Maternal and child health services - the florida department of health (department) is responsible for administering the title v maternal and child health (MCH) block grant, encompassing the MCH and…

Maternal and child health services - the florida department of health (department) is responsible for administering the title v maternal and child health (MCH) block grant, encompassing the MCH and children and youth with special health care needs (cyshcn) programs. These programs fall under the division of community health promotion (CHP) and the division of children's medical services (CMS), respectively. The bureau of family health services' MCH section and CMS' specialty programs bureau have primary responsibility for the title v application and oversight of title v activities. Under the leadership of the state surgeon general, the title v program works with a diverse group of public and private partners across the state who make up florida's public health system. State partners include county health departments, the florida perinatal quality collaborative (fpqc), the agency for health care administration (ahca), the department of children and families, the department of education, various universities, the florida hospital association, florida chapter of the american academy of pediatrics, the march of dimes, and healthy start coalitions. Partners on the national level include, the association of maternal & child health programs, national maternal child health workforce development center, citymatch, centers for disease control and prevention, and the association of state and territorial health officers. CMS partnerships include hrsa mchb funded training programs at the university of florida's pediatric pulmonary center, the university of south florida's MCH leadership training program, the university of miami's mailman center for child development. Family and youth partnerships include the family cafe and its youth council, the family network on disabilities of florida, and national alliance on mental health illness florida. The cyshcn program vision is that every child and youth with special health care needs has access to high quality, evidence-based, family-centered systems of care. The cyshcn framework for a well-functioning system of care includes five community needs-based initiatives 1) transform pediatric practices into patient-centered medical homes; 2) build capacity with pediatric primary care providers to treat common behavioral health conditions; 3) support service delivery approaches that are better integrated, to meet the multiple care needs of families across the community, regions, and state; 4) improve access to and quality of care through specialty networks that have condition-specific expertise (e.g., cancer, sickle cell disease, behavioral health); 5) collaborate with managed care plans participating in florida's medicaid and chip programs, including those designed for cyshcn. CMS continues to address the needs of cyshcn and their families through population health strategies that strengthen the system of care, prioritize expansion in underserved areas, especially for children with medical complexities, including increased mental health needs. Cyshcn priorities have been woven into the majority of the department's cyshcn contracts. Engagement of multiple sectors and community partners generate collective impact and improve broad social, economic, cultural, and environmental factors. The MCH section prioritizes quality of care and access to services, at a time when the need for care for the title v population seems ever more prevalent. The MCH section remains focused on the broad social, economic, cultural, and environmental factors where floridians live, work, and play. The identification, implementation, and evaluation of florida's title v priorities would not be possible without the leadership of the department, county health officers, and the cooperation of our valuable partners at the federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial levels.