The President and Fellows of Harvard College
Grant Status: Completed
Training Category: Centers of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health Education Science and Practice
Project Director(s):
Henning Tiemeier, MD, PhD
Professor of Social and Behavioral Science
Sumner and Esther Feldberg Chair of Maternal and Child Health
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Harvard Center of Excellence in MCH
Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health
677 Huntington Ave., 6th floor
Boston, MA 02115
Phone: 617-432-1081
Email: Tiemeier@hsph.harvard.edu
Problem:
The United States lags behind most developed countries in indicators of maternal and child health. To improving these figures requires leaders in Maternal and Child Health with the competencies identified by the Division of MCH Workforce Development of MCH.
Goals and Objectives:
Goal 1: To recruit and support a diverse student group for masters and doctoral education in leadership in MCH by 1.) funding the tuition public health, and assuring student diversity in 2.) terms of underrepresented minorities (15%) and 3.) disciplinary background. Goal 2: To provide masters, doctoral and post-doctoral education for leadership in MCH 1.) using a curriculum reflecting MCH leadership competencies, 2.) having students demonstrate research or service expertise, 3.) providing leadership opportunities for students and 4.) educating MCH faculty in a post-doctoral experience. Goal 3: To provide education in MCH content areas and leadership skills to existing MCH professionals by 1.) having one symposium and two seminars per year, 2.) providing one webinar per year with Boston University program in Maternal and Child Health, and 3.) developing workshops for "big data" analysis. Goal 4: To provide technical assistance to enhance the capacities of community-based organizations by 1.) providing professional consultation and technical assistance to State and local Title V agencies and other public and private programs, 2.) maintaining MCH Data Connect, 3.) continuing to collaborate with the CDC to design of evaluations of Title V programs, and 4.) expanding the availability of paid practica for MPH. Goal 5: To develop and disseminate new knowledge through 1.) the research of the faculty and 2.) students and 3.) initiating a program of research to examine maternal health related to pregnancy.
Methodology:
Addressing these goals and objectives reflects a well-established training program of the interdepartmental concentration of MCH/Children, Youth and Families at The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. This environment provides a rich array of courses to train masters and doctoral students according to the MCH competencies and leadership opportunities. The faculty are nationally known and are experts who can provide the continuing education and technical assistance, and recognized for the research contributions. Efforts such as local practica and the CDC/Harvard evaluation project are well established and successful. HP 2020 OBJECTIVES: MCH 1-33 on the health of infants, children, children with special health care needs, and mothers during and after pregnancy, and improving access to care.
Coordination:
The project coordinates with other MCH training programs at Harvard, local and regional NGO's and Department of Public Health, but we recruit nationally, and our students serve nationally before graduation (CDC evaluations) and after.
Evaluation:
Completion of degree requirements and course work is audited before graduation. Annual surveys track our graduates as to positions and appropriateness of training.