The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Section supports a broad array of programs in order to improve the availability of and access to high quality preventive and primary health care for all children and to reproductive health care for all women and their partners regardless of their ability to pay.  It is MCH's goal that every child in New Hampshire have the opportunity to grow up healthy.  Priorities are based on a yearly review of statewide need which are reported on in MCH's annual Grant Application to the federal government. New Hampshire's latest MCH Block Grant Application.

Community health agencies around the state receive funds through contracts with MCH to deliver to women and children prenatal care, child health, family planning and home visiting services.  MCH staff develop program guidelines based on best practices and monitor the performance and quality of services delivered.  MCH also administers several other programs for children and families.

• Adolescent Health Program seeks to improve the health and well being of adolescents and young adults in our state by providing information and resources to families, youth serving organizations and adolescent-friendly health centers.
• Child Health Program provides funding to community-based health care providers in offering comprehensive, preventive health care to low-income, uninsured, or underinsured children through clinic appointments, office visits and home visits. MCH also funds several community agencies for Child Health Support services, which include assistance with health care enrollment, referrals, case management, care coordination, and education and counseling relative to the child and family. 
• The Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) seeks to eliminate exposure to lead through development and enforcement of regulations, professional and public education, certification of lead paint professionals, inspections of suspected sources of lead, monitoring of reported blood lead levels and case management for individuals with elevated lead levels.
• Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) promotes comprehensive and integrated systems of care for young children to ensure that they are healthy and ready to learn at school entry. 
• Early Hearing, Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program offers training and support to local hospitals to help them provide hearing screening for every New Hampshire newborn.  The program coordinates a network of Pediatric Audiology Diagnostic Centers to provide hearing testing for babies and young children who do not pass their hearing screening.  Early detection of possible hearing loss or deafness ensures timely and appropriate intervention.  The program also tracks the number of infants being screened and the number identified with a hearing loss.
• Family Planning Program offers services to help a person prevent a pregnancy or to have a healthy baby.  Healthcare is given to women and men of all ages and all income levels. 
• Healthy Child Care New Hampshire seeks to improve the health and safety of children in childcare through health consultation and education to child care providers.
• Home Visiting New Hampshire (HVNH) is a preventive program that provides health, education, support and linkages to other community services to Medicaid-eligible pregnant women and their families in their homes. 
• Injury Prevention Program provides leadership and support to New Hampshire community-based agencies to prevent intentional and unintentional injuries.
• Newborn Screening Program assures that all infants born in New Hampshire are screened for 32 potentially serious disorders and ensures immediate follow-up for abnormal results.
• Prenatal Services include comprehensive health care for pregnant and postpartum women that includes, health education, nutrition services, social services, and smoking cessation counseling through office and home visits.
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Program offers information, support and resources to family and care providers of infants suspected to have died of SIDS. Information and resources about reducing the risk of SIDS and promoting a safe sleep environment are available to the general public and targeted groups. 

How are the services for women and children that MCH administers funded?

The primary source of MCH funds are from the federal government's Maternal and Child Health Section that is part of the Health Resources Services Administration of the US Department of Health and Human Services