct a community needs assessment, identify local priorities and develop a five-year Action Plan to address these priorities.
Fulfill state and federal requirements and address local priority needs as resources allow.
Provide a toll-free telephone information service to facilitate linkage of the MCAH population to needed services.
Conduct outreach activities to identify and link the MCAH population to needed care and services with an emphasis on mothers and children eligible for Medi-Cal assistance.

MCAH Directors | Perinatal Services Coordinators | Community Profiles

Local Activities

Examples of Local MCAH activities include:

Providing case management or home visiting programs to high risk pregnant and postpartum women and their families.
Partnering with providers to improve the quality of perinatal services such as assuring women have the knowledge and tools to manage weight gain during pregnancy and understand the signs and symptoms of early labor.
Working with other state and local partners to develop policies that improve the systems and environment for early identification, referral and linkage to services for children and youth with special health care needs.

MCAH State Leadership

State MCAH provides leadership to drive program and initiative development and to address current and emerging issues by monitoring the health status of the MCAH population, collaborating with internal and external stakeholders such as the MCAH Directors, and partnering with other programs or state departments. MCAH provides ongoing technical assistance to LHJs to implement their programs such as professional or workforce development, regular statewide meetings, and conference calls. MCAH describes LHJs accomplishments in the Title V Annual Report and uses data to identify barriers and opportunities for improvement.

Program Policy and Procedures (PDF)

Local Funding: What is Title V?

The primary source of local MCAH funding comes from the Federal Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant Program, the nation’s oldest federal-state partnership that aims to improve the health and well-being of women (particularly mothers) and their children.

Title V

MCAH Outreach Materials

Profiles provide a snapshot of what MCAH programs do, the population they serve and measurable outcomes. MCAH Storytelling provides a first-hand account of what it’s like to be in an MCAH Program and how participant lives have been changed for the better. Video and written stories are available on the MCAH Communications webpage.

Program Profiles | Storytelling

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Local Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Programs

About Us