The SDAR program supports research focused on maternal and child health (MCH) that only uses existing national databases and records that are publicly available. The goal is to better understand how to improve the health of mothers and children.
We give grants for two types of SDAR studies:
- Maternal and Child Health (known as MCH SDAR)
- Autism (known as Autism SDAR)
Awards
MCH SDAR
We gave funding to five organizations in fiscal year 2024 (FY 24). Each award is about $120,000 per year for one year.
Read the closed notice of funding opportunity (HRSA-23-068).
Autism SDAR
We gave funding to three organizations during FY 24. The award is about $120,000 for one year.
Read the closed notice of funding opportunity (HRSA-23-069).
Our reach
The research studies look at national data. The goal is to make public health systems better at the community, state, and national levels.
How this program works
Both the MCH SDAR and Autism SDAR programs speed up research by using existing data and records. With this data, researchers:
- Ask new research questions
- Test new ideas
- Find ways to improve care and interventions
This approach is different from collecting new data, which can be more expensive and take more time.
The funding usually goes to universities. The studies focus on:
- The MCHB Strategic Plan (PDF - 590 KB) goals and objectives
- The Title V MCH Services Block Grant performance measures
- Healthy People 2030 goals
MCH SDAR studies should help make health care services better, more efficient, and easier to access.
Autism SDAR studies should help look for the best ways to improve the health of children and youth with autism and other developmental disabilities.
The research usually focuses on groups that need more support, like families with low-income, racial and ethnic minorities, people living in rural areas, and children with special health care needs.
This research program wants clinical, health, and social service settings to use the results. Awardees share their findings through publications and conferences.
The goal is to use research to make better policies, practices, and resource decisions that improve the health of mothers and children.
Current research projects
Our latest funded projects include:
MCH SDAR
- Postpartum Transitions to Primary Care among Women Enrolled in State Medicaid Programs Experiencing Chronic Disease During Pregnancy
- Cannabis communication during prenatal care visits and perinatal health outcomes: A multi-state examination using a health equity and policy lens.
- Time of Pregnancy Recognition and Poor Birth Outcomes: Analysis of PRAMS Data
- Understanding Race-Related Health Disparities among Rural, Low-SES Mothers and Children
- Cannabis-Related Treatment Outcomes Among Pregnant Women Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Disparity Analysis Using a Nationally Representative Sample
Autism SDAR
- Disparities in Health Care Access and Utilization of Children during Autism Insurance Reform
- Physical activity in children and adolescents with developmental delay: is the built environment a pathway for meeting physical activity guidelines?
- The economic and healthcare impacts of COVID-19 on adolescents with autism
Use the Search Awardee Research Projects tool to find other projects funded in the last five years.
More information
Engaging Research Innovations and Challenges (EnRICH) webinars
Our EnRICH webinar series happens about four times a year. They give researchers and practitioners a chance to share new solutions to current challenges in applied and translational maternal and child health research and practice. Each event features one or more experts in the field.
News & events
Stay up to date with the MCHB Division of Research. Sign up for the MCH Research listserv for alerts about grants, research, partnerships, and EnRICH webinars.
Jobs
Find open positions with HRSA.
Contact us
Need more information, or have a specific question? Contact Sibil Varghese at SVarghese@hrsa.gov