Maternal and Child Health (MCH) is "the professional and academic field that focuses on the determinants, mechanisms and systems that promote and maintain the health, safety, well-being and appropriate development of children and their families in communities and societies in order to enhance the future health and welfare of society and subsequent generations." (Alexander, 2004)
As one effort to support MCH-related education for public health students nationwide, we have compiled the following list of resources to support teaching and faculty collaboration.
This is a central access point for online learning in maternal and child health, linking learners to open-access webcasts, instructional modules, lectures, and other training materials. This portal provides tools for assessing individual and organizational training needs and linking needs to learning resources.
This library at Georgetown University is a compilation of maternal and child health information and resources. The site provides regularly updated “knowledge paths” on a wide range of MCH topics, consisting of links to other websites, publications, and databases useful for teaching and learning.
MCH leadership requires specific knowledge, skills, personal characteristics, and values. The leadership competencies draw from both theory and practice to promote MCH leadership. They are targeted to MCH interdisciplinary training programs and practicing MCH professionals.
Life Course in MCH, including
- Life Course Research Network (LCRN)
- AUCD Life Course Perspective Resources
- AMCHP Life Course Approach
The life course approach to conceptualizing health care needs and services evolved from research documenting the important role early life events play in shaping an individual's health trajectory. The interplay of risk and protective factors, such as socioeconomic status, toxic environmental exposures, health behaviors, stress, and nutrition, influence health throughout one's lifetime.
This interactive timeline traces the history of maternal and child health services, programs, and policies in the US. Explore specific events and time periods, or view in-depth modules on MCH 101, systems of care, infant mortality, performance and accountability, and other topics.
Students and faculty of MCH Training Programs in Schools of Public Health around the country describe how their work benefits diverse communities. This prezi is an educational tool as well as a model for other MCH training programs and professionals in practice to share their answers to the question “What is MCH?” Produced by the University of South Florida MCH Public Health Training Program.
Cultural Competence in MCH Training
The National Center for Cultural Competence, with funding from MCHB, has developed Curricula Enhancement Modules and other training resources to address stereotyping, bias, discrimination, prejudice, and other “ISMs” in graduate education.
MCH Data Connect, at the Harvard School of Public Health, provides a comprehensive online database catalog of MCH data sets, interactive tools, and other data resources for public health professionals, researchers, practitioners, policy makers and students.
CityMatCH’s MCH Life Course Toolbox brings together information, strategies, and tools for integrating the life course perspective into MCH research, practice, policy, and training. The site provides publications, presentations, and examples of life course initiatives at the local, state, and national levels. The Toolbox also includes the Life Course Game, an interactive training tool available for purchase.
The Association of Teachers of Maternal and Child Health (ATMCH) is an interdisciplinary forum for MCH faculty from schools of public health and other institutions of higher learning.
The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs is a national resource, partner, and advocate for state public health leaders and others working to improve the health of women, children, youth and families, including those with special health care needs.
What is Public Health? (ASPPH)
This website gives an overview of public health and emphasizes the relevance of public health to everyone's lives. It features video clips, infographics, and other resources.
Margaret E. Mahoney Fellowship Program
The Margaret E. Mahoney Fellowship in Health Policy program offers a unique opportunity for outstanding medical, dental, public health, public policy, and graduate nursing students to conduct summer research projects on early childhood health and development and/or some aspect of health care delivery transformation for vulnerable populations with an emphasis on the policy implications of the research findings.
Collaboration Essentials is an educational program designed to promote collaboration between pediatric and child psychiatry residents. The website contains a 3-hour curriculum, based on the collaborative office rounds case discussion teaching method, which is freely available to faculty from both specialties. The curriculum includes three cases that are designed to promote a collaborative discussion in order to maximize the care of the child. Sponsors: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, and Children's Hospital Boston
National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health
The National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health provides national leadership to the maternal and child health community in three key areas--systems-wide program development, education, and state-of-the-art knowledge--to improve the health and well-being of the nation's children and families.
The National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health provides national leadership to the maternal and child health community in three key areas—systems-wide program development, education, and state-of-the-art knowledge—to improve the health and well-being of the nation's children and families. Sponsor: National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health, Georgetown University
National Center for Cultural Competence
The National Center for Cultural Competence has developed a series of curricula enhancement modules to incorporate principles and practices of cultural and linguistic competence into all aspects of their leadership training. Sponsor: National Center for Cultural Competence, Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development
Association of University Centers on Disability (AUCD)
Advances policy and practice for and with people with developmental and other disabilities, their families, and their communities by supporting Centers in research, education, and service activities. Of special interest are:
- A slide and case study library about the Life Course Perspective
- Developments Newsletter (newsletter for MCHB-funded LEND and DBP programs)
Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP)
A national resource, partner, and advocate for state public health leaders and others working to improve the health of women, children, youth and families, including those with special health care needs.