Through the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant, Maryland is able to provide core public health services funding to all 24 jurisdictions (23 counties and Baltimore City) in the state to advance vital maternal and child health services and initiatives that are specific to the needs of each community.  Funding is used for direct, enabling, and public health systems services/initiatives for children, children and youth with special health care needs, and maternal health. Additionally, funds are used for population-based services through community education of emerging public health issues and through the continued development and advancement of public health infrastructure to ensure the health and well-being of Title V eligible populations. These services highlight the mission and vision of the Department of Health’s Prevention and Health Promotion Administration, in which Maryland Title V resides.

Without critical Title V funding, the State would be unable to maintain the level of support necessary to continue to successfully improve the health outcomes of the State’s women, infants, children, adolescents and children/youth with special health care needs.  Title V funds State staff who serve essential roles for the MCH population such as epidemiology and surveillance, program management and coordination, policy development and analysis, partnership coordination, and outreach. Title V funding supports the efforts of local health departments to advance Title V priorities at the community level through the implementation of evidence-based and evidence-informed programs, activities, and initiatives. 

Each fiscal year, Maryland receives approximately $11,800,000 in federal Title V funding for maternal and child health services.  The state’s FY 1989 required Maintenance of Effort (MOE) amount is $8,262,484.  Historically, Maryland has matched federal Title V funds above the required MOE to ensure that services are adequately funded across all population and service domains.  In FY 2021, the state match totalled $10,999,716 and supported services such as family planning/reproductive health clinics, care coordination services for pregnant women (Babies Born Healthy), Child Fatality Review (CFR), various perinatal infrastructure projects, and medical day care for children and youth with special health care needs.