On Oct. 20, 2010, the Health Resources and Services Administration's Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) celebrates the 75th Anniversary of Title V of the Social Security Act — the Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant to the states.  In Washington, D.C., MCHB will be holding its 75^th Anniversary MCH Federal/State Partnership Meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010 at the Washington Hilton Hotel, and invites MCH professionals, families, and advocates across the country to celebrate this landmark legislation and 75 years of successfully ensuring the health of our nation’s women, infants, and children.  To register for this free conference, or to look at ideas for planning a local celebration, such as 75 minutes of service in your community, click here . 

When Title V of the Social Security Act was signed into law in 1935, it was both a progressive change for the future and a continuation of long-standing public health traditions. It represented a new and unique commitment of the federal government to support states in improving the health and well-being of all women and children in the nation. At the same time, it extended a path begun decades earlier, when the Children's Bureau was established by Martha May Eliot in 1912 to "investigate and report upon matters pertaining to the welfare of children and child life among all classes of people." The principles and methods institutionalized in the Children's Bureau carried through into the Title V program, most notably the importance of the health of mothers and children to the health of the nation, and the use of data and assessment to inform policy and programs. Over the course of its 75-year history, the Title V program has adapted to changing needs and new scientific knowledge, but its founding principles and functions have endured, setting the stage for further innovation based on sound scientific and management principles.

As the only governmental program responsible for ensuring the health and well-being of the entire population of women, infants and children, the Title V program plays a critical role in coordination, capacity building, and quality oversight at the community and state levels. By connecting people to services, programs to programs, and agencies to agencies, Title V programs reduce fragmentation and duplication, maximize resources, and increase quality and effectiveness.  The emphasis on collaboration is built into the Title V legislation, which requires MCH programs to collaborate with major programs such as Special Education, Family Planning, and Medicaid.

Title V has adjusted over the years to the changing context of MCH priorities.  Some conditions, such as malnutrition, polio, spina bifida, and neonatal survival are not the significant concerns they were when Title V was enacted. Other problems persist and new ones are emerging – injuries are still a major priority, but they tend to be caused by motor vehicle accidents, not farm work.  Breastfeeding, obesity, asthma, autism, and the developmental effects of chemicals in our food, water, and consumer products are all major concerns.  And while we have made great strides over the decades in reducing rates of infant mortality, African-American infants still die at more than twice the rate of non-Hispanic white infants.  Title V currently emphasizes connection and capacity building in MCH services, and includes four focus areas:

·         Infrastructure building services

·         Population-based services

·         Enabling services

·         Direct care services

MCH programs have been leaders in implementing the community-oriented public health approaches that have evolved over recent decades, from social determinants and neighborhood effects to community engagement in research and program planning. Scientific knowledge and public health tools will continue to evolve, as will population health concerns. For 75 years, the Title V program has built capacity around a core set of functions that will continue to serve its mission of ensuring the health of women, infants, children, and adolescents in every US state and community.  So celebrate our success, and pledge to continue this excellent work over the next 75 years!