Maternal and Child Health Program Receives $400,000+ Federal Training Grant

ALBANY, N.Y. (July 6, 2020) – The School of Public Health’s Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Program has received a five-year training grant of nearly $450,000 from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This is the second consecutive 5-year MCH Public Health Catalyst Program award from HRSA to the MCH Program.

Across the U.S., there is a growing demand for a diverse workforce of MCH professionals possessing formal education and practical experience in this subfield of public health— and  UAlbany’s MCH Program is focused on meeting this need through engaging students, alumni, faculty and partners in MCH coursework, mentoring, internships and a rich array of professional development activities. The support provided by HRSA will enable the program to enhance efforts by recruiting and training diverse students, exposing students to MCH and expanding its existing MCH curriculum.

For the past five years, the MCH Program has developed important programs, partnerships, experiences and more. Of note, a new Graduate Certificate in Maternal and Child Health was approved in 2019 to address the gap in MCH program offerings. It is the only program of its type in the state outside of New York City, delivering critical education to public health students and practitioners. The certificate has engaged students from across the entire UAlbany community and additional prospective students.

“An attractive feature for many students is the interdisciplinary approach of our program and the opportunities to get involved to support maternal and child health populations,” says Christine Bozlak, Co-Director of the MCH Program and Associate Professor of Health Policy, Management and Behavior. “In addition to timely, relevant coursework, students can receive funding for internships, take part in an MCH interest group, assist with MCH-related research and community-based projects, and participate in an MCH student advisory committee as well as other professional development activities. Our program is making every effort to prepare students for the emerging MCH workforce needs.”

The new 5-year funding from HRSA began in June 2020. MCH program faculty and staff will continue to deliver and expand important programming, education, and opportunities through close collaboration and partnership with other departments at UAlbany, other colleges and universities, state and local public health agencies, and community-based organizations.

“Over the past five years, the MCH Program has grown rapidly and become an integral part of our School of Public Health,” says Rachel de Long, Co-Director of the MCH Program and Clinical Associate Professor of Health Policy, Management and Behavior. “As we expand, we see an increasing interest in and understanding of this sub-field of public health, which will positively impact the health of the communities we serve.”

Note: This program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $449,159 with no percentage of the award financed with non­governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.