Education and Training
For Maternal and Child Health Professionals

Quality services for mothers, children, and adolescents require professionals who are

• attuned to the special needs of children, adolescents, and children with special health care needs
• trained to provide or assure the provision of interdisciplinary, family-centered, and culturally competent services and
• focused on improving the health of the entire population.

Activities

The HRSA Maternal and Child Health Training program funds public and private nonprofit institutions of higher learning that provide training and education to those working in maternal and child health professions. The MCH Training Program supports

• Trainees who show promise to become leaders in the MCH field through teaching, research, clinical practice, and/or administration and policymaking
  
• Faculty who mentor students in exemplary MCH public health practice, advance the field through research, develop curricula particular to MCH and public health, and provide technical assistance to those in the field
  
• Continuing education and technical assistance for those already practicing in the MCH field to keep them abreast of the latest research and practices

In FY2001, the HRSA Maternal and Child Health Bureau Training Program provided more than $35 million to support:Interdisciplinary training projects | Disciplinary training programs | Short-term training initiatives

MCH Interdisciplinary Training
Leadership Education in Adolescent Health-Prepares professionals from a variety of health care disciplines to be leaders in clinical care, research, public health policy, and advocacy.

Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities-Trains future leaders in a variety of disciplines to improve the health of children who have, or are at risk of developing, neurodevelopmental disabilities or other similar conditions such as autism and mental retardation.

Pediatric Pulmonary Centers-Prepare health professionals to develop or improve community-based, family-centered health care for children with chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma.

Schools of Public Health-Prepare students for careers in maternal and child public health practice, research, planning, policy development, and advocacy. Programs emphasize leadership training, applied research, and technical assistance to communities, States, and regions.

MCH Public Health-Enhances the skills of the existing public health workforce by using innovative strategies to address the special educational needs of health professionals who live in isolated geographic communities, or are from underserved or underrepresented populations.

MCH Disciplinary Training
Behavioral Pediatrics-Enhances the behavioral, psychosocial, and developmental aspects of general pediatric care. The programs support fellows in behavioral pediatrics to help prepare them for leadership roles as teachers, researchers, and clinicians.

Communication Disorders-Trains speech-language pathologists and audiologists to provide comprehensive services to children and their families, and promotes the advancement of the field through information and knowledge dissemination.

Pediatric Dentistry-Provides postdoctoral training for pediatric dentists designed to foster leadership in administration, education, public health, and oral health services. Attention is devoted to children with special health care needs, including children with behavioral problems.

Pediatric Occupational Therapy-Trains graduate and doctoral students to help increase access to culturally appropriate, community programs for children with disabilities. Also, these projects develop and disseminate a variety of occupational therapy educational resources for use across the Nation.

Pediatric Physical Therapy-Provides post-professional graduate training for pediatric physical therapists and strives to affect physical therapy training programs across the country through the development and dissemination of educational resources, continuing education, and technical assistance.

Nursing-Provides post-professional graduate training in nurse-midwifery, and pediatric and adolescent nursing to assure MCH nursing leadership in academia and community-based health programs. Also these projects provide continuing education for nurses in the field.

Nutrition-Promotes public health nutrition for children, adolescents, women, and families by providing graduate training to nutritionists and registered dietitians. In addition, short-term training focused on clinical and public health approaches to maternal and child nutrition is provided to professionals from a variety of fields.

Social Work-Establishes MCH Centers of Excellence that promote public health training for social workers. Graduate and doctoral training are supported. Also, these centers offer continuing education and educational materials to other social work programs across the Nation.

Short Term Training
Collaborative Office Rounds-Support community discussion groups to address mental health aspects of pediatric care. Pediatricians and child psychiatrists jointly lead these meetings, and participants may include community practitioners, fellows, and residents.

Continuing Education-Offers short-term programs to update and improve the knowledge and skills of professionals serving mothers and children. Distance learning projects enhance reach through videoconferencing, satellite linkages, and the World Wide Web. The MCH Institute is targeted to State MCH and children with special health care needs program directors.

Graduate Education and Summer Mentor Program-Supports two types of training: residency training for obstetricians, gynecologists, family practitioners, and pediatricians; and an MCH Mentorship Program, which stimulates interest of African-American and Hispanic high school and college students to work in MCH-related professions.

Resources

• Training program grant application materials
• Order The MCH Training Program: An Evaluation Executive Summary
• Contact the HRSA Maternal and Child Health Bureau Division of Research, Training and Education, 301-443-2340