III.A.2. How Federal Funds Support State MCH Efforts

The Title V MCH Block Grant funding comes to NM Department of Health through the Family Health Bureau (FHB) to support salaries, project design and implementation in each program area. Title V blends with multiple funding streams, including state general fund match, program revenues, private funding and other federal grants. For example, the MCH Epidemiology section receives Title V funds and is also supplemented by the State Systems Development Initiative (SSDI) grant, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) Centers for Disease Control (CDC) funding, Medicaid revenue and private funding.

The Title V staff provide key leadership to substance use disorder prevention and treatment for children receiving safe plans of care after delivery for women delivering in hospitals across the state. Title V strengthens capacity to evaluate this work and to analyze outcome data for maternal patient safety bundles and quality improvement.

The Children’s Medical Services program uses Title V and state general matching funds to support social work care coordination for children and youth with special healthcare needs that also brings in Medicaid revenue to support the work.

The Maternal Health Program uses Title V funds with general fund match for high-risk prenatal services across the state to supplement care coverage for underinsured people. The CDC ERASE grant supports maternal mortality review committee operations and analysis, but the program depends heavily on Title V analytic and administrative support.

During the pandemic, Title V efforts have been enhanced by private funding and federal grants to navigate families most impacted by the devastation of losing employment, housing or childcare. These funding mechanisms have been crucial for meeting direct and enabling services Title V provides or refers for families with the greatest need. Blended funding also facilitates significant public health and surveillance coordination between MCH Epidemiology and Tribal Epidemiology Center staff.

Because Title V funds are flexible, they can support statewide infrastructure and system-building. For example, the CYSHCN program (Children’s Medical Services) works on policy and systems level change as well as providing care coordination and direct service through outreach clinics. Maternal Health and epidemiology staff participate in Medicaid policy and managed care organizations care content review.

The Office of Oral Health, Office of Injury Prevention, and the Office of School and Adolescent Health provide training,  supplies and evaluation through Title V and state fund matching.   Although limited, Title V supports community-based projects and partnerships in breastfeeding promotion, injury prevention and safe sleep training for home visiting and hospital staff.